Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

More Vintage Finds: Mad Men Style

I'm not a big TV watcher. My work friends tease me all the time that I'm not up on what's going on on their favorite shows like "Loser" and "Idol". But I did manage to catch the premier of the AMC series "Man Men" mostly because I'd heard about the great fashion.

Intrigued as I was, I can't say I've turned the show back on since. But I do love vintage fashion, and I do hit the thrift stores regularly. After a recent trip, I realized that I had the beginnings of a great Mad Men party outfit. The shoes, the clutch, even the cake plate could make a girl look pretty fabulous. I'll probably not be attending these parties, so I have listed all this great stuff in the Etsy shop I share with my mom.


What are you watching these days? Should I give Mad Men another try?

It's Apple Pickin' Time!

I don't know about you, but I love fall. I love feeling the humidity give way to cool, crisp air and that "good sleeping weather" when it's about 50 degrees at night. I also love taking a trip to the orchard. This year we had to seek out a new spot, and although the apples were great, the orchard made the unfortunate decision to hand us a list of orchard rules when we pulled in their driveway. Eeeew, that kinda ticked me off right off the bat.

Although I'm kind of a rule follower by nature, I can't stand being told what to do (that's my bossy side coming through) and I really hate it when people point out the obvious ("Don't let your bratty kids climb all over our trees." and "If you don't pay for those 40 bags of apples you stashed in your trunks, we'll call the cops."). Then I was really put over the top when we were told not to drive the 200 yards (from Ginger Gold to Macintosh, in our case) -- that they really prefer that their customers drive so as not to be in the way of cars. Really, what's a peaceful day at the farm without a long list of rules and some bossy bosserson doling out additional rules as you stroll the premises? I just can't imagine why, if you don't want to walk around the orchard a little, you would go to a pick-your-own apple joint? Why not just hit the supermarket? Beats me.

But enough harping, the apples were great. We made an almond apple galette, some applesauce to save for the littlest pumpkin and today I made a Caramel Apple Tart for our relatives, who are bringing the main course for dinner. Pretty nice for $17 worth of apples, and there are still quite a few left.

Have you hit the orchard yet? Whatcha pickin'? Hopefully something good!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy Drinks Because You Cry

We don't get invited to many "grownup" parties these days, but we were recently invited to a vodka infusion party. I am not sure how one goes about infusing vodka, so any tips are appreciated. But in celebration of my discovery of what's sure to be a totally awesome invention (vodka + other yumminess), I'm sharing with you my favorite way to drink vodka. Now I'm assuming I can somehow make this cocktail into an infusion of some sort...just have to figure out how. This was an especially great way to put the abundance of basil in our garden to use. Only so much pesto a girl can take...right?

Any partying going on in your world lately?

Pumpkin Girl Cure for the Blues Lemon Basil Martini
1 cocktail shaker
lots of ice
10 - 12 basil leaves
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 T. sugar
vodka (lots)

Wordless Wednesday

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

We have visitors in town this week and next, so I wasn't really up for attending Stitch 'N' Pitch this year, although I was very tempted. Apparently the deal is that a ton of knitters and crocheters go hang out at the ballpark and knit and crochet during the game. My knitting friends here in Wisconsin tell me that last year the game went pretty late into the evening, though, so I was leery that my eyes would be so bleary from being up with the newborn that I'd fall asleep in my knitting and someone would draw a skein of yarn on my forehead in permanent marker. It's strange that they don't do this at the Minnesota Twins games...it wasn't until I moved here that I'd heard of this awesome yearly tradition.

As an alternative, I bought tickets for my visiting family to go to the Brewer game this week, and unfortunately it was 90 degrees out and we didn't have seats in the shade. We lasted less than an inning. My kiddo lasted about 30 seconds, and also hated the noise. Luckily, grandma volunteered to stay home with the baby or I would have fretted the whole inning through about her overheating. Well, maybe next year we'll try to catch another game...and hope the weather is a bit more cooperative.

