Spring Items

Now it's time for my Artfire blogging carnival. We were asked what are our plans, promos, or new items for the season or what are our favorite spring colors, favorite things about Spring, favorite items we've found for Spring....and the possibilities are endless! So I decided to do some shameless self promotion and show off some of my Spring-y bags.

This first one was fun to make. I took the main fabric, which is an outdoor canvas twill, and handstiched some fun blobby shapes onto the one side. I used a wooden bracelet on the loop handle which is knotted.


This next one is darker, but the print is quite Spring-y. It's kind of a floral paisley Lefluer (is that how it's spelled? not sure). The name was fun to come up with. I almost called it The Alien because the way it looks when open reminds me of those pods from the movie. But The Alien sounds like it should look fun & whimsical. So I went with Venus for venus fly trap...similar to the alien pod, but ledd deadly. Unless you are a fly.





This last one is my husbands favorite. The bright colored fabric was actually my second piece. I had the lining from another bag, but the buyer changed their mind & went with a different lining. This time I am the one who changed their mind. This fabric was way more fun than the first one I picked out. But what I really love about this super huge purse (it's 13" wide, 11" high & 6" deep) is the flap decoration. I wanted to use some of my buttons. This was the 3rd look. What do you think?

Wordless Wednesday

Pretty Things

Nice. Simple. To the point. And 100% correct. Today when I visited Pretty Things blog, I saw yummy goodness in the form of a Cadbury Egg. I consider chocolate to be a pretty thing, don't you?

But keep scrolling down, and feast your eyes on her truly pretty things...her jewelry. Not only are her creations beautiful in and of themselves, but her photos are fabulous. Nice, bright and macro to the max! But if you really want to get an eye full, hop on over to her shop, Lori Anderson Designs. She has vintage, classic, casual, whimsical and kid styles. There is no way I could choose just one fave, but this is a start...


Lori of Pretty Things also talks about being a mom, a business owner and other tidbits of life. There is a great pic of her son looking out the window waiting for the snow. I think kids are the only ones that actually want the snow to fall...in March.

Fresh Picked Treasury!

I woke up this morning to find my Rose Calico bag in a lovely Spring time "Freshly Picked" treasury on Etsy. Thanks to the curator Friendly Fairies!



I popped on over to her shop...so cool! Fairy crowns and wooden swords, shields and boats...hats too. Anyone who like a little magic in their world or revel in renaissance should check it out.

This is my favorite crown...

Braised Fennel and Tomato

Serves: 4 (soup crock/bowl size)

Ingredients:
2 whole fennel bulb, diced
1/3 whole onion, chopped
4 whole tomato, chopped...more or less to taste.
1/3 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth...more or less to taste
2/3 tablespoon fennel, chopped leaves
1/3 dash tarragon (marjoram is an ok substitute)

Directions:
1. Chop all into bite sized pieces*

2. Saute onion, garlic and fennel about 5 minutes.
The onion will be softer than the fennel, which may remain quite crisp.

3. Add tomato and broth - simmer about 20 minutes.
The broth should be just enough to cover the veggies. If you would like a more soup-like dish, just add more broth.

4. Add Fennel tops** and tarragon - simmer another 10 minutes


Nutrition:
Per Serving: 254 Calories; 4g Fat (13.6% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 10g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 1365mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.

And for those of you who read this and said "huh? What the heck is fennel?"
This is Fennel: (also referred to as Anise sometimes)

*And this is how to chop it up....**Save the fuzzy top bits to add at the end. Simply chop them like you would any herb.

First, chop off the stalks:

Next, cut the bottom part of the bulb off..you can see it in the picture above
(it looks like a round bit, like an onion end does).
And stand it up to chop in half.

Then cut each half again. Set the cut halves down & chop crosswise into bite sized pieces.

Wordless Wednesday

Magical Beadstalk

Isn't that an awesome name? I just love it. Even more, I love reading her blog. If you really want to know what goes into someone's work...just head over to her blog, The Magical Beadstalk. Reading her blog, it sounds like her life's journey has brought her to a very happy place. She is a pretty amazing women. She has been a professor, a psychotherapist, an antique dealer, and now a jeweler.

