so i put off putting the kettle

in other words... i haven't updated in ages, therefore... MONSTER POST!

i've been making a lot, as per usual. specifics:

- finished a journal for sam-pie. bookbinding is one of the most useful skills i've acquired recently. all thanks to a friend called willow. it's a pretty empowering and rewarding practice (for both the maker and the receiver).* the one pictured is one i made for myself. it's about 14 x 17cm. the patch says analog love. the pages are made from old envelopes made of pretty, acid-free, water colour paper-esque paper, and the fabric used for the cover is that of a shirt found in a free box. sam's is grey and doesn't have a patch on it yet. we'll probably silkscreen him one and glue/sew it on, or not.

- made a couple of lovely circle skirts. well, one of them is an oval skirt (which makes it fall differently), that's the brown one made of a wool blend. it's got one half-oval pocket located about the left hipbone (it's sorta like a fannypack... they've been reclaimed though, so i've heard, by cool kids, thereby redubbed 'hipsters'). the pocket is lined with a lovely yellow fabric†, the same fabric i used as bias tape° to line the waist of the skirt. it has no zipper nor buttons installed, thus i have to reverse-dive... or dive up into it. it's basically like i'm putting on a shirt, 'cept that shirt's a poncho, but not a conventional poncho that lies on one's shoulders, rather one that gently grips the hips. essentially, it's a 'hip poncho.' eh, eh?

anyway, same deal with the other one, 'cept it's reversible and made of a cotton blend. one side's orange, the other's red (i call it my fire skirt), with blue bias taped waist. all the colours are very bright. i'm considering making this one into an oval too so that whatever colour is facing inward at the time can peek out more. (check out the photos above, of the skirts straight-on, to see what i mean) maybe not though, if it takes away from the skirt's supreme-o twirling effects.

- bread. i've baked two loaves in the past few days. so delicious. it's the cake-y kind of bread that's more so called a [hmm] loaf (hmm = prevalent ingredient, i.e. carrot loaf, banana loaf. used this recipe (it says it's cake, but like i said... i think it's cakey bread... or maybe it is cake, but my using a 9" tube pan and spreading [apple] butter to it influences how i perceive the baked good).

the first time i followed the recipe very closely, but added only half the sugar (just making eye contact with a mound of sugar sends me crashin'). i also added dates, walnuts, and coconut shavings. oh, not to mention whole wheat flour and olive oil instead.

same thing for the second loaf, except i only had one carrot left, used honey instead of sugar, used a little less oil, added more coconut shavings (sprinkling some on top too, enveloped by a really thin coat of batter), mixed in some cubed apple, and chucked in a pinch of curry powder just for fun.

finally, i've found a great base (nice and moist, fast, not too dense) for all different types of loaves. i can't wait to experiment s'more (next time i'm thinkin' a savory one with olives an rosemary, onion, basil, cheeese. can't wait!). anyway, looks and tastes beautiful. (and... it totally is cake; i didn't use yeast, bread flour, and i didn't knead it one bit)

-film-related stuff, but more about that later... now i will make vegan shepherd's pie and coconut rice puddin'!


fin!

_________

*i find journals already make for pretty good gifts, especially when presented to writer-types, but when you make it yourself and give it to somebody who doesn't journal often and tell them it's a secret place you made for them that you'd like very much for them to adopt and make their own... well that! that's somethin' else!

°this... process, sewing skill or whatever, is my new best friend. srsly. reanna reminded me about it and i also found this video online real enlightening.

† see!:







those larger, lone flowers are embroidered (not by me) on.