My family usually has the television on the night of the Oscars, and we watch in between doing whatever work we're doing that particular evening. I'm kind of the geek of the group though. While most people are waiting for the best actor/actress/picture/director awards, I'm eagerly awaiting the announcement of the costume design award which usually goes to someone only I've heard of. Reason being of course, that I make costumes, so I actually care about the people nominated, whereas the rest of my family is just waiting for it to move on.
While I was personally rooting for Sandy Powell, one of my costume design heroes (she was up for the Tempest), the award actually went to Colleen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland. While I was disappointed that Powell didn't take it, Atwood is still in my top 5 favorite costume designers.
As far as my favorite costume design heroes, my #1 spot is a tie between Sandy Powell who gets a large percentage of the good ones (Rob Roy, Young Victoria, Gangs of New York) and Ngila Dickson who did my all time favorite movie Lord of the Rings, not to mention The Last Samurai, the Illusionist (which I never saw, but the costumes were nice), and was one of the designers for Xena: Warrior Princess.
Then the #2 spot goes Jenny Beavan (Everafter, need I say more?). And at #3 comes tonight's winner Colleen Atwood (She did the costumes for Memoirs of a Geisha, and while I never saw the film, I studied the costumes like there was no tomorrow). So there we are. Four costume designers who greatly inspire me and keep me working hard on my own costumes.
As far as the Academy Awards themselves, I just have one question, how come nobody ever shows up in a gown or a tux they got at the Goodwill?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Winter Harvest
I made it up to the beeyard today. In all honesty, I'm not sure you can really call it a beeyard, it's more like a "beewood," as I keep my box up up in the forest, so the bees don't bother my cows and horses (or us for that matter). But it is a "Bebox Approved" beebox. (Long story, but my younger brother once made this creepy little doll thing that he named Bebox, so ever since then, we've said my beebox is "Bebox Approved")
Anyway, I got my wax harvest in today. I still haven't gotten any honey out my hive in all the years I've had it because the bees usually have it pulled down by the time I get around to harvesting. I know you're supposed to harvest it in the spring and the fall, but I always wait until winter, because I have more time to do the harvesting. Besides, I figure if the bees have taken it, they probably needed it, and if I leave them their honey, at least I don't have to feed them through the winter. It's unconventional, but it seems to be working out pretty well, as my bees have survived several frigid winters when a lot of the hives in the area died. (One year, they even survived an ice-cold winter after someone had knocked the top of the hive off!)
In any event, I have wax, so it's time to dip some candles!
Anyway, I got my wax harvest in today. I still haven't gotten any honey out my hive in all the years I've had it because the bees usually have it pulled down by the time I get around to harvesting. I know you're supposed to harvest it in the spring and the fall, but I always wait until winter, because I have more time to do the harvesting. Besides, I figure if the bees have taken it, they probably needed it, and if I leave them their honey, at least I don't have to feed them through the winter. It's unconventional, but it seems to be working out pretty well, as my bees have survived several frigid winters when a lot of the hives in the area died. (One year, they even survived an ice-cold winter after someone had knocked the top of the hive off!)
In any event, I have wax, so it's time to dip some candles!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wheat Weaving: Dreamcatcher
Traditional wheat weavings designs had many meanings in ancient times. Some were used as courting favors, some were meant to bring luck, and many were used to ensure a bountiful harvest in the next year. Traditional designs abound in plenty, but even with the multitude of classic wheat weaving designs, it's still fun create one's own patterns. I created this dreamcatcher to blend the Celtic tradition of wheat weaving with the Native American tradition of dreamcatchers.
Begin by soaking a few dozen wheat or rye straws without heads.
