The Hip Homemaker

the inspiration to start again, or "I {heart} blogging"

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:25:00 +0000

I haven't been blogging for ages, but lately it has started to tug at my heart and my typing fingers again. A lot of my inspiration has come from Pinterest and the Alt classes and blog.

In Pinterest I get that visual bump that makes me want to create and connect. As I look through my pins, I gain clarity on who I am and what I really want from my life, my home, my relationships and myself. As a very visual person, this has been a revelation; it makes me aware of the disconnect between the life I have been struggling through and the one that I really want to live. It makes me want more; not more stuff, but rather more love, more peace, more simplicity, more fun, more happiness.

The classes coordinated by the Alt Summit crew have been the other side of the coin; not the visualization, but the how-to-make-it-happen. I have taken classes from amazing bloggers that I admire and others that I hadn't followed, but have done some amazing work. They are always candid, honest, approachable and knowledgable. It also has reminded me of how much I already know and how much I have pushed down this desire to blog, for fear of failure. Time to rally!

Finally, the fabulous folks at Alt Summit recently started a blog and it has been packed full of killer, how-to-be-a-blogging-rockstar sort of material that gets my blood pumping. Seriously. My recent favorites include Easy Steps to a Great Bio, Dos and Don'ts of Writing a Guest Post, and the ah-mazing infographic A Creative Life, based on a presentation at AltNY. For blogging inspiration and business advice check out the new Alt blog. It will rock your socks!

So, here is to a new beginning?!? Maybe, perhaps...I hope so.

fields of gold

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by fwvo

I have become a pandora radio junkie as of late. I keep finding new-to-me music that just makes me happy. One of the artists that keeps making me stop and sing along is Eva Cassidy. While she did some original music, it is her covers of well-know songs that continue to blow me away. This cover of Fields of Gold, tops that list...

I listened to it four times, just writing this post, and it takes my breath away every time.

For those of you interested, here is my station that is the current favorite...

Do you use pandora? I would love to hear what you are listening to.

Art of Nancy Jean

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I grew up in a very rural place surrounded by farm kids doing 4-H and such. I thought I wanted to get as far away from that as possible. But then...

"while pursuing a course of action apparently wholeheartedly, I had changed behind my own back" ~Anne Truitt in Daybook

Now I want a farm of my own, with goats, chickens, a milk cow, maybe even some sheep. And a big old white farm house, something like one of these...

Greenfield Farm

Honey Bee Farm

And since we're dreaming, a spot on a lake that feels like these, wouldn't be too bad either...

Storm lake

Magic Lake

All from the Painted Sky

addicted to love redux

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite local radio stations has a segment that I can't get enough of, the Five O'Clock Shadow. They play one original, followed by a cover and it is seriously one of my happy places. It's almost always a fresh, how did I miss this, sort of piece. This was the cover in one recent show and I love, love, love it....

intention: courage

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

"I have not ceased to be fearful, but I have ceased to let fear control me. I have accepted fear as a part of life - specifically the fear of change, the fear of the unknown, and I have gone ahead despite the pounding in my heart that says: turn back, turn back, you'll die if you venture too far." ~ Erica Jong

"Courageous risks are life giving, they help you grow, make you brave and better then you think you are." ~ Joan L. Curcio

I want to learn to embrace risk and change this year, instead of resisting it, fighting it. I want to grow in the ways that are only possible through stepping out of my comfort zone and into the unknown. Let the fear wash over me and then march right through...

I am taking the month of January to be mindful in thinking about this new year. Finding thoughts and ideas that capture what I want to hold on to in the year to come. I have traded out the word "resolutions" and replaced it with "intentions". It feels kinder, less condemning of the past choices and living, more proactive and optimistic. I will be sharing these thoughts and intentions throughout the month. Read about my other intentions:
* grace * happiness

intention: grace

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:03:00 +0000

"Make it your habit not to be critical about small things." ~ Edward Everett Hale

This past year has been soured by little grace for my husband and for myself, little patience for this life that we have and little time for love and acceptance. For the new year, my intention is to be softer on myself and especially on him. To trust his good intentions and to accept our flaws and grow together into a much happier, healthier couple. I want to cherish more, critique less; enjoy more, fix less; more present and content in our life.

