this year I resolve to...

Here's a 2008 goals list I created in response to a message-board query earlier this week. I think most of these goals are reasonable & reachable.

• Run 15 miles a week by April.
• Travel extensively/live in at least one Latin-American country.
• Figure out how to run my business better/decide if I want to try something else.
• Open an etsy store to sell my handmade wares.
• Finish at least one craft project a week.
• Start a quilt.
  
• Finish remodeling my house.

I'm looking forward to reviewing this list in December and seeing how many of these I actually accomplish. Since I'm publishing this for the world to see, I'm hoping to be guilted into doing at least half of these!

*cough*

This has been what I've been up to for the past week. I've been sick with a sinus infection, which made for a lovely holiday with Tim's family. They were gracious and wonderful, but constant sneezing and coughing can not create great first impressions. I'm finally sleeping again, and the sore throat is gone, but the stuffed-up foggy-headedness just won't go away. Ugg! I've been itching to craft over the last few days but can barely sit up without foggy head pain. Here's hoping to be better by NYE!

happy birthday, little one!

Madeleine turns 10 today! That's right, my beagle is 70 in dog years. Here's a picture of her napping with me the day we brought her home at eight weeks old.

favorite holiday decorations

My favorite new decoration this year:


It's been so much easier to hang these cards instead of setting them up on the dining room hutch, where they would inevitably fall or get lost behind a larger card. I put four picture nails in the dining room door frame and wound wire leaf garland around it. Then I used small clothespins to hang the cards, paper clipping any letters or pictures to the inside for safe keeping. This makes me smile every time I walk into the house.


The awesome turquoise tinsel tree was a Christmas gift last year from my Mom. I placed it in my kitchen last year, but since I finally finished the Florida room this summer, I thought it looked more appropriate in there. Mercury-glass balls and silver bells are interspersed amongst the branches.


This wreath was one of several handmade by my aunt in the 1970s. My mother always put ours on the dining room table during the holidays. When my grandmother downsized into an assisted living facility, I jumped at the chance to bring hers into my home. Comprised of at least 50 small boxes individually wrapped, decorated, and then pinned (!) to a foam wreath core, this had to take forever to put together. Check out that wild wrapping paper!












When I got my grandmother's wreath, it was quite loose and barely holding together in some spots. Forty-five minutes and some hot glue later, it's solid as a rock (well, almost anyway.) It's my favorite holiday decoration because of its history and overall awesome-ness.

holiday craft overload

My Mom commissioned me to create gifts for her coworkers this year. She's worked in the same office for 24 years now, so it was like making gifts for old friends since I grew up around many of her work-mates. I made two different things: 8 sets of four holiday coaster and 12 sets of four alligator pushpins (did I mention she works at the University of Florida?)



















I've made both things before, but not in large quantities -- not to mention I've never completed everything in one day! My biggest struggle was trying to figure out how to mount the pushpins for poke-free giving. I wandered around Jo-Ann's with a semi-idea (my preferred method of decision making.) I turned down the floral aisle and there it was -- a giant sheet of one-quarter-inch styrofoam! It was a lot easier to cut than I ever imagined it would be. I just used a straight edge and a sharp craft knife and made sure to score the styrofoam to help prevent ripping before cutting all the way through it. I designed and printed out sticker gift tags to cover the styrofoam completely. I created a smaller card stock version of the gift tags for the coaster sets.

I was so happy with the results that I quickly whipped up extra sets for Tim's family. His brother is a rabid Columbus Blue Jackets fan, so I colored some bee stamps dark blue instead of yellow. I'm not really sure they look like blue jackets, but I'll let you be the judge...


I finally delivered the coaster and pushpin sets to Mom's house at 1am Thursday morning -- yawn! But I feel great having all my holiday responsibilities taken care of. Actually, I'm waiting on one more. Mom wants me to make her a purse like the one she's worn to death, but she keeps forgetting to give me her old one to use as a template. So that will likely end up being an early 2008 gift.

december 20th, wouldn't you know

That's a picture of my living room this afternoon. Yup, those are open windows. It's 73 degrees outside and beautiful. This weather has given me plenty of time to work in the garden.