People in My Neighborhood: Resign

Some places you go are full of "transplants" -- like no one is really from New York or L.A., are they? Places like that seem to attract a lot of people from all over the place. Usually I don't think of Wisconsin like that. Maybe it's because I'm from here. But now that I'm also sort of a transplant, it's really comforting to know that I'm not the only person who hasn't totally taken root here yet. Which is why meeting Jenny from Resign was especially comforting. She's from Australia and recently moved here via Arizona. She now lives in Nashotah, Wisconsin, which is basically just directly west of Milwaukee.

Jenny makes beautiful jewelry, or jewellery as she spells it, and homewares. I was struck immediately by the colors she uses, and how much the pieces look just like candy. I hope you love them as much as I do!



Tell me a little about yourself. When did you start crafting? What kinds of crafts do you enjoy?
My name is Jenny, and I make jewellery and homewares using hand cast resin. I'm an Aussie (hence the weird spelling) currently living in beautiful Wisconsin with my husband, 2 children and 2 dogs. We moved to the US a little under 5 years ago for my husband to take up a new position in Tucson AZ, but have very recently relocated to Nashotah WI, which I am loving!



I've only recently started working with resin but have always been interested in crafting in some shape or form. As a child I did everything from crocheting squares with my grandmother, to leather work, weaving (both baskets and wool), copper jewellery and enamelling, macramé and pottery. While I was at university, and before I had children I made a lot of my clothes as well. I love interior design, fashion and cooking and now that we're in the cold country, I've started knitting scarves for the family too!



What inspires you? What other artists/crafters do you admire?
I've always loved the look and feel of hand cast resin but wasn't inspired to actually make pieces myself until we moved to the States. It is very popular in Australia but I soon realised there was a big gap in the market over here, so with time on my hands I decided to give it a go. So, after much research and experimentation (that never stops), here I am, sharing my story with you. As far as inspiration for my pieces...I see colours all around me to use in my work. Sometimes a shape or form will inspire me to grab a lump of clay and start modelling but usually I just knead the clay until I end up with something I like.

I admire anybody who can make beautiful, interesting and unique pieces with their hands. I had no idea there was such a world of talent out there until I started my shop on etsy. I'm now an avid etsy buyer as well...there is so much lovely stuff to be had!



What are some shops that you love?
That's a hard one as there are so many shops on etsy that I love and so many more that I haven't found yet. At the moment I'm loving the vintage shops on etsy for finding unique pieces for the home. I love that mix of contemporary and old.
I'm still finding my way around Milwaukee, but the whole family (well maybe not my 14 yr old son) loves going to Third Ward to the public market, restaurants and eclectic mix of shops there. I'm also loving the art gallery and lake front area. Then there are the little shops in Delafield, not far from where we live, where you can spend a quiet Saturday morning browsing and having coffee. I have found one great boutique there, don't even know the name of it but they do have some very nice pieces!



What's a guilty pleasure of yours?
Staying in bed for way too long on a weekend, surrounded by my Australian home and cooking magazines, enjoying the most aromatic tea in the world (Mariage, from France), with the beautiful Wisconsin scenery outside my window...and I cannot wait to do that in winter so I can have the fire on as well!



What's a perfect Milwaukee/Wisconsin day to you?
As I've only experienced Spring and Summer so far, I would have to say a perfect Milwaukee/Wisconsin day would be spent outside. Either on the lakes surrounding our house, walking through the beautiful parks and having a picnic, or in town enjoying the lake front or river outdoor dining. I have to say though, that I'm looking forward to all the seasons and the diversity that each brings. I've never really experience a truly cold winter, so the thought of snuggling up with comfort food and a good book or movie, while it's snowing outside is also very appealing!

Wordless Wednesday

To a Boy Who is Three

My little man is turning three today. It seems like he's been in our lives forever, but just three years and a day ago, it was just the hubby and I, wondering what life with a baby would be like. We wondered endlessly about how things would be different.

Would we ever get out for dinner together again? Would our baby be colicky, or calm? Would we be good parents? Would our friends still be our friends? What would our son look like? Would he have my hair...dad's eyes?

When he came, we'd sit up at all hours of the night watching him, or listening to all his little sounds. As he got older, we just kept saying to ourselves, "isn't he nice?" and thinking how much we missed our old life, but would never give up our new life.