I am taking the month of January to be mindful in thinking about this new year. Finding thoughts and ideas that capture what I want to hold on to in the year to come. I have traded out the word "resolutions" and replaced it with "intentions". It feels kinder, less condemning of the past choices and living, more proactive and optimistic. I will be sharing these thoughts and intentions throughout the month.

intention: happiness

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I have decided to be happy because it is good for my health. ~ Voltaire

I am responsible for my own happiness. It needs to become something that is a consistent force in my life, not dependent on the emotions of my beautiful two year old, or the choices of my hardworking husband, the fulfillment of my job, or even the realization of creative projects. I want to exude genuine happiness this year.

I am taking the month of January to be mindful in thinking about this new year. Finding thoughts and ideas that capture what I want to hold on to in the year to come. I have traded out the word "resolutions" and replaced it with "intentions". It feels kinder, less condemning of the past choices and living, more proactive and optimistic. I will be sharing these thoughts and intentions throughout the month.

savory breakfast tarts, patchwork and a new baby

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:59:00 +0000

So, it seems like once a week was a stretch. The time is just flying by. The business is growing, life is settling in and this weekend I found some time to do a few projects, a little baking, little crafting, a little visiting with friends. Here's the recap:

Our friends, Becky and Gary had there first baby on Monday and he is beautiful and wonderful and I am so happy for them. Welcome to the world, Mathias!

He was a little early in coming, so what was intended to be a pre-baby shower turned in to a post-baby shower. We convened at Becky and Gary's house for yummy treats, baby snuggles, and good conversation. I was googling around online last night trying to find a savory brunchy recipe to make for the party and came across these Bacon & Egg Tarts on a beautiful Australian food blog. They were a big hit and so easy to make. I will post more about my version later this week.

I took a few hours to sew the other night. I had no plan, I just wanted to relax, use up some scraps and create something useful. I pulled together a little log house patchwork hot pad for the kitchen. It turned out much better then I expected and relieved a little pent-up creative steam.

It was sale weekend (through Saturday) at our fabulous local fabric boutique, Selvedge Studio and I had a gift certificate! I didn't have a specific project in mind, so I just grabbed a dozen or so half-yard pieces of a variety of different fabrics. I got such a great selection and it was so much fun.

a new adventure

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:46:00 +0000

my helper

The past few months have been a whirlwind and it isn't over yet. I have sat down several times to write this post and then in a panic, hit delete, completely overwhelmed. So sorry to all of you who are still out there.

On November 1st, my husband (and I, of course) opened a martial arts s tudio an d fitness center. It has been chaos, stress, excitement and panic for months now. It will all be great in a little bit and we will look back on these first months with nostalgia at some point I am sure, but it has been f*$)!@#ing hard. The goal is to allow my husband to do something he loves and to make it possible for me to stay home, take care of our family and our house. But for now, just to make things work, we are both still at our "real" jobs. Avery is in daycare an extra day a week so that I can make my schedule with the office work more, which is killing me. I hate not being around her. We are both working 14 hour days and still trying to keep our life from falling into utter chaos. We have had to deal with local business and real estate policies and laws that we had no idea would be so complex and excruciatingly challenging to understand. Did I mention it was hard.

Don't worry, I will stop complaining soon, I just need to tell you all what has been going on so that you understand why you have been a little neglected. I have not opened my google reader more then a couple of times to freak out over how many unread posts I have (1000+). I have visited a few of my favorite blogs, usually late at night after reading something riveting like "bookkeeping for dummies". I miss my crafting and cooking, but if I am coherent enough to straighten my house and pull some taquitos from the freezer for dinner, then "hallelujah"!

Its not that I haven't done anything. I have squeezed things in here and there because otherwise I might lose my mind. Here are a few updates from my hiatus:

eggs from the chickens, finally

one of the few crafts I have done, a doll for Avery

trips in the sled and playing in the only real snow we have had this year

cookie baking

a birthday party for Margot Bea

Despite all of the insanity, christmas with a toddler was so much fun...

At this point, my goal is a once a week check in here at the blog. I can't promise much, but I miss you all and I want to come back. So, hopefully I will talk to you all soon...