These are some of my veggies and herbs (the ones I bring inside when it gets super cold.) I decided to try growing late-season tomatoes, so I planted the plum variety in late September. It's worked out better than I could have ever expected. There are lots of flowers, and you can see the almost ripe tomatoes on the smallish plant. The weather has been so nice that they've been able to stay outside for all but a few nights recently. I'm looking forward to some fresh tomato sauce in January, complete with basil (see plant on the right.)

It's been so beautiful that there's even a bloom on my favorite hibiscus plant. The warm weather has been a great early Christmas gift for me and most of my garden, but the rye grass I've been trying to grow -- it's not been nearly as lucky. Too warm!

cookies, cookies, cookies!

Friday night I had my annual cookie exchange party. I hadn't planned on doing one this year until Stephanie convinced me it would be fun. Last year's was nice but a lot of work. This year's really turned out to be a good event. I scheduled it for the weekend most people would be going to holiday parties so that they could bring some cookies along as gifts or potluck items (every little bit helps during the hectic holiday season, right?) I forgot to take pictures of the cookie table before we all started dividing them up, but here it is mid-grab.


Everyone made around 4 dozen cookies so that each of us could get 4 cookies of each kind. My newest idea was to have folks label their cookies and tell people how many to take (several of us had recipes that made 5-6 dozen cookies.) I always want to know the names of the cookies so that I know what I'm taking. Here are the tags. If any of those look good you can check out the recipes here.


I ended up making two kinds of cookies -- Orange-Sable and Lime Sugar -- so that I could collect two batches. My reasoning: By giving both sets of parents cookies this year I'm off the hook for nut rolls (which I love but are time consuming.) It sounded like a good idea at the time -- and Mom came to collect hers the next day -- but I've been stuck in the house with the cookies for Tim's parents for almost a week now. The temptation is going to kill me! I've had to saran wrap the container they're in and seal it with tape (pathetic!) With those measures in place I should be able to control myself until Monday -- I hope. Don't they look delicious?

christmas past

I've mentioned my Rockefeller Center Tree Christmas cards a couple of times on this blog, so I thought it was time to share them. I don't know when my obsession with the tree began -- not really too far from when I started making these cards in December 2000. I have a decent-sized collection of Rockefeller Center Tree images in various mediums (record album cover, photograph, watercolor, postcard, book, even an image on a record) that are displayed in my living room throughout the year. Christmas trees evoke such a warmth and happiness that you can't help but smile when you see one. And isn't that what this holiday is all about?

2000

Inside: Wishing You A Happy Holiday Season

The first attempt at card making was quick and simple, just using Photoshop to make this already cool 1937 image very graphic. It remains one of my favorite cards.







2001

Inside: Happy Holidays -- Best Wishes for a Happy New Year

For this card I got a bit more creative. I printed out black and white images of the 1964 tree and attached each one to the card using photo corners. That was labor intensive but it has a classic look that would be fine even today.






2002

Inside: Happy Holidays! Wishing You and Yours a Wonderful New Year

This one is unique. The three images, all from the 1990 tree, are simple and elegant. Photoshop was able to help me pull out the red and gold hues which really make these pictures pop.











2003

Inside: Happy Holidays! Wishing you and your a wonderful holiday season and a New Year filled with joy.

This card, although one of my favorites, took a long, long time to make. I printed another 1990 image onto vellum paper. Then I sewed the image onto card stock. The preciseness of each sewing pattern made this tricky for me. It must have worked pretty well though, since now almost all of my handmade cards have an element of sewing involved.








2004

Inside: "Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice." -- Barich Spinoza

This card went out the year the Iraq War started. Peace was a big message for me during that holiday season, so the card was a simple image of a recent tree (year unknown) during the brightness of day. This is also the year I started using quotations and sayings in my cards. This quote remains one of my favorites, and the one most friends and family have commented on.








