making beeswax candles

A few weeks ago, I posted this photo of my homemade beeswax candle project on Instagram. I got a few questions about this project and decided to do a short blog post to answer them!

The first thing to know about making beeswax candles is that it is very very easy. You don't need a lot of supplies or time or practice to succeed on your first try. That being said, over the past few months I've learned a few tricks that have made the whole process a little bit easier, and that's what I want to share with you today.
I'll just go through each step of the process of going from wax to candle (as pictured above) and share my thoughts as we go. Here goes:

First you're going to want to melt you're wax down on your stove top. You can buy beeswax in blocks or small pellets (pictured above). I prefer to use the pellets because they melt faster, but it really doesn't make that much of a difference. I've found that the best way to melt the beeswax is by placing it in a small bowl, and then putting that bowl into a pot of water on the stove- like melting chocolate! There are several reasons why this has worked best for me. I find it's easier to pour the beeswax into the jars while holding a small bowl rather than a large pot. But I also don't have an old pot that I don't use for cooking to melt my beeswax in.

It will take several minutes for your wax to melt down. While this is happening, you can prepare your wicks for pouring. Obviously you could pour your wax into almost any mold or container. I've most commonly used old glass jars, though I've also tried tea cups and small tins as well. The possibilities are endless! 
So. Once you've chosen your mold, you're going to need to fasten your wick. You can buy wicks at many craft stores, and they often come with a small metal disk at the bottom (just as a side note- don't buy tea light wicks, unless you're really making tea lights. I used them for jar candles and they were so small the wax just burned down in the centre. Sad.) Make sure to fasten your wick properly and securely to the bottom of your jar. This will insure that it stays in the center when you pour the wax over it, which will then make sure your candle burns down evenly. You're also going to want to use a wick that's quite a bit longer than your jar, so you can fasten it to a pencil/skewer/stick at the top and keep it from disappearing into the wax. 

Once you've secured the wick at the top and bottom it's time to pour your wax into your mold. This is quite self explanitory but I've got just a few tips that I've found make the experience a little more smooth and successful. First- clean up as you go. This is obvious, but dried wax is a pain to clean up. Wipe down your oven and countertops with paper towels to remove any dripped wax left over from pouring before it's completely dried. Don't worry to much if you drip on the side of your jar. You can wipe the wax away with a paper towel before it's dried completely. 
Also- If making candles in larger jars, I've found the best thing to do is to pour in layers. The first few times I tried making candles, I was really frustrated that the dried wax was leaving a crater in the center of my candles, surrounding the wick. I found the best way to fix this is to pour in several batches- you can pour in about three quarters of the wax first and then, once that's dried, top it up with the rest. This works really well toward eliminating the problem. If you're using a shorter jar or cup, this most likely won't be a problem. 

Also, just as a side note, don't be afraid to recycle beeswax from old candles that have burned down. You can put jars with old candles into the oven at a low temperature for a few minutes to let the wax soften and then melt it up again to make a new candle. I recommend removing the old burned wick before melting down completely to avoid bits of it floating in your melted wax. 

Of course there are other great uses for beeswax- I tried making lip balm and hand cream a few weeks ago. It turned out pretty good, but I'm not entirely happy with the recipe yet. I'm hoping to tweak it a bit and then maybe share it here on the blog at some point. I've also heard of people using it to make an alternative to plastic wrap by applying it to cotton- may have to give this a try at some point. If you have any other ideas for uses for beeswax I'd love to hear them! Or if you've tried making candles (or something else) using beeswax, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the process and any tips or tricks you've learned along the way.

This process is so simple but with such lovely and useful results- really the perfect project! 

on being a hostess

I've never considered myself much of a hostess. To be honest, when I got married I hadn't really had a lot of experience with cooking, and for the first year of our marriage Waldi (because he's an ingenious cook) made most of our meals and I made the salads and washed the dishes. I also struggled a lot with inviting people into my home. 

In Vancouver we lived in an old apartment building with a stellar view. Our apartment was very small and also very sparsely decorated. This was mostly because we had no money, but also because somewhere (deep) in the back of our minds, was the possibility that we would maybe be moving halfway around the world at some point and we were thus hesitant to collect a ton of possessions. Anyways, all this to say, I was embarrassed of our lack of cute Pinterest-y decor, and quite simply furniture and therefore struggled with inviting anyone other than my family over. 