Take a length of bailing wire (or a wire of similar thickness) and bend it in a circle. Cut it to your desired dreamcatcher size. Unbend the wire and slip a piece of straw over the wire, add a second if needed, until the wire is completely covered. Tie five long straws to one end of the straw-covered wire, bend them out at an angle, so that one straw points north, east, west, and two straws point south. Take the left-hand south straw and bend it over the right-hand south straw so that it lies flat next to the straw pointed east. Then take the original east straw and bend it over the new east straw so that it lies flat next to the north east straw. Continue on in this manner, with the left-hand straw always bending out the right-hand straw (rotate the weaving so the straws you're bending are always south if it makes it easier). When one straw gets short, just put another in its place.
The feathers are each made by braiding 7 straws together, then slowly cutting them off one at a time, so that the ends taper away. Twist the remaining two ends around each other and tie each feather to the dreamcatcher. It's a bit harder to make than a traditional dreamcatcher, but I'm sure it keeps nightmares away just the same.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Churning Butter
It was a butter day today (yes, at my house we still actually churn our own butter). My cousin has a dairy farm where he sells raw milk, so every few weeks someone in the family makes a milk run to his farm. We end up with four one-gallon jars of milk, each with a 1-2 inch layer of cream on top, which of course becomes the butter.
There are several different ways to churn butter. There is the old churn and dasher method, but few people have enough cream to fill one of these. There is the butter bowl method which involves stirring the cream in a large wooden bowl until it becomes butter. And then there are the shaker jar and the paddle jar methods. These two are probably the most convenient.
If you only have a relatively little bit of cream, the shaker jar method works well. Simply fill a canning jar with the cream, screw on the top and shake the jar until the cream turns to butter. The drawback of this method is that your arms generally feel like they're going to fall off from exhaustion long before the butter begins to form.
The paddle jar is a much easier method. The paddle jar is basically a glass jar with a set of paddles that churn the butter as you turn the handle. The one we use belonged to my great-grandmother, so it's probably over a hundred years old, but it still works great. However, since the majority of people probably don't have their great-grandmother's churn hanging around the house, there are several companies that still make jar churns. A quick Internet search can locate them.
To churn butter, leave jars of milk in the refrigerator over night. This will allow the milk to settle, so all the cream is easily accessed at the top of the jar. Use a measuring cup to dip the layer of cream off the top of the milk and put it in the churn.
Begin to churn the cream, moving the paddles at a relaxed rate. You'll be there a while so don't wear yourself out by trying to go too fast. (If using the shaker jar method, just shake as hard you can for as long you can, then pass the jar to a friend and have them do the same).
The cream will go through several stages. First it will slosh up and down on the sides of the jar like milk. Second the top of the cream will start to bubble and suds-up. Then the bubbles will subside and the cream will become smooth again, but as it sloshes against the side, it won't slide away cleanly; it will begin sticking to the jar. When this happens the cream is beginning to "butterize."
Keep churning, stopping periodically to check the cream inside. When you see thick clumps form, you can celebrate. Spoon out of the clumps of butter into a bowl, and save the leftover liquid for any recipe calling for buttermilk. The butter is best best kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it as it will go bad faster than store-bought butter, due to not having the preservatives.
Once in a while, for some reason still unknown to mankind, the cream will refuse to turn to clumps of butter. It will instead form a light and fluffy layer of whipped butter. Don't despair. Although it may not be traditional butter, that fluffy stuff is the sweetest tasting butter you will ever have.
There are several different ways to churn butter. There is the old churn and dasher method, but few people have enough cream to fill one of these. There is the butter bowl method which involves stirring the cream in a large wooden bowl until it becomes butter. And then there are the shaker jar and the paddle jar methods. These two are probably the most convenient.
If you only have a relatively little bit of cream, the shaker jar method works well. Simply fill a canning jar with the cream, screw on the top and shake the jar until the cream turns to butter. The drawback of this method is that your arms generally feel like they're going to fall off from exhaustion long before the butter begins to form.
The paddle jar is a much easier method. The paddle jar is basically a glass jar with a set of paddles that churn the butter as you turn the handle. The one we use belonged to my great-grandmother, so it's probably over a hundred years old, but it still works great. However, since the majority of people probably don't have their great-grandmother's churn hanging around the house, there are several companies that still make jar churns. A quick Internet search can locate them.