2005

Inside: This Season ... Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Write a love letter. Encourage youth. Keep a promise. Find the time. Listen. Apologize if you were wrong. Think first of someone else. Be kind and gentle. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the Earth. Wishing you and yours a magical holiday season. Happy New Year!

I love, love, love this image. So sweet, it's from a children's book about the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. I cut the cover and inside separately, then sewed them together at the top. It was quick, unusual, and memorable. This is the card I've gotten the most comments about.







2006

Inside: A good conscience is a continual Christmas -- Benjamin Franklin. May 2007 bring you & yours a year of excitement, joy, & continual Christmas.

This card is my favorite, hands down. My friend Lisa brought me some awesome tree pictures from her visit to NYC in 2005. I wanted to use pieces of them in a graphic manner. I had cut up the photo into pieces already and had been playing around with them for quite a while when the idea popped into my head to use a triangle as an anchor. This card was also cut into two separate pages and attached with a small diamond brad in the top left-hand corner.







Well, those are the cards from the last seven years. I'll put this year's card up once I mail them -- nope, not one has been sent yet! I usually have these finished Thanksgiving weekend, so I am behind!!

let there be lights

We went holiday light peeping last night. It's another of my favorite parts of December. Gainesville only has so many light displays and they often aren't near each other. The Tampa Bay area is all sorts of different. Not only do both daily papers offer online maps of area displays, they include brief descriptions of what can be found at each site, which is ultimately how I mapped out our route. We found that too many people decorate with only those blow-up lawn ornaments or icicle lights. But there are still plenty of classic decorators. Here are some of my favorite shots, taken of course with the crazy camera (so pardon the angles and color variation. We weren't even sure they would turn out at all.)

This was part of a multi-home display. The lights continued throughout the backyard, and motion displays were everywhere.

What Santa really does to pass the time at the North Pole. Gainesville light display to follow sometime soon -- I'm sure of it.

holiday traditions

Even after the long out-of-the-way drive to get here and the recuperation time from my Freaky Friday (see previous post), I still managed to get some work done while here in Clearwater for the weekend. That's right, it's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree card time!


I spent most of Sunday folding, addressing, and note writing my annual holiday cards. This is one of my favorite yearly traditions. It's a perfect time to reflect on the year I've had and share it with family and friends. Unfortunately, I've never been good with birthday greetings, phone calls, or the like (I know, that's terrible of me and I resolve to get better every year. I am getting much better with emails though, so I guess there may be hope?) This is what keeps me connected. Even more important than the cards I send are those I receive. My favorite part of December is going to the mailbox and pulling out holiday cards and letters (I LOVE the letters!) that detail the highlights of the previous year. Babies, weddings, trips taken, photos of grandchildren -- I eat all that stuff up. And if the sender is nice enough to add a website (a Flickr page or a blog about the new baby perhaps) I not only visit the site, but usually bookmark it to return to several times a year to stay in touch -- if only virtually. What would we do without the internet?

Once I get home I'll post my previous cards and the method used for making each one. I won't show this year's cards yet and ruin the surprise, but I'll put it up eventually. It was hard to top last year's card, which is my all-time favorite, but this one is definitely unique.

freaky friday

That is how my Friday began. With a beautiful sunrise as I headed from Orlando at 6 a.m. to Fort Lauderdale for a jet job. It was only a three-hour drive with minimal traffic for a morning commute. Yay! The job, which was supposed to take two days, only took nine hours to finish with five of us working. Super! So instead of grabbing a hotel room for the night I decided to head on to Clearwater at 6 p.m., only a few hours away. No sweat, right?

Well, it took me an hour of bumper-to-bumper traffic to get ON the turnpike headed out of South Florida. I should have taken that as a sign of things to come. I glanced at the map, but once you get on I-75 heading west there really is no other way to go so I figured I was okay. At about mile marker 50, I realized I hadn't seen an exit since I paid a toll at the beginning of Alligator Alley, the lonely road that cuts through the Florida Everglades. It was then that I realized I would need gas relatively soon. At mile marker 90, I started to get panic-y. Did I mention that it had started to rain? And it was dark? And that I should have replaced my windshield wipers a while ago? I started to have visions of calling for a tow truck while stranded on the side of the road by myself ... in the rain ... in the dark. Would I even get cell reception way out here? Maybe that's why there were so many call boxes on the side of the road. Gulp.