V is for victory

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:14:00 +0000

An email from Park Seed popped into my inbox this morning with some cuteness I had to share. Their line of vintage-inspired Victory Garden merchandise is so fun and the perfect antidote for the cold weather garden hiatus that many of us find ourselves in the midst of.

cornmeal pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:42:00 +0000

(photo from Martha Stewart Living)

This weekend we tried a fabulous new pancake recipe. I have been really into cornmeal treats lately, so when I saw a recipe on Bakerella for Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes, originally from Martha Stewart Living, I had to try it. I have a freezer full of raspberries from the u-pick farm this summer, so I used raspberries in place of the blueberries, but they were just as good.

I also had to adapt it a little because I didn't have any buttermilk in the house, and I also wanted them a little bit more cornmeally. Served with a side of bacon, these are my favorite breakfast treat. I did skip the orange maple butter.

Here is my adapted recipe:

3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. Mix it all together and pour them on the griddle. Drop raspberries, blueberries or whatever-you-want berries onto the cakes before flipping.

For the original, head on over to Bakerella.

weekend thought

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:27:00 +0000

(photo from Adam Foster | Codefor's photostream)

Do you want me to tell you something really subversive?
Love is everything it’s cracked up to be.
That’s why people are so cynical about it.
It really is worth fighting for, being brave for,
risking everything for.
And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything,
you risk even more.
–Erica Jong

deer

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:36:00 +0000

I have blogged about my love of nontraditional taxidermy before, and that original example is still my favorite, but these paper options come in a close second...

weekend thought

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:52:00 +0000

(from jaxxon's photostream)

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

affordable art

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Last month marked the end of a 4-year tenure as a volunteer with the Missoula Art Museum's Artini Thursday committee. I love the organization and the program, but life has me in a different spot right now. A spot with a lot less free time then I had 4 years ago.

I am still a member and we were just there last week checking out a few of the incredible new exhibits. Since then, I have been craving some new art for our house, so I went searching for options and inspiration. I stumbled across the Art Garage Sale, which has a plethora of beautiful, striking, reasonably priced options. Here are a few that caught my eye...

*info

what I like today...

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:52:00 +0000

This week's list is full of nature inspired goodness.

This adorable set of cups would make great desk organizers...

This sweet clock would be perfect in a child's room...

I love this toadstool nightlight. It makes me think of fairies and elves...

This bear bean bag is so amazing! I am smitten with the details and expression on his face...

This t-shirt is perfect for fall with its folksy birds and flowers...

tweet, tweet

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:51:00 +0000

(from Melingo Wagamama's photostream)

Yep, I have fallen into the time suck that we call twitter. I can't promise anything profound, but I am excited to share some of my favorite little tidbits from the web and my life. You can follow me at @hiphomemaker.

zucchini recipes

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:44:00 +0000

It's the time of year when coworkers, team mates and family show up at various times with a pile of zucchini that out-weigh new born children. You hear people complain about the various incarnations of zucchini that they are currently consuming daily. So, in response to this, I thought I would share a handful of more creative zucchini recipes from one of my all-time favorite food bloggers, Deb from Smitten Kitchen.

Deb has been doing this since before most of us knew what a blog was. She is funny and honest and inspiring, one of my blogger heroes. And she had her first baby this weekend, so go to her blog for sweet baby goodness.

Without further adieu, some new ways to use the squash that is threatening to overtake your garden and kitchen...

Zucchini Latkes: These seem like the perfect fall side dish, a little heartier for the cooler days.

Zucchini Carpaccio Salad: A great way to hold on to the summer flavors just a little longer.

Ratatouille: This was the first SK recipes that I tried and I was hooked.

Lemony Goat Cheese Pizza: I love making pizza on the grill, maybe next time we will try this.

Indian-Spiced Vegetable Fritters: A more exotic way to serve your zucs.

Kefta and Zucchini Kababs: This one I really want to make this week. That yogurt sauce looks yummy!

So there you have it. Enjoy the last days of summer squash!

All photos from Smitten Kitchen.

weekend thought

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:55:00 +0000

I found an old notebook filled with quotes and funny sayings, probably about 15 years old. I decided to share these and others with you every weekend. Share your thoughts or just read and enjoy!