To churn butter, leave jars of milk in the refrigerator over night. This will allow the milk to settle, so all the cream is easily accessed at the top of the jar. Use a measuring cup to dip the layer of cream off the top of the milk and put it in the churn.
Begin to churn the cream, moving the paddles at a relaxed rate. You'll be there a while so don't wear yourself out by trying to go too fast. (If using the shaker jar method, just shake as hard you can for as long you can, then pass the jar to a friend and have them do the same).
The cream will go through several stages. First it will slosh up and down on the sides of the jar like milk. Second the top of the cream will start to bubble and suds-up. Then the bubbles will subside and the cream will become smooth again, but as it sloshes against the side, it won't slide away cleanly; it will begin sticking to the jar. When this happens the cream is beginning to "butterize."
Keep churning, stopping periodically to check the cream inside. When you see thick clumps form, you can celebrate. Spoon out of the clumps of butter into a bowl, and save the leftover liquid for any recipe calling for buttermilk. The butter is best best kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it as it will go bad faster than store-bought butter, due to not having the preservatives.
Once in a while, for some reason still unknown to mankind, the cream will refuse to turn to clumps of butter. It will instead form a light and fluffy layer of whipped butter. Don't despair. Although it may not be traditional butter, that fluffy stuff is the sweetest tasting butter you will ever have.
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| Cream ready for churning. |
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wallpaper Valentines
My aunt used to work for a design company and every year, when the new wallpaper samples would come in, she would give us the books containing the old samples from the previous year. I think more than anything we spent time making Valentines out of the wallpaper.
Wallpaper samples offer a great range of creative possibilities. The paper samples themselves are thick and flexible so they don't rip easily, which is always nice. And the selection of wallpaper usually lends itself well to Valentine's Day as floral patterns are often found in abundance. A simple heart made of wallpaper cut with decorative shears looks several times more elegant than the same heart made of construction paper.
A simple way to make an attractive Valentine heart is to cut two half heart pieces from different colored wallpapers, but with corresponding patterns. Then cut two slashes half way up each of them like this:
Wallpaper samples offer a great range of creative possibilities. The paper samples themselves are thick and flexible so they don't rip easily, which is always nice. And the selection of wallpaper usually lends itself well to Valentine's Day as floral patterns are often found in abundance. A simple heart made of wallpaper cut with decorative shears looks several times more elegant than the same heart made of construction paper.
A simple way to make an attractive Valentine heart is to cut two half heart pieces from different colored wallpapers, but with corresponding patterns. Then cut two slashes half way up each of them like this:
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Weave the two pieces together to create a beautiful Valentine heart. (I was looking for a picture of the ones my siblings and I used to make, but can't seem to find one. If I locate one I'll post it) This is a great project for children.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Did That Really Just Happen?
Every once in a while people find themselves experiencing something so strange, they stand and think to themselves, did that really just happen? I sort of found myself in one of those situations today. Today at work, I had the computer randomly generate addresses within a certain area radius. I then printed out the labels. As I began placing the labels on their respective postcards, the song L.A. Woman by The Doors began playing on the radio. At the same time, I happened to notice that the address label I had just peeled off belonged to someone named "Robert Krieger." Considering that bass player for The Doors was "Robby Krieger" the timing was, well, weird to say the least. And so I asked myself, did that really just happen?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sponge Painting
My mother recently redid our kitchen walls. The paper was getting old and discolored and peeling at the seams, and everyone agreed it was time for an upgrade. The first attempt was a disaster, however, with the solid gold color she chose, reminding us of a kitchen from 1970's California. The only thing missing was my Gramma's old Philco refrigerator! The second attempt was an almost cream colored yellow, which left the kitchen looking as stark as a hospital wing. But the third time was the charm when my mother decided to try sponge painting.