I called Tim (phew, the phone still worked!), who after being told of my predicament decided to ratchet up my panicked state by telling me I was in the middle of the Everglades and did I really expect to find a gas station in the middle of a swamp (thanks, honey!) He asked why I didn't notice the big sign at the beginning of 75 that mentioned that there were no gas stations for about 100 miles. I swear I never saw any signs -- and I promise I look for things like that! And anyway, there should be way more than ONE sign, right? I mean it's only seven miles to get over Tampa's Howard Franklin Bridge and there must be four signs reminding you to check your gas levels before crossing. For something considerably longer you'd think they'd remind you at the toll booth or something. Anyway, after looking up my mile-marker placement online, Tim told me that mile marker 101 was the first Naples exit. I calmed down considerably after that, knowing that my car could get that far. I was so thankful for that exit -- I don't think I've ever been so glad to pay $3.11 per gallon of gas.

The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful, if not just plain long and boring. Even the three bridges I crossed that gave me spectacular views of the Bay area couldn't shake the grumpy out of me. I was so happy to coast into Clearwater at 11:30 (but even happier to get into a hot shower to rinse off that lo-ong day.) By the time all was said and done, I drove 470 miles in 17.5 hours with only a nine-hour work break in between. It's taken almost all weekend to recover. Check out that route!

holiday wedding

My friends Candi and Andrew got married last weekend. Their wedding in the courtyard at the Thomas Center was simple and beautiful.
The ceremony was short but full of meaning. Our friend Amy officiated and Candi and Andrew read personally written vows. All of the guests had to stand and pledge to support their marriage -- a really sweet touch. But there was one part that really stood out to me: the beautiful song playing while the wedding party walked down the aisle. I can't seem to get it out of my head. The song, "Lullaby and Exile" by M. Ward, was graciously provided to guests as part of a wedding CD. I'm so glad it was so I can listen to it incessantly:



I will always think of them whenever I hear it. The reception was lots of fun as well, filled with numerous toasts to the bride and groom, good friends, yummy food, and the best music playlist I've ever heard at a wedding. Honestly, how often does one get to dance to Radon's "Kibbles & Bits" in a fancy dress and heels? If I had that mp3 to share, believe me I would (that record's been on the turntable lots since I got home. Oh, memories.) Congratulations Candi and Andrew. You two are amazing!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

Although it certainly doesn't feel that way with tonight's low in the upper 60s. Phew! We got the tree up on Saturday and decorated the rest of the house. I love sitting in front of a lit Christmas tree at night -- there's something about that glow that makes me feel all sorts of happy. That and the yummy smell. I worked on my annual Rockefeller Center Tree card today too. It's always a fun challenge to come up with a new design. In the next few days I'll share some of the previous year's cards. Still on the to-do list: write my holiday letter that goes inside each card and finalize gifts. I think I'll end up doing more holiday coasters since they are quick, easy, and cute! Also in the works are a couple of purses and a hat possibly. Thanksgiving news to come soon, or whenever I figure out how to upload videos.

beagle on the beach

My family spent Thanksgiving at the beach this year. I actually got to bring Madeleine on a trip for a change instead of leaving her in a beagle hotel. She had a little trouble adjusting to the other dogs sharing the house (both my uncles brought their dogs), but she absolutely loved the beach. Here is a video of her first experience with the water. I loved the way my aunt was trying to get her to go in!





The beach house had a gorgeous view, and that's about the nicest thing I can say about it. The house was undergoing renovations by someone who didn't really have the skills to renovate (i.e. matte & gloss paint on the walls, uneven & unfinished flooring, uneven marble counters in the kitchen, etc.) And that kitchen! Wow, was it tiny -- and really hard to keep three dogs out of while cooking Thanksgiving dinner. But when it came time to sit down and eat I was thrilled and thankful to have a large part of my family together, regardless of where we were.