(from David C. Foster's photostream)

"Good friends beware! The only life we know
Flies from us like an arrow from the bow.
The caravan of life is moving by,
Quick! to your places in the passing show."

-Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Campy

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:01:00 +0000

I have been dreaming about a vintage camper for family trips next summer. It seems so much easier with babies and dogs. That and it seems so Mayberry perfect. How cute is this one from my local craigslist?

Sweet paint job!

Robin's Egg Blue appliances!

And a ladder for the bunk bed!

Julie and Julia

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Nici and I were just trying to make plans to go see Julie and Julia. I know, where have we been? Busy. That's where. Besides going to the movies seems to be a silly way to spend your time during the summer, why not be outside? Anyway... Partially my inspiration for the Cooking 101 experiment, I am excited to go see it. I was looking back at old posts last night and found this one I had written over two years ago about the book. It got me even more excited to get to the theater before its gone.

Have you seen the movie or read the book? What did you think?

what I'm listening to: mellow jazz

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:45:00 +0000

(from ramon_perez_terrassa's photostream)

I have been craving mellow, jazzy music for the last week or so and my current playlist includes two of my go-to, slow and sultry divas, Madeleine Peyroux and Diana Krall.

Madeleine reminds me of Billy Holiday. Her Bare Bones album is my current favorite, with the first song, Instead, being my personal mantra now days.

Krall has been on my playlist since the days of Ally McBeal. She does some amazing covers on her Quiet Nights album, which includes a fabulously drawn out version of Walk on By .

cooking school: the first week

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:00:00 +0000

This was my first week with the Martha Stewart Cooking School cookbook and my Cooking 101 adventure. I started with the chapter entitled basics. I chose this as the first book because I knew it would be straight forward and well edited. Not too wordy, highlighting the best and most important of the cooking basics. The photo styling is always so fab, as well. Martha did not disappoint.

For the first week, there was quite a bit of reading and assessing my kitchen, tools and cooking style. I went through my cupboards and reorganized things. I got rid of a few things that I either had too many of or just never used. I looked at my current kitchen habits and thought about what could be adjusted or overhauled.

The very first subsection was entitled "The Cook's Golden Rules". Here are a few gems I gleaned:

"Read a recipe all the way through before you begin cooking." I tend to be fairly seat-of-the-pants in the kitchen, so this nugget could help me to make less mistakes.
"Keep notes while you are cooking...Taking notes is the best way to remember what happened the first time you attempted a recipe." At first this seems totally overkill, but this week as I went through my various fall canning rituals, I found my own little notes on the edges of various recipes and realized how helpful it could be. "Don't add too many peppers to the pickles or they will be too spicy for the family Christmas dinner."
"Ingredients are your most important tool. Buy wisely and with an eye toward quality, not quantity." As a stingy thrifty person, I have definitely been know to scimp on quality because it seems to pricey. I think that learning when you can and can't cut costs is the key.
"Replace spices and other pantry items each year, as they lose their flavors over time." Again, my desire to save some cash and not waste is my undoing in the kitchen. I am also trying to grow more herbs in the garden so I don't have to buy, but freshness is definitely the key.
"Get in the habit of doing what the French call mise en place, or preparing our ingredients (chopping, peeling, measuring, etc.), before beginning a recipe." I used to be really good at this, but got out of the habit. It definitely makes things much smoother and you feel like you have your own cooking show, with everything ready to go!

Rachel over at Heart of Light recently shared her tips for a Zen kitchen and they were very inspiring even before I started the book. What's your favorite tip for making your cooking go smoothly?

what I like today...

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:57:00 +0000

With fall weather in the air here, I am loving all of these little tidbits right now...

this pillow is all school days and recess...

yesterdays experience of apple picking and sweaters makes me want to wear this perfume...

these boots are made for autumn puddle jumping...

the perfect first day of school jumper...

a coat for blustery fall days, filled with swirling leaves...

and of course boots...

the littlest birds

noreply@blogger.com (The Hip Homemaker) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Avery loves music and so we keep a small stereo, stocked with some really great music in her room. The album she is currently listening to while she plays features this song (by The Be Good Tanyas) that I love so much that my heart swells when I hear it and I have to sing along. Happy Friday everyone!