Fast forward several years to us living here in Marburg, on the top floor of an old apartment building with a stellar view and, you guessed it- not a lot of furniture. It takes awhile to build up a household again, but because of the nature and culture of our group of friends (and because of the fact that eating out here is quite expensive) we found ourselves opening our door quite frequently and inviting our new friends into our tiny apartment. 

Slowly, we got more furniture and I got more comfortable with inviting people over (and started to cook more often too). And somewhere along the way, I became captivated by the magic that happens when we bravely invite people into our homes and create a space for them to tell their stories. I was surprised to discover that I love being hostess. Welcoming people into my home, cooking them a delicious, healthy meal and sharing conversation together around the table. Who knew? 

For me, this is not about performance. It's not about how much furniture we have (once friends of ours even brought their own chair to a party...), how cute our decor is, or even how good the food tastes. I've learned it's ok to ask people to bring a salad or desert and it's more than ok that we don't have enough matching dishes. It's even ok that we sometimes have to sit around our coffee table (on the couch or even on cushions on the floor) in order to find enough room for everyone. It's not perfect, but it's also just not that important.

What's most important is creating a place at our table where people feel welcome to sit down and stay awhile, to be themselves and to share their stories, and of course, to break bread with us, whether they are good friends we know and love, or new friends we have yet to get to know. People who share our values, or those we have nothing in common with. 

So my friends, here's to life around the table with you, to many more evenings spent in each other's homes, eating and talking and learning together. Bravely opening our doors even though what's inside is less than perfect and at times quite simply messy.

And I sincerely wish all of you many lovely meals shared around the table with those you love. 

thoughts on one word & advent

For the past few years, I have (like many others) participated in the practice of choosing one word for the year. Past words have included grow, change, embrace, and last years word: learn. It's funny to read those words and remember so many defining moments in the past few years. 

It's also quite funny to me to think about the word I chose for the past year, and the word I would give 2014 when looking back on all that's happened. Because while I did set out to (and succeed in) learning plenty this past year, learn is not exactly the word that stands out in hindsight.

That word is patience. I feel that in every area of my life over these past 12 months, I've been forced to dig deep into my (mostly shallow) wells of patience. I've been thrown unawares into a season of longing and waiting, of hoping for what is to come.

In some ways, I believe that's just part of what it means to be human. This year during the advent season, I am really trying to slow down- to light the candles each week with a heart of thanksgiving for all that we have and for all that we are waiting for. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the gravity and depravity of our world. There is more brokenness than this one heart can hold. And because of that, I think a part of me is always waiting, holding onto that hope that better things are to come, longing for that reality in the here and now. 

Somehow this puts into perspective for me my own longings over the past year. I am far from alone. As I wait with expectancy for what is to come, I am joined by many brothers and sisters across this world and across history that know what it means to hold that longing inside, afraid that the pain of waiting is too big for just one heart. And somehow, though it still hurts, and though patience still sounds like a far away & not entirely achievable goal, I wait anyways. Light my candles, grasp onto the thin whips of gratitude that blow across my heart like smoke and root myself in the belief that there really are better things to come.  

the wear handmade project

my most cherished handmade family heirloom

The sweater in the photo above is hand knit by my Grandmother. She was the best knitter I've ever met and her stitches are seriously inspiring. She knew exactly how to knit a sweater to fit her body (thankfully we're similar sizes so I can wear some of what she made!) But perhaps, the most inspiring thing about my Grandma's knitting is that she wore what she made. In so many of our old family photographs, she's got on one of her perfectly fitting, handmade sweaters. 

I don't do this that often. 

As much as I love and believe in this craft, so many of my handmade treasures get pushed to the back of my closet. This is not ok.

Pinecone & Mulberry hat and Woodland scarf

One of my goals for this season was to set aside a week to wear my handmade items. In the end, I decided not to do it in one week, in large part because, aside from my Oatmeal sweater and one dress that I "sewed" together with my mom (wow, we're diving deep into the archives for that one...) I mostly have handmade accessories. And a girl can only wear so many accessories at one time... But I have slowly been going about wearing my handmade items more and more. 

So far, this has mostly involved my own hand knit mitts, hats & scarves. But I've also been wearing socks knit by my mom, jewelry made by a friend, a belt I crocheted this summer, my handmade moccasins, and of course, my grandmother's sweater. 

handmade Moccasins from home & armband by my lovely friend Mone  

So, why does all this matter? For me it goes beyond the idea of wearing what I make, although that's also important. I think that the things we choose to wear can really say something about who we are and what's important to us. 