After Thanksgiving, we went through the giant 20-gallon tub of photos we collected after my grandmother's funeral. Talk about a walk down memory lane! It was fun to see silly pictures of my Dad as a child, pictures of my cousin and me was she was just a little girl (gosh, we look alike!), even a picture of me coming home from the hospital that I'd never seen before. I've been thrown into the role of family archivist now, so I plan to scan a bunch of these pictures into the computer before I attempt any restoration. I promise to share some of my favorites.

PhD, please

Just wanted to congratulate Tim on finishing his oral defense for his dissertation comps yesterday. He's been slaving away on those 24/7 for about a month and a half (pictured here in his natural habitat -- on the computer.) Now officially a doctoral candidate, he's just one dissertation away from his PhD. I know, I know -- that's easy for me to say. Now the fun really begins. Congratulations -- I'm proud of you!!

the scarf: skein two

I also finished the second skein of yarn for my new winter scarf (which apparently can also be used as a table runner?) I need to finish up soon since it's starting to get chilly here at night. I took my knitting to a forum on how the US should fix the failing health care system last night since (honestly) those things tend to be sort of boring and my attention span is limited. I finished the skein two-and-a-half hours into the forum, so I think I made the right decision (I also think I paid better attention during the presentations and Q&A session than I would have without the knitting.) I called it my winter insurance plan -- helping to keep myself warm so I don't catch a cold and have to spend money I don't have on a doctor's visit and medicine.

Even without the knitting, the forum was very interesting. Harvard professor Dr. David Himmelstein gave a great presentation on the single-payer system. The Labor Party has been working on getting HR 676 passed in the House for several years now. The current state of insurance and health care in this country is scary. It's not even about the 45 million (yes, million) without insurance -- it's also about the millions of us who have some insurance but not enough, or whose premiums are so high we can't afford to go to the doctor even with insurance. Michael Moore's Sicko documentary helped shed light on the discrepancies between the American system and that of the rest of the industrialized world. Hopefully, now people are angry enough to do something about it. I'd like to see the health care debate become a serious issue in the 2008 presidential race -- not the small lip service it's being given so far. Because goodness knows my new scarf can only protect me from so much!

I still love it!

I have been kicking around the purse idea forever, and I'm so glad I finally did it! It took almost six hours total to complete, but that's mostly because I didn't follow any pattern. I used some of my favorite bags as a measuring guide and this super-helpful webguide, used mostly for squaring the bottom. The rest was just guessing and measuring -- lots of measuring.


Here is the front. Once I cut out a piece to use as the outside, I embellished it using the sewing machine and some buttons. I wanted to add some appliques but I decided it was too much. The machine stitching continues to the back of the bag.


Once I finished that I cut out a piece of fabric the same size for the lining. It's a bit baggy so I think I'll make it smaller next time. I knew I wanted pockets, so I added those using both the outside and lining fabric for strength.


This is a close up of one of the pockets. I double stitched the edges since pockets have a tendency to tear easily. I actually created the pockets based on how I wanted to use them. I am forever missing phone calls since my cell drops to the bottom of my bag. Now that I've got a perfectly sized pocket, I won't have to dig to find the phone!


I like the ease of finding things in square-bottomed bags, and the webguide had a quick and simple way to make it happen. I think it makes the bag look a bit more professional too.


The thing I struggled with the most was the handles. Since I had to sew the bag together inside out, I wasn't sure how to place the handles. Internet advice wasn't helping me visualize what I needed to do, so I made a guess and went with it. I think they turned out okay, although I might do the seams differently on the next bag (insiding out small canvas tubes took a long time!)

Overall, I am just ecstatic over this bag. I was so excited to go grocery shopping today just to use it. The next bag I create I'll take pictures of each step to share.

wowie zowie

Okay, so I haven't posted much this month. Sorry -- I've been busy, overwhelmed, insert other lame excuses here. But, I come back bearing my favorite creation yet. I was up until 1am finishing this up. I'll post more about it later since I'm almost late for work. For now, enjoy the pictures -- my very first purse!