Sponge painting a fun and easy way to give new life to any room, all you need is two shades of paint, a roller and a sponge. Reminiscent of the old spackled enamel cookware, it gives walls a country cottage look, and is far more welcoming than a solid colored wall. This is particularly nice for a room such as a kitchen where the formality of a solid color is not necessarily wanted. Sponge painting is a lot easier than trying to deal with wallpaper, but the finished result has a similar feel to wallpaper.
To start, select two shades of the same the color, one being the main color you would like to see, the second being about two shades darker. Paint the darker shade on the walls first. If there is already wallpaper on the walls, smooth the seems with plaster, then paint right over it. It saves the trouble of trying to remove the wallpaper. Use a paint roller to coat the entire wall with the darker color, the same way you would paint any traditional wall. Apply a second coat if necessary.
When the first shade has dried, softly dip a piece of sponge into the lighter color then proceed to dab it on the wall. The object is dab haphazardly, allowing the bottom color to peek through in tiny spots. Don't try to make it to orderly. Stand back from time to time to ensure there are no large patches of dark color showing through. Keep dabbing until you are satisfied with the result. This is very similar to rag rolling, except that where rag rolling requires a bit of practice, sponge painting is so easy anyone can do it.
Sponge painting a fun and easy way to give new life to any room, all you need is two shades of paint, a roller and a sponge. Reminiscent of the old spackled enamel cookware, it gives walls a country cottage look, and is far more welcoming than a solid colored wall. This is particularly nice for a room such as a kitchen where the formality of a solid color is not necessarily wanted. Sponge painting is a lot easier than trying to deal with wallpaper, but the finished result has a similar feel to wallpaper.
To start, select two shades of the same the color, one being the main color you would like to see, the second being about two shades darker. Paint the darker shade on the walls first. If there is already wallpaper on the walls, smooth the seems with plaster, then paint right over it. It saves the trouble of trying to remove the wallpaper. Use a paint roller to coat the entire wall with the darker color, the same way you would paint any traditional wall. Apply a second coat if necessary.
When the first shade has dried, softly dip a piece of sponge into the lighter color then proceed to dab it on the wall. The object is dab haphazardly, allowing the bottom color to peek through in tiny spots. Don't try to make it to orderly. Stand back from time to time to ensure there are no large patches of dark color showing through. Keep dabbing until you are satisfied with the result. This is very similar to rag rolling, except that where rag rolling requires a bit of practice, sponge painting is so easy anyone can do it.
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| The Finished Result |
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| Close up of sponge paint texture |
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Yogurt that's good in more ways than one
Most people are familiar with the health benefits of yogurt. The live and active cultures (probiotics) are of course essentials for our health and well being. It's a good source of protein, calcium, vitamin B-2, B-12, potassium, and magnesium. And for people who have trouble with dairy products, yogurt is often much easier to digest than other milk based foods and drinks.
Despite all the benefits, I'm usually not a big fan of yogurt myself, but a family member recently started working for Chobani yogurt, and brought some home for us to try. After sampling some, I'm beginning to decide that perhaps I do like yogurt. To start with, the Chobani is a Greek yogurt, so it's thicker than most yogurts which I like better, but the part that really peeked my interest was the company itself.
Chobani makes their yogurt with milk from cows not treated with rbST, something that can often be hard to find given that so many milk producers pump their cows up with the drug. Not only is the drug harmful to the cows (cows who are treated with rbST generally die of exhaustion, living only half as long as cows not treated with rbST), but it's also harmful to people who consume dairy product from cows treated with the drug. This is due to the fact that the milk holds the drug residue.
The other part I liked about this particular yogurt was, in addition to being rbST free, the company also gives 10% of it's profits to charity. It's a win-win situation, yogurt that's good for the consumer and good for the world.
Despite all the benefits, I'm usually not a big fan of yogurt myself, but a family member recently started working for Chobani yogurt, and brought some home for us to try. After sampling some, I'm beginning to decide that perhaps I do like yogurt. To start with, the Chobani is a Greek yogurt, so it's thicker than most yogurts which I like better, but the part that really peeked my interest was the company itself.