Waldi and I volunteer with a wonderful group of people here in Marburg that work to end extreme poverty and to educate others about issues of global social justice. (If you're interested, the organization is called the Micah Initiative and you can read more about them here: German & English)

In October we organized a week centered around the textile industry and Fair clothing. It's been all over the news recently that many of the people who make our clothes suffer under horrible working conditions and extreme low wages just so we can buy new clothes for cheap. And so, in hopes of stirring up change, we organzied film evenings and seminars and at the end of the week, hosted a big clothing swap party. It was a really great time of learning more about the changes we can make when we think a little more about what we wear and what we buy.

October Cowl

This blog will never become a fashion blog, and I will never start doing outfit posts, because let's face it: I just don't care that much. But I do care a lot about where my clothes come from. I care about mending them when they rip or tear or just wear down. I care about who made them and if they were paid and treated properly in the process. And I want to make sure that what I'm wearing I can wear with confidence, pride and joy (whether that be a sweater handmade to fit me perfectly or a pair of jeans purchased from an ethical and fair brand or even a plaid shirt found at a clothing swap party...) I am, of course, by no means perfect at this. But I want to make better choices and to wear things that truly reflect who I am and what I believe in.

So I am starting small. But I believe each small decision and act makes a difference and I want to celebrate that. So. I'm going to keep sharing my adventures in wearing handmade on Instagram under the hashtag #wearhandmadeproject. Feel free to join in and wear your handmade items (and if you want, share your photos under the hashtag too!)  

Autumn: a love letter

I am a Fall girl at heart. 

There is just no getting around this. I am a West Coast Canadian- born and raised in a temperate climate where I didn't often need sunscreen and almost never wore a winter jacket. These in between seasons of spring and autumn have been (and always will be) my time. 

But there is something special about Autumn that I just can't get over. 

I love curling up on the couch with plaid shirts & cozy sweaters, steaming mugs of vanilla chai and pumpkin flavored everything. 

Crisp mornings spent beneath the dome of coloured leaves, waiting for the mist to rise, sunlight revealing the rusty tones of an October day. 

I love lighting candles in the early evenings, a warm soup bubbling away on the stove, a loaf of bread in the oven. The calm, even clicking of my knitting needles, and Waldi's occasional page turning the only soundtrack we need. 

Pulling out last years hand knits- the mustard yellows, deep burgundys, forest greens...the never ending shades of brown. Celebrating the hours that went into making each item by wearing them again. 

I love the smell of falling rain on fallen leaves. Of smokey firewood and pine trees and freshly sharpened pencils. Of Thanksgiving day pumpkin pie. Of cinnamon apple cider enjoyed outside around a Halloween bonfire. 

These rituals are a comfort to me, reminding me of my home. These Fall months and days and evenings resonate within me, awakening my senses and calling out my creativity. 

So if you're looking for me in the next few months, you will probably find me standing beneath that tree, smelling those leaves and filled to the brim with joy and excitement.  

And of course, I wanna know- what do you love about Fall? 

our Canadian Thanksgiving

Since today is Thanksgiving Monday in Canada, I thought I would share a little about our first Canadian Thanksgiving since moving to Germany. We celebrated 2 weeks ago when my brother was still here, and it was a sort of unofficial goodbye party for him. It was also, of course a celebration of both where I come from, and the home we've created here for ourselves in the last two years. I so enjoyed being able to bring a favorite holiday from my old home to my new one. 
One "Happy Turkey", 2 pumpkins from the garden, 10 hours of prep, 15 full & happy guests, 1 giant bonfire, plenty of laughs and a bit of time spent giving thanks made for an incredible evening. Our wonderful friends hosted us at their home in a small village just outside of Marburg. I am so thankful for them, and for this great community of people we've found to share life with. The lighting wasn't always great and a lot of these photos are not Pinterest-worthy. But that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that after two years here in Germany, I finally feel at home. And it's thanks in huge part to the people around that campfire. 

(Also: my husband is the best cook I know, and that's sure something to be thankful for.)  

our little "give thanks" jar. we later all shared something we were thankful for around the campfire.

prepping appetizers and salads. we really had it all you guys!

Fall deco and our menu.

putting the final touches on the vegetable dishes. We had mashed potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, green beens, brussel sprouts and roasted yams & beets. Yum!