Little Pumpkin, you are so sweet, and so smart and so loved.

Doted on by us, no doubt. We can't believe what a big boy you are today. Full of joy and smiles and laughter and jokes and a love of chocolate and trains and your John Deere tractor. Happy Birthday, little man! You are my sunshine!

Potty Talk

My little guy is about to turn three. I've been reflecting a little bit on what amazes me about him the most. Right now, I'm amazed at how big he is, but mostly that's in relation to the new little TINY arrival at our house. But what's really big about him right now is his vocabulary and his ability to basically carry on a conversation with just about anyone on almost any topic. Take for instance a conversation we had this morning in the bathroom.

Me: "Good job, buddy! Way to go on the potty and not in your undees."
Little Pumpkin: "Yeah mom! I made a poop for you!"
Me: "You sure did! Awesome! It's no fun to poop in your drawers, much better to go on the potty!"
Little Pumpkin: "Look! My poop is like a banana! Yum!"

No kidding. I know, gross, right? Oddly, this is not the first time he's spontaneously made up a poop analogy (the first had to do with a bird's nest). And it's definitely not the only analogy he's made up on his own, either. The others were not so gross, such as "I'm sailing like a ship" when he went down the Slip-N-Slide. I had no idea that two-year-olds could make up their own analogies! Amazing! And with such flair...he really keeps me entertained.

I guess I'll keep up the reading regimen since I can see the rewards in his creative language skills. I can't wait to see what he's talking about by the time he's four! It's sure to be a thrilling year full of bananas and bird's nests and who knows what!

What's in the Mailbox?

Yesterday, this adorable crocheted Penguin bib arrived, handmade with love care of my friend Meggan back in Minnesota. And for mama, a coaster featuring my BF Matt Damon. So hunky. Now I can rest my baby bottles in style on his boy-next-door-good-looking face. Yay!! Here's to handmade gifts from good friends. I can't think of anything more fun to get in the mail.

Thanks, Meggan!

My First Week as Mom of Two

If you ask 10 people whether having a second kid is twice as much work, or twice as hard or whatever, I think you'll get 10 different answers. Some say the bump from one to two is no big deal. A blip. To others, it's 300 times harder and is a relative cataclysm of dirty laundry, dirty diapers and dirty dishes. So, being who I am, I braced for the worst but hoped for the best.

Sure, I've had a well potty-trained toddler who has pooped his pants five days in a row (several of the instances involving turds being left behind in a trail as we ran to the potty). I've had a few nearly-sleepless nights. I've had a few meltdowns and a few voices-raised arguments with my Mr. Pumpkin. But, I have to say, I think I've totally and completely survived my first week, maybe even with a high level of success.

My laundry is done. My house is not in shambles. I have gotten some sleep. My two children are still alive. Despite my tendency toward being a hypochondriac, I have not gone running back into the doctor at every weird ache or pain resulting from my c-section. When I went into the hospital to have this baby, all I wanted was for the first week to be over. And it is! And I'm alive! And I'm happy! Like really, really happy!

It must be the hormones! Or these two ridiculously sweet and adorable kids. Or my amazingly supportive and loving hubby. So I don't know whether is seems as though having two kids will be twice as hard as only one. I suppose it depends on a lot of things. But I can say that for me, right now, it's pretty alright.

She's Here!

Welcome to our new baby girl, Tilly! She's perfect and healthy and loves to sleep -- phew, thank goodness! I'll be back up and featuring some more awesome Milwaukee crafters very soon!

Wish Me Luck!

In a mere 18 hours we'll be welcoming a new little life into our hearts. I can't really even express in words all of the emotions we've been going through over the last week. But when she's here and we're holding her and all is going to be okay, I think I'll breathe a sigh of relief and be ready to start the next part of our lives wholeheartedly.

Enjoy the week and send healthy, happy thoughts my way! Thanks!

People in my Neighborhood: Jennifer Ladd

I recently discovered another awesome crafy lady in my neighborhood -- Jennifer Ladd. She's got a shop full of the most beautiful bags and purses you've ever seen, often made from original fabrics that you can't just pick up at the local JoAnn's (which, as an aside, I have decided to avoid at all costs).

