Local food blog & book

In researching for my latest (and maybe last? Hopefully?!?) career plan, I just found Year of Plenty. It's got a religious bent that I'm not really on board with, but it's still cool to see something like this being written locally. I'm excited to get the book from the library and see if it's got any good local resources or tips.

Love, J

New blue couch

Our pretty Craigslist couch fell apart pretty quickly and demanded to have some work done once we brought it home. The fabric was so old and thin that it ripped at the slightest provocation, and each new tear leaked out foam-sand where it should have been cushion.

So my grandmother, woman-of-many-talents, taught me yet another new skill: reupholstery.

We finished it a couple months ago now, and it's holding up great! One of the cushion covers even took a swim in a mud puddle before it was completed, and it was so easy to clean, I know this fabric is in it for the long haul.


Love, J

Rainbow cake

I saw this idea on Pinterest, and G decided we should take a stab at it for Father's Day. We cheated and used boxed cake mix and cans of frosting, and it still took us a couple hours - I can't imagine trying it from scratch!






Love, J

Art for the Animals: Exhibition and Auction

River's Wish is having a benefit next month, and Aunt Mary painted this special little something for the auction. It's basically fantastic, and I love it (and her!)

The benefit is at the Tinman Gallery on July 22, from 5:30 - 8:30 pm.

Tickets are $10 and include hor'dourves (and drinks, I think), and of course, the chance to bid on beautiful art like the painting above, and other great items. Let me know if you'd like to go, and I'll email you the link you need to get tickets.

I know a lot of my readers *cough* family *cough* don't live in Spokane, but there's a certain big event the next day, so maybe you'll be in town that weekend anyhow? ; )

Love, J

Om Shanti shirt

For dad-in-law's Father's Day present.

I love how this turned out, which is a relief, because my fingerprints were completely worn off in the 30 hours it took me to hand stitch around all that blue.


Pro: Without fingerprints, I can now add "bank robber" to my list of possible careers.

(D-I-L really deserves about 100 shirts and then some for all the house help he's given us in the past couple years!)

Love, J

And NOW for the big reveal

This is a long time coming, but the house is finally done!


And worth the wait, if I do say so myself.


Love, J

June greenhouse

This is my favorite spot in the world right now. I sit in my blue chair with a cup of tea and watch the rabbits tear across their patch of the yard.

The hubs put up this nice pen for them, complete with gates fashioned from bits of the playset he tore down.


I usually leave the greenhouse door open when we're all outside, so they can wander in and out. Bread loves to hide out and nap in the tall grass under the table.


These tomatoes are my pride and joy of the moment. They were all started at home from seeds, thanks to the fabulous greenhouse. This little building has increased the garden's possibilities so much, I'm still having trouble comprehending all of its potential.



The melons are a little bit slow in taking off, but the cucumbers are shooting right up. I think we'll have a handful of green ones and a few lemons ready next week!

Love, J

June garden

The weather's working its damnedest to keep the garden slowed down this spring, but most everything is still coming up nicely, if slower than last year.


After the big fail in garden marker-making last December, I finally stumbled on a version that worked for me (though "me" means the hubs, as I invariably miss the tiny letter tops and hammer my thumb):


I can't find the tutorial to link right now, but you just take a juice can lid and stamp it with metal letter stamps - I found a set at retail tool store - and then write in the indentations with a super-fine Sharpie.


For my second season in the garden, we have some new additions, including strawberries, carrots, chard, beets, asparagus (which won't be ready to eat for 2 years, but at least it's planted), eggplant, and potatoes.

And also melons, but they're in the greenhouse, so you'll see photos of them tomorrow!

Love, J

I love my kitchen, but...

This stove might be the most gorgeous thing ever:

From Apartment Therapy

And if it isn't, then this is:

This one's from Design Milk

I'm not even in the market for a new one, these just caught my eye as I was out surfing. Before I owned a house, I never would have considered an appliance artistic, but now I can see their potential.

Love, J

Nachos no on dis list

Okay, I'm back. Our wireless is still out, for some undetermined reason, but the hubs found a cord that's roughly two million miles long so we can still use the laptop on the couch. I'm back in business!

BUT, I'm still not to the point of having any new photos for posts. In the meantime, some funny things I've seen on Pinterest:





Love, J