    

I succeeded in making pumpkin pie without canned pumpkin! So much better, though a bit more work. I made an apple crisp as well, since I was afraid people wouldn't like it, but in the end it all got eaten up. 

So, now we know that Waldi and I can pull off dinner for 15 people!

exciting news!

just wanted to stop in quickly today and share something exciting with you all. For months now, I've been wanting to use the proceeds from my little online shop to do some good. Now that my Fall line has officially launched, I've decided to go ahead and donate 25% 100% of all proceeds made (online & through stock lists) this season to Open Hands Charity. The photos above were taken at the first of (hopefully) many events that I'll be selling at over the next few months. Together with a friend of mine, we hope to sell a variety of handmade goods raising money and awareness for Open Hands, as well as encouraging people to buy handmade and support artists in their community. 

Open Hands works alongside families and children struggling with poverty and racism in Romania. I am really excited to be able to support them in this small way. If you want to find out more, please stop by their website (gibt's auch auf Deutsch) or Facebook Page, where you can also view more photos from the event (and find out how you can purchase the items!)

what to do with a zucchini

I'm sure everyone who has a garden (or friends with a garden) is well aware of the abundance of zucchini that mid to late summer brings. We've reaped the benefits of our friend's garden often over the summer, and last week we were able to bring home a few last zucchinis with us. Today I thought I would share a few of our favorite ways to eat this delicious vegetable after harvesting!

• zucchini muffins have been a staple around here this summer. This is the best recipe I've yet to find.
• one simple way to use up a whole bunch of vegetables is to make a vegetable bolognese sause. We usually add zucchini, peppers, carrots, and celery to a basic homemade tomato sause and then sprinkle with a bit of parmesan. Yum! 
• we've made this recipe for oven roasted zucchini sticks several times. works great as a side dish or an afternoon snack!
• probably the fastest and simplest zucchini dish we have in our repertoire is Fritatta. There's a ton of different ways to make this dish, but we usually pan fry some chopped onions and grated zucchini and then bake it with egg and feta in the oven for about 15 minutes. Delicious!
• I also tried this recipe for zucchini bread several weeks ago. Waldi loved it, but it turned out a little too moist for me. I'll have to keep experimenting! 
• we LOVED this recipe for stuffed zucchini boats. Delicious! 
• if all else fails, try this recipe for zucchini gratin. This is a classic dish that's perfect for early fall days.

what's next for us? Well, I'm hoping to try this recipe for Chocolate Chip Zucchini cake with what we have left! 

recipe: simple chopped salad

so we are mostly gearing up for Fall in these parts. I've got big and exciting plans both for the shop and in the kitchen. (more on both of these things soon!) But for now, I thought I would share one last summer recipe. This chopped salad has been a staple in our house these past summer months. I've made it almost every time we've had people over, or needed to bring a dish to an event, or just felt like a delicious and simple meal. 

We first made this together one evening when trying to eat up our leftovers before going away for a few days. Since then we've added to and changed it, perfecting it to what it is now. 

Warning: it takes quite awhile to chop up everything for this salad. Best to enlist a few kitchen helpers if you can! 

Ingredients:

• chopped raw vegetables- basically anything you have in your fridge will work. We most commonly use cucumber, carrots, broccoli, red or spring onions, red peppers and tomatoes.
• feta
• chick peas
• fresh squeezed lemon juice
• olive oil
• mint & parsley
• salt & pepper. 

instructions:

it's pretty simple. Just chop all your veggies super small. Then add your chick peas, chopped herbs and crumbled feta. Next add olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. You can play around with the amounts to find what you like best!

I find that this salad tastes better once it's sat in the fridge for a few hours. It's so incredibly low maintenance- the perfect dish to bring to an end of summer picnic or party! Enjoy! 

recipe: homemade Arnold Palmers

we're back from our vacation! We had a lovely time exploring Hamburg, and then spending several days on a small Danish Island in the Ostsee (East Sea...? I'm not sure what we say in English) I'll be back on Friday to share some photos, but for today, here's another favorite summer recipe! 

one of my all time favorite drinks to enjoy in the summer time is an Arnold Palmer. Half iced tea and half lemonade and absolutely delicious! (also, thanks to my dad signing me up for golf lessons years ago, I actually know who Arnold Palmer is)

anyways, I suppose it's no surprise that no one in Germany has ever heard of an Arnold Palmer (the drink or the golfer!). So, I've started making my own from home. It takes a bit of time and planning, as the tea has to brew and then cool, but it's totally worth it. Here is the recipe that I've created- just the way we like it!