She is fortunate enough to design jewelry full time...and it shows. This is one of my fave pieces I saw over on her website:

"One of the things I love about blogging is that it gives me, and many others, the opportunity to hear what jewelry making is for others - I love feeling a part of a larger community of artists who express themselves in a multitude of ways. It nourishes my spirit."
- Terry Spier of Magical Beadstalk

Kiss me, I'm Irish

...well, half anyway...

A quickie...

I am stealing Hilary's line. Who's Hilary? She's an awesome jeweler who describes herself like this: "Me? Wife, mother, grandmother, jewelry designer. How it all fits together, I still don't have a clue. But I'm having a ball being clueless!" I love people who have fun with life!

She may not quite be in a fun part right now...she is in the midst of a home update. I am looking forward to her settling in so she can get back to blogging & tweeting. She wrote this great post on Tweeting...Twittering...still not sure which is used most. Do you tweet? If so, the post is a great how-to for feeds through your Twitter.

And don't forget to check out her Etsy shop! This is one of my faves:

My Debut Album

I found this game over on Macaroni and Glue's blog. It's one of my regular reads and one of my Twitter buds. I usually go over there to see what the kids are up to and what new paper creations she has made. The other day, well, I got stuck on her "Debut Album". It sounded like loads of fun...so I made one for myself. Click here to go see hers...it's a hoot.

Here is how you play: feel free to play along and give us the link here in the comments so we can go peek. Nothing like a fun time sucker :)

"What would your album look like if you were in a band?

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random” or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random. The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations" or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover. Note: like Macaroni and Glue, I used a free stock site

4 - Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together."

So here is my first band: Village Area Network presents ...busy making other plans.

Spaghetti Squash with Pomodoro Sauce

Servings: 2

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti squash
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 cup onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups plum tomato, diced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*

2. Pierce squash several times with knife (so it won't explode as it cooks...literally). Place on baking sheet & bake about 1 hour (often more), until flesh pierces easily. Remove & let stand 10-20 minutes before cutting in half lengthwise & removing core & seeds. Use fork to scrape out squash strands.

3. Heat pot with oil over med-hi heat. Add onions & garlic, cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Add remaining ingredients & simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition:
Per Serving : 178 Calories; 6g Fat (29.5% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 4g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 54mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Weight Watcher Points: 3

BlogFire Carnival: Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is just around the corner and is the theme for BlogFire's carnival. Well, that are anything superstitious, spooky, creepy or just plain scary.

I chose to go window shopping over on Art Fire...
...and this is what I found:

Redemption by 13th Avenue

One cool thing to note about this photo..it's not far down the road from me...
okay, maybe that is just cool to me, but still :)

Monster Be Gone by Crafty Scentiments

Maybe that will help the monsters under the bed go away

Dangerously Feminine Pink Beaded Spider Earrings by Mountain Maggie

Spooky Bones Lampwork Bracelet by Klassy Joolz

And as to Friday the 13th? Nah - nothing to be afraid of. Now... spiders, spooky old churches, skull & bones...monsters under the bed...more fear for me there.

Wordless Wednesday

Etsyblogger Carnival: Spring is About to be Sprung

This Etsyblogger Carnival theme...Spring :)

Do I look forward to Spring? Heck yes!!! I prefer Autumn...but Spring rocks because it means winter is over. O.V.E.R. Done. Kaput. "Snow go bye-bye" as my oldest once said when he was much (much) younger. I just really get sick and tired of the freezing cold and snow. It lasts too long and here in Michigan, it teases us once or twice that it's leaving. Big meanie.

But when Spring finally hits...ahhhh, so much better. I would not say I have SAD, but most Michiganders seems to have a touch of it at some point during all the dreary. And Spring lifts up that veil of blech and I start to feel so much more energized. Which leads me to my Spring activity... cleaning.

I know it's cliche, but I do the whole Spring Cleaning thing. I try not to call it that since I am not doing it simply because of the time of year. I just finally feel like moving, getting off my toosh (which is usually a tad larger than a few months previous) and clear out the clutter. The kids tend to have fewer toys, hubby less clothes and me just less junk after this process has taken hold.

So - gotta go - the sun is almost up :)

Promote A Sister Sunday: P and J Crafts

Welcome to another Carried Away Bag Team feature. Today I picked P and J Crafts. I often visit her blog, tweet with her and browse her Etsy shop to check out what new things she's come up with. She makes these really cool rag quilt bags. I love how something so raw can look so amazing and put together.