This is the inside. Notice all the pockets sewn into the lining so that everything has its place. As you can see, I have to use it right now. I can't wait to sew another one!

quilt projects

So here are those coasters I've been working on. I tried putting them together two different ways. I'm not sure which one I like best, so I'll probably do some of each (although for the sewn-edge ones I think I'll use pinking shears on the edge to prevent fraying.) I'm getting the hang of the piecing part of quilting, but wow does it take lots of time and precision. I have a feeling I'll have the hang of this once I finish the four sets I'm making.

my first jet!

Finally, after a couple months of frustration and lots of hard work, I got my first real jet job Friday! We fixed two side cockpit windows on a seven-year-old Astra. The picture shows the windows I worked on. I'm so happy with the way it turned out -- and I can finally stop stressing about money for a little while. Now, I just need to make this happen on a regular basis. Ah, the joys (more like stresses) of owning your own business!

empanaditas

Tuesday evening I made one of my favorite yet most time-consuming Cuban dishes, empanaditas. These tasty meat and veggie filled patties are traditionally made using a pie crust type dough. I found a recipe forever ago that used won ton skins baked in the oven to replace the normally fried dough. This made these tasty treats relatively healthy. I've been playing around with the filling ever since. Since these are so time consuming, I recommend wrangling someone to help with the stuffing & sealing. Solo, it took me about an hour and a half to put these in the oven.


pen loves paper's Empanaditas (beef or chicken)

1 cup very finely chopped red potato, skin on
1 cup very finely chopped onion
1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth if you are using chicken)
1/4 teasp salt
1/2 teasp cumin
1/4 teasp allspice (omit if you are using chicken)
1/4 teasp black pepper
1/2 lb boneless sirloin, trimmed and very finely diced (or chicken breast)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tblsp finely chopped cilantro

1/2 tblsp cornstarch
1/2 tblsp water
about 45 won ton wrappers (found in the veggie area of the grocery)
2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Bring first 10 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes or until potatoes are done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and drain in a colander. Cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up (this is the key to making these empanaditas crispy.)

Combine cornstarch and water in a small finger bowl with a spoon. Open the won ton wrappers and work with one or two at a time. Leave the rest under a damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out (and they are really tricky to work with if they get brittle so don't skip this step.) Spoon one teaspoon of the drained meat and potato mixture into the middle of each won ton wrapper and top with a pinch of cheese. Moisten two of the edges of the won ton wrapper with the cornstarch mixture. Bring 2 opposite corners together to form a triangle. Pinch the edges together firmly with your fingers (really make sure they are mashed together or you will have filling all over your oven!) Place the filled triangle onto a plate.

Once you have about 18 empanaditas ready, carefully take out the baking sheet and add the empanaditas, leaving space between them. Place them in the oven for about 4-5 minutes (be really careful about this step.) Pull them out, flip them over, and place them back in the oven for another 4 minutes or until they are golden brown. Place baked empanaditas on a plate to cool for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, continue making triangles until you have no more filling. Repeat baking step one to two more times. I can usually get 42-45 empanaditas out of this recipe.

winter? already?

The last four days have been unbearable -- gray skies, constant spitting rain, and biting wind. The house temperature has plummeted to 71 degrees, chilly for a gal who leaves her thermostat on 80 all summer. Could winter be here early? I certainly hope not. It's just got to be a passing phase. Please?

But in the meantime, I've settled into cozy winter tasks. I'm halfway done with the scarf I'm knitting. I promised my mother I'd create a silent auction item for her women's group function next week. I've settled on sewing holiday coasters in a quilt-square theme. I'm combining 3-5 of the fabrics shown here in each square, which will be added to a felt backing. It took an hour and a half of debating at the fabric store to come up with these pairings -- I wish I was more decisive! Denyse Schmidt Quilts has been my inspiration for this project. Her off-kilter geometric designs have always caught my attention. If these coasters go well, I hope to dive into my first quilt by the beginning of the year.