you will need:

for the lemonade:
3 lemons (plus extra for garnishing if you so desire)
3/4 cups of sugar
4-5 cups ice water
mint (optional) for garnishing 
a large wooden spoon for stirring
lemon squeezer & large jar 

for the iced tea:
two tea bags of a strong black tea (I use Cupper's English Breakfast)
large jar for brewing 

Step one: Brew your tea

You can do this either by brewing as you normally would (with boiling water) and then letting sit in the fridge overnight. Or you can make sun tea- let the tea bags soak in a jug of cold water in the sun for several hours. It's up to you! Either way, make a large jar!

Step Two: Make your Lemonade

(Here's what I do. But feel free to play around with amounts to get the taste just as you like it!)
Juice your 3 lemons, pouring the liquid into a large glass jar. Add the sugar and give a good stir with your wooden spoon. Fill up your jar with the ice water and give the mixture another good stir. 

At this point, I normally pour my lemonade through a strainer to catch any seeds or pulp from the lemons that may have snuck in. If you like your lemonade "pulpy" then skip this step!

Note: If you want to drink the lemonade as it is, you may need to adjust the water/sugar ratio here as I've shared what works well when mixed with tea! 

Step Three: Mix them together and enjoy!

Now simply pour yourself a glass- half tea and half lemonade. Play around with the mixture to see what you prefer- I tend to add slightly more lemonade, but Waldi likes more tea. If you want, add in some mint, a lemon wedge and a little stir stick for mixing your beverage. (I made this one from a small wooden skewer and washi tape)

Now, grab your summer reading and enjoy! 

focaccia bread

 Though it's not something I've planned, I seem to be inspired recently to share food, food and more food here on the blog. It could be because it's summer and there are so many delicious local treats to be enjoyed. Or it could be because I've been going through my recipe catalog lately and filling it out a bit.

What I mean by that is this: I've always believed that everyone should have a catalog, or collection of recipes that they love and can do really well. Though I do want my collection to include some fancy and complicated dishes, right now I'm really focusing on getting the basics down to a point where I can do them really well. I really believe that some things just taste better homemade...and I want a set of recipes to prove it! So far, in my kitchen this includes: salad dressings, pesto, jam, granola, salsa and (of course) a giant collection of delicious seasonal soups. 

Recently, I've also been intrigued by bread. Back in Vancouver, I had a bread machine and used to bake our bread fresh every week. Here in Germany, there are bakeries on every corner, many of them selling local and organic breads baked fresh. While I do like supporting these more locally based bakeries, I also want to get back into the habit of baking our bread a little more often. 

Recently, I've been making this focaccia recipe to go with simple, vegetable-heavy meals. We've been having fun with adding different herbs and making spreads to eat it with. Here's the basic recipe I've adapted and made our own in case you want to give it a try! 

Step One:

In a large bowl, pour two cups of flour. Form a well in the middle. Mix 1 tbsp of yeast with 100ml of luke-warm water in a smaller bowl. Let this sit for several minutes.

Step Two:

Next, pour your yeast mixture into the well and gently fold in the flour from the edges of the bowl. Add another 100ml of water, a lug of olive oil, and a pinch of salt to the flour mixture. Knead this for several minutes until you have a nicely mixed dough. Leave your dough to sit covered for about 30-40 minutes.

Step Three: 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (C). Stretch out your dough by hand and place on a baking sheet. Make several indents in the surface with your finger tip. Brush on some more olive oil and add any salt/dried herbs you want on top. (We like to use oregano or rosemary). You could also try tomatoes, olives or even parmesan cheese as toppings!

Step Four: 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until your bread is golden brown. Remove, let sit for 2-3 minutes and cut into quarters or sixths. Serve with a spread or simply oil for dipping.

Enjoy!    

Pesto Three Ways: Part One

One of my Summer goals for the next few months is to try as many different summery recipes as possible. When I wrote up my list, there were a few things that I just had to include...to me Summer tastes like watermelon, like tomato & mozzarella salad, like PESTO. 

I thought it might be fun over the next few months to try a few different pesto recipes. We've been making our own pesto for several years now, and I thought it would be a good time to expand our knowledge and try it with some new ingredients. I'll report back here with what we try each time, but to start it off, I thought I would share how we make our basic basil pesto. It's great with spaghetti of course, but can also be mixed with butter for a spread, or with oil & vinegar to make a salad dressing. 