Not to mention her own adorableness, look at how cute she is with her sweet little daughter! Well, it's almost too much to take, I know.

This week I asked her a few questions about herself and her life here in Wisconsin. I also read an article she wrote for Esty about Milwaukee Esty artists and felt glad all over again that I've moved here. My interview with her follows...

You're so crafty! Tell me a little about yourself.
I have been crafty all my life. It probably all started when I was a baby and spent my days watching my grandma sew in her basement (she has her own company making and tailoring clothes). I picked up a needle and thread very early, and I haven't put it down since! While sewing is probably my favorite craft, I love to try out any other craft I can. I love to work with glass (glass fusing and glass blowing whenever I can get access to the facilities, stained glass, glass beads). I paint. I make jewelry. I embroider. I make baskets. I work with metal. In college, I even spent quite a bit of time woodworking (although my pink tools received lots of snickers from the men in the shop). I'm always searching for some new outlet to help me create.

What inspires you? What other artists/crafters do you admire?
I am inspired by beautiful color combinations. My brain just feels happy when I see beautiful colors together. I admire artists who are either very good at what they do (locally: RosyBird, Papavier) or very good at what I CAN'T do (locally: UrbanTurn, Kilsook). And I admire anyone who can knit ... I have tried and tried, but can't seem to get the hang of it, so anyone who does is my idol!

So you're a mom of one, and soon to be two. What kinds of crafts do you do with your daughter, or look forward to doing as she gets older?
She is a crafty little girl, too, so we are always digging into our overflowing art closet and working on some kind of project together. She's only 3, so we are still a bit limited, but most afternoons you will find us either painting, stamping, drawing, cutting, folding origami, or stringing jewelry. AS she gets older, of course, I am looking forward to sewing with her (and luckily, she has already expressed an interest! Yay!).

What are some of your favorite local shops?
Since I do have my daughter and another baby on the way (hopefully soon!), I spend most of my time in kid stores / toy shops - I like Sprout, the Learning Shop, Winkie's in Whitefish Bay, and Downtown Toy Store in Kenosha. If I ever want to do some window shopping for myself, I will always head to the Third Ward ... Anthropologie and Broadway Paper always provide some great eye-candy!

What's a perfect Milwaukee/Wisconsin day to you?
I love Milwaukee in the summer - there's always something to do (and the weather is FINALLY perfect)! My perfect day would be a picnic at the zoo with my daughter (followed by a nice walk through the zoo, a train ride, and even feeding the goats (to make my daughter extra happy!). On the way home, of course, we'd stop at Kopp's for Turtle Sundae custard. Maybe some shopping in the Third Ward. Dinner at Coquette's Cafe. And then an evening at South Shore park. Perfection!

Wordless Wednesday

Yummy Caramel Cashew Ice Cream Recipe

It's such a cliche, I know, but a pregnant woman loves ice cream. And I'm no exception. I've only been making homemade ice cream for a very short time, but I really love it. I am missing my favorite ice cream place Izzy's in St. Paul, MN so maybe this helps make up for it. The Milwaukee, WI area is really all about frozen custard, and I'm just not as much a fan. I have yet to find a single ice cream place anywhere around, so if you're from the area, do fill me in if you know of a place. They have this flavor at Izzy's, I think it's called Coffee Break, which I seem to remember being a coffee ice cream with Oreo cookies...dreamy.

But I took some liberties with a Caramel Cashew recipe I found online and it turned out great. Keep in mind that I didn't measure all of the ingredients when I made it, so I'm approximating here.

If you make it, tell me how it turns out.

Pumpkin Girl's Caramel Cashew Ice Cream

Ingredients:
--1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
--2 C. heavy cream
--1/2 C. diced unsalted cashews (salted if you like a saltier ice cream)
--1/4 C. cashew butter
--1/4 C. butterscotch caramel ice cream topping (or plain caramel would probably work, too)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, until cashew butter and caramel topping is well mixed in. Transfer to ice cream maker and freeze according to maker's directions. Move to covered container and freeze in your freezer for 24 hours. ENJOY!