I've also been commissioned to create holiday gifts for about 20 coworkers -- Gators themed. I have some ideas kicking around in my head, and I hope to have some drawings done by the weekend. As always, I'll post my progress with these tasks in the next few days and a few fun surprises, too. And maybe if I'm lucky the sun will finally come out of hiding.

puppy love

Madeleine doesn't care to pose for photographs. But does that stop me?

one skein down, two to go

On the way to Crystal River (actually on the way home, though I knit both ways) I finished knitting the first skein of yarn for my new winter scarf. It's nothing fancy, but I've finally started holding both needles with my hands (instead of one wedged in my lap), and I'm no longer looping (called Continental style I'm told.) My goal by the time I finish this is to be faster and more consistent with tension. Then I'm going to get my hands on some circular needles and create a matching hat!

west coast wandering

Yesterday, a friend and I went over to Crystal River to spend the day. I hadn't been there in a few years and was impressed with their combination of thrifts and antique stores. Everything we saw was moderately priced, with the exception of the $10 tattered copy of the first Harry Potter book in a Hospice Attic (I actually laughed out loud, then felt sort of bad.) I've been on the lookout for vintage Florida & oranges memorabilia for a while now, but it's either too kitchy or really expensive. I did luck out with an old promotional poster created by the Florida Citrus Commission. There were two different designs, but the thermometer's grin made my choice easy. We were blown away by the World's Best Organized Thrift Store -- the book area was divided into sections which were alphabetized and clearly labeled. Even the greeting cards were grouped according to celebration. The only thing we couldn't figure out was why they differentiated between Christian, Religious, and Christmas when organizing records (isn't that three ways to say the same thing?)

I also took some pictures, mostly ideas for T-shirt designs and silly local signage (several in little Williston! Who knew?) I'll have them up on Flickr in a bit, which I should attempt to connect to this blog sometime today -- wish me luck!

drink your dinner

I made this dinner a while back and photographed it, meaning to add it here. I forgot about the recipe until just the other day. Recently I've been enamoured with food blogs, especially fascinated by the apparent love of cupcakes in the internet world. I saw a recipe for Cuba Libre cupcakes, which happens to be my favorite simple mixed drink (I promise to make those cupcakes one day, if only to find out what Coke, rum, and lime taste like in cupcake form.) It made me wonder about Mojitos, my newest liquid obsession. So I searched for a Mojito chicken recipe. I didn't like some of the ingredients -- minced ginger is not found in a Mojito -- so I played with it a bit. This is what I ended up with.



pen loves paper's Mojito Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts
2 tblsp. flour
1 teasp. garlic powder
1 teasp. ground ginger
1/2 teasp. salt
1/2 teasp. black pepper

2 tblsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teasp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup white rum
3 tblsp. sugar
1/8 cup fresh mint leaves

Mix flour, garlic powder, ground ginger, salt, black pepper in shallow baking dish. Pat each chicken breast dry with a paper towel, then coat with the mixture. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

Add garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet until fragrant. Stir in lime juice, rum, and sugar. Boil slightly until reduced, about 5 minutes. Add mint and stir, cooking for 1-2 minutes more. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve with orzo or rice.

25 years of feminist activism

Friday night Gainesville Area NOW celebrated our 25th anniversary as a chapter. We put a ton of time and effort in the planning of the event, and I'm thrilled at how well it turned out. A lot of people came, the speakers were fabulous (you can always count on Jenny Brown to motivate you to continue the fight), and dinner was quite good by banquet standards. We had a silent auction to help raise money for our chapter. It was also the night we unveiled our chapter's next major campaign: Encouraging our city commission to take a stand against restrictions on abortion and birth control. During his campaign, Republican Governor Charlie Crist said he would sign an anti-abortion law if it were to come across his desk. We are planning to take out a signature advertisement in the Sun before the primary elections in January reminding him that the women of Florida want no restrictions on abortion and better access to birth control. I am so proud to be involved with such smart and talented women.