This bag is perfect for St Pattys Day...



And I have always love this color combo:

A Few More Days For My Giveaway

....CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED...
The winner: Just Jingle

The prize is a flying pig feltie/stuffie...whatever you like to call them. He (or she) is about 6 inches tall, minus the wings. There is a tab for hanging the little guy so he can truly soar..well, float there in the air while dangling on a string.



The contest is done in conjunction with Pigatopia - where Shannon, the artist behind the pigs, helps out Noahs Ark. It's nice to know that such a great gal is out there helping all our little furry friends who can't help themselves.

Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, chopped fine (about 1 medium)
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped fine (1 whole)
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped fine (1 cup)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup lime juice, or white wine vinegar or OJ
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup cilantro
1 can Orgo diced tomatoes, no salt
2 cans Black bean, Organic, can, drained & rinsed
2 cups brown rice, cooked

Directions:
1. In a large deep skillet over medium heat; saute onions, garlic & bell peppers about 10 minutes.

2. Add beans, spices, hot sauce & lime juice; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat & add cilantro & rice; mix well.


Nutrition:
Per Serving : 200 Calories; 1g Fat (2.8% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 114mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.

original source unknown

Wordless Wednesday

Friendship Award

I have been hit yet again! I feel so loved this week.
This time from PandJCrafts....AND Lenox Knits!
PandJ Crafts makes these awesome rag quilt purses that she sells at Etsy....



And Lenox Knits makes wonderful knit items ... I should know, I have one of her awesome wrist cuffs...like this one:



So what award is this? Read what her blog says it represents:
These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I am happy to say that even after a meme tag and 2 awards...I can still find people to hit up with this one :) And to those I just hit...I won't bombard you with another one...but know that you would have otherwise been hit.




Ruthie ok, you were hit with this one...but I want to pass it on to your Jedi's Musing blog :)











Huck - Huckleberry Arts and Blockhead Radio...you too Rod!!!










Lily - Tulips Talking












Stormy Designs ... even if you aren't into the game portion...you deserve the award :)










Ms Moo - Spotted Cow Soaps...who is too busy almost being a grandma any day now and may not get this award for weeks to come, but deserves it none the less







Fannie and Sprout - fellow MiCE and neighbor (really, like 2 blocks away)






Witchy - The Copper Cauldron

lepoque - Guilty Pleasures...twitter bud

Top Droppers for February

Dropper	# of drops
Alteredevents	31
Guilty Pleasures	31
Stroll Through Storyland	30
My gypsygoods	30
Robin's Nest: Scrap out loud	29
NICO* Designs	28
Inside My Head	27
Three Fates Design - Beaded Jewelry	21
BeadedTail	21
Rose Works Jewelry Blog	20

Thanks to all of you for dropping in so often!
And to everyone stopping by - go peek in on them - there are some pretty great blogs up there...

Promote a Sister Sunday: Naughty Monkeys

It's that time again...promoting other great artisans. This weeks CAB Team member was once a writer - as in "six books, hundreds of magazine articles, seven years as a free-lancer for People magazine (which I actually managed to survive without going through Brad Pitt's trash cans even one single time!) and way, way too much movie copy (Most memorable: "Nature has a dark side" from "Twister" actually won a major award!)." Yes, I took that directly from her profile...I couldn't have said it any better...heck, she's the writer.

Here's some more....

"I've put the word processing aside for a while and returned to my first love -- making stuff. About the stuff: a lot of it is hand-knitted or sewn (by me!). But since I was born with no ability whatsoever to follow directions, the end results are pretty much original designs. Then there are the "rescues." After years of rescuing dogs and cats, I've expanded into rescuing beautiful old clothes and accessories. The ones with semi-fatal flaws, like holes or stains, might become bags. Other pieces -- dresses, for example -- get a second life as blouses, vests or even lingerie. There's no end to the possibilities, which is what makes this so much fun!"

And now for my favorite part - showing off! Here are some of my faves, which will also give you an idea of the great range of items she has in her Etsy shop.

Pacific Coast Twilight Beaded Embroidered Bracelet

Love Monkey 2 Red Reconstructed, Reversible Tank Top with Appliques, Lace and Sequins

Night Bloomer