Chobani makes their yogurt with milk from cows not treated with rbST, something that can often be hard to find given that so many milk producers pump their cows up with the drug. Not only is the drug harmful to the cows (cows who are treated with rbST generally die of exhaustion, living only half as long as cows not treated with rbST), but it's also harmful to people who consume dairy product from cows treated with the drug. This is due to the fact that the milk holds the drug residue.
The other part I liked about this particular yogurt was, in addition to being rbST free, the company also gives 10% of it's profits to charity. It's a win-win situation, yogurt that's good for the consumer and good for the world.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Groovy Jeans
Turn an old pair of jeans into a 60’s flashback.
Hippies and bellbottoms are synonymous with each other. The young generation of the 1960’s counter culture wholeheartedly embraced what had originally been a naval fashion and made it their own. While bellbottoms could be purchased in the 60’s, many stores refused to sell them due to the counter culture fashion statement they were becoming famous for. As such, many flower children took ordinary jeans and turned them into bellbottoms by slicing open the outer seams and inserting a triangular piece of denim or other material. This sometimes led to very large bells.
Today the fashion seems to have returned, albeit in a less wide fashion now called “boot cut.” The jeans are worn by both men and women today. Personally, I have never liked jeans with tight bottoms and I have found that even boot cut jeans are too close around the ankles for my taste. As such, I generally look back to the earlier decades and take a page out the fashion books by making my own. This allows me to be in control of the amount of flare.
These jeans are made “hippie style” so any pair of jeans can be used, straight-legged or flared. Begin by cutting off the outer seam up the knee on the pair of jeans. Sew off the remainder of the seam to ensure it does not unravel. Measure a piece of denim the same height as the jeans from knee to bottom. Cut it into a triangular shape, finishing the top at a point. You can either use the same color denim as the pair of jeans or create a contrasting effect by using a lighter or darker colored denim. You can also go really wild and use an insert of some other heavy material instead of denim. Anything with bright colors will make an interesting fashion statement against the blue denim.
Insert the triangular wedge into the sliced outer seam. Sew the triangle into the jeans. If hand sewing, use a double thread. If sewing on a machine, go over the stitches twice. Repeat on the other pant leg. Hem the bottom of the jeans to finish.
Hippies and bellbottoms are synonymous with each other. The young generation of the 1960’s counter culture wholeheartedly embraced what had originally been a naval fashion and made it their own. While bellbottoms could be purchased in the 60’s, many stores refused to sell them due to the counter culture fashion statement they were becoming famous for. As such, many flower children took ordinary jeans and turned them into bellbottoms by slicing open the outer seams and inserting a triangular piece of denim or other material. This sometimes led to very large bells.
Today the fashion seems to have returned, albeit in a less wide fashion now called “boot cut.” The jeans are worn by both men and women today. Personally, I have never liked jeans with tight bottoms and I have found that even boot cut jeans are too close around the ankles for my taste. As such, I generally look back to the earlier decades and take a page out the fashion books by making my own. This allows me to be in control of the amount of flare.
These jeans are made “hippie style” so any pair of jeans can be used, straight-legged or flared. Begin by cutting off the outer seam up the knee on the pair of jeans. Sew off the remainder of the seam to ensure it does not unravel. Measure a piece of denim the same height as the jeans from knee to bottom. Cut it into a triangular shape, finishing the top at a point. You can either use the same color denim as the pair of jeans or create a contrasting effect by using a lighter or darker colored denim. You can also go really wild and use an insert of some other heavy material instead of denim. Anything with bright colors will make an interesting fashion statement against the blue denim.
Insert the triangular wedge into the sliced outer seam. Sew the triangle into the jeans. If hand sewing, use a double thread. If sewing on a machine, go over the stitches twice. Repeat on the other pant leg. Hem the bottom of the jeans to finish.
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