So here's what you'll need:

 2 garlic cloves (minced) 
 1/2 cup pine nuts (toasted)
 1/2 tsp salt
 3-4 (large) handfuls basil leaves
 1 cup olive oil
 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 

Now just blend up all your ingredients, starting with the garlic, nuts, salt and oil, and then adding the cheese in at the end. Feel free to mix up the amounts or add black pepper to get the taste right for you.  

If you want to eat your pesto with pasta, all that's left is to cook up the noodles and then toss them with the pesto.

To make a spread (for breads and such) I add 1 part Pesto to 3 parts butter. 

To make a vinaigrette (to use as salad dressing) I add about 5 tbsp of Pesto to 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup wine vinegar. This is also really yummy drizzled over tomato and mozzarella. Tastes like summer :)

I'm excited to try a few new pesto recipes and share my thoughts here in the coming months! 

slow down

last weekend we went on vacation in the Eifel- a forest about 2 hours SW of Marburg. It was a really lovely time of hiking in the woods, enjoying delicious food and spending time at the lake. Being together, and taking time out of our schedules and routine to slow down a bit. 

Earlier this week (once we arrived home again and our routines had picked back up in full swing...) I read Notes from a Blue Bike, a new book by Tsh Oxenreider. This book had so much to say to me in my current stage of life and I felt like I learned something on every page. But perhaps the thought that has stuck with me the most in the past few days is the idea of slowing down. 

I fully believe in movements such as slow food, or slow fashion (as evidenced on this blog). But if I'm honest with myself, I will often go through the motions (cooking meals from scratch, making my own salad dressing, knitting myself a garment, or mending clothing by hand) without actually slowing my mind down long enough to fully benefit from these actions. Though I've taken time in my schedule to "slow down", for me these tasks are often tacked onto the end of my to-do list. I check them off so that I can feel productive. So that I don't have to worry about not accomplishing anything in those moments. 

But I am tired of feeling guilty because I have free time to spend with my husband, to read a book, or create something with my hands. I am tired of constantly running through the to-do list in my head- sometimes at the expense of the very real needs of others. I am tired of getting into bed at night and asking myself as I reflect on the day that's just passed, how productive it was. 

So. 

I am trying to approach the time I have each day with gratitude and to savor each moment as it is given to me. To hold my routine, my goals and lists a little more loosely, so that I have time and space to notice and respond to the needs of those around me. To ride my bike without any particular destination, simply noticing the day as it unfolds around me. 

I am trying to change the questions I ask myself as I fall asleep. Rather than how productive was I today? I'd like to ask things like: 

Where did I find beauty in my routine? 
How well did I love? 
Did I enjoy this day as it was given to me? 

making granola

you guys. I am seriously hooked on making granola. 

not only is it delicious & healthy & affordable, but I find the process so relaxing and fun! Today I thought I would share the way I make my granola after a bit of trial and error. You can just swap in the nuts, seeds and fruits that you would prefer.

Ingredients:

3 cups oats (NOT instant)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup hazelnuts 
1 cup cranberries
2 tsp cinnamon
5 tbsp olive oil
2 (heaped) tbsp honey

preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Pour all your ingredients (except for the cranberries) onto a baking tray, drizzling the honey and olive oil on top. Give it a good stir and slip in the  oven for about 20 mins. 

Important note: to keep your granola from burning, you'll need to pop back in the kitchen and give it a good stir every 5-7 mins. 

Once it's golden brown, it's finished! Then just add the cranberries and enjoy with some yogurt or milk! 

a little perspective...and an end to the silence

things have been quiet around here for the last week or so. Saturday marked the end of a week-long break I took from instagram, blogs, and podcasts. It's not that I don't love all these things (because I do) and it isn't that I don't think they're great tools for learning and inspiration (because they are). Rather it was simply that I felt I needed to turn down the noise a little bit, and get a change of perspective. Find inspiration in reading a novel, going for a bike ride, starting a new craft project, or sharing a simple meal with friends. I do all of these activities on a regular basis, but something about deliberately bringing myself to a quieter state of mind really opened my eyes to how delightful they each are. I am so thankful for this simple and endlessly beautiful life I've been given. 

so, I'm back to sharing here regularly again. But you can bet I'll be doing this again some time. 

simple things

a list.

that first cup of coffee

flowers from the market

to-do lists
new projects

sticks and string
favorite cafes
afternoon walks

chopping vegetables
meals with friends

cozy sweaters
cups of tea

books by candle-light

(image from photo shoot for my shop's about page. it was time for an update!)

recipe: cranberry oatmeal cookies

Recently, I've had quite the urge to bake. Cold days and long nights have us cuddling up at home together, watching movies or reading and drinking tea. these cookies are the perfect addition to such a night!

I have no idea where I originally found this recipe, but it's become one of our favorites. The way I make these cookies now hardly even resembles the original recipe I had. Over the months I've changed it up to make it our own, using less sugar, more oatmeal, and such. These cookies are soft and chewy and not too sweet- so basically, perfect. You can sub the cranberries for raisins, chocolate, or nuts if you prefer! 

Happy baking!

1. preheat the oven to 170 degrees C (330F)

2. in a large bowl cream together 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar.

3. beat in one egg and add a tsp of vanilla

4. combine 2/3 cup flour with 1/4 tsp Baking Powder, and add to the sugar/butter/egg mixture.

5. mix in 1 1/2 cups oats and 1/2 cup cranberries (or whatever you've decided to add)

6. bake for 12-15 minutes. 

note: These amounts will give you 10-12 generous sized cookies. It's the perfect amount for a small group of people. If you've got a larger family, just double the amounts :)

one word for 2014

I've had a bit of a slow start to the year and I'm loving it! Usually, I feel pressure to finish the old year off right and start the new one with a flourish on New Year's Day. This year, because of our vacation plans, I was able to spend the first couple of weeks really reflecting on this past year, and dreaming for the one to come. 

As I've mentioned multiple times before, I am a huge fan of setting goals. Often, this time of year I go a little bit crazy, so this year I'm trying to stay simple. I've set both personal and business goals, that I may share here in this space at some point during the year, but for now I just thought I would share my one word. 

I chose several categories to set goals in this year- creative, educational, health, and business. What's interesting about this is that I noticed that all my goals had a common theme running through them, regardless of my attempt to categorize them. That theme is learning. Now, this might not seem like a big deal, but for me it's pretty significant. Last year, my word was embrace. (As in: embracing the newness and changes happening around and to me) There were times when I was so overwhelmed by all the changes in my life that it was all I could do to keep myself afloat. I didn't have much time to go out of my way and learn new things just for the fun of it. Most of the year, I felt discouraged by what I HAD to learn! 

So this year, my little word is learn. And I am going to do just that- with excitement, creativity, and boldness.

in my studio: a day in the life

a lot of people ask me what it is I do all day. Just what does it take to run a little handmade business like mine? I thought I would share what a typical "shop day" looks like for me:

My mornings are usually filled with coffee, emails, and other behind the scenes tasks that go into making the shop run smoothly. This is when I process orders, re-list items, and respond to conversations on Etsy or blog comments. I also prep text for blog posts and keep up to date on the various social media networks I use for promotion. 

Once these necessary tasks are out of the way, I package up any orders I have and take them to the post office. Sometimes I'll run errands on my way home, picking up groceries or yarn I may need for new projects. At this point I usually try and get a bit of housework done. I find it breaks up my day nicely and helps me refocus a bit. 

Afternoons are when I get a lot of crafting done. I will work on any open orders I have, or make items for my stocklists. This is also when I design new products for the shop. Time passes quickly, with yarn, tea, and music or podcasts to keep me company.

Pretty much every evening I make dinner for Waldi. (or, if he gets home early enough, we cook together). I find that I look forward to this simple act at the end of my work day. Cooking is a creative process in and of itself, and I love making meals I know Waldi will enjoy after his own long day at work or school. Often in the evenings I will keep working on projects for the shop, while talking to Waldi about his day, or watching a movie together. If it's not too busy, then I try and take some time to read or work on personal craft projects.

And there you have it. A typical shop day for me!

Also, as mentioned previously, I no longer have hand knits available in the shop, as I'm headed home for Christmas tomorrow. I still can't believe I'm really going home- feels too good to be true. I doubt I'll really believe it until we touch down on Vancouver ground again. Anyways, patterns will still be available and I'll be fully open again in January! 
I'll still be stopping in here every once in awhile to record what's happening, but to follow along more closely, feel free to join me on Instagram!