Friday list: 24 May 2013

We’re getting stuff done today. And by we’re I mean me.

• Have a little sleep in – I slept in until 8am today, which is heaps longer than normal
• Put the fire on – in the last week it’s got really cold all of a sudden – and leafy
• Edit some photos
• Add my new bags to the Emma Makes shop
• Pick some lemons
• Fill up the wood baskets
• Take some photos for a DIY blog post
• Sewing!
• Take some things to the Post Office
• A meeting with Lucy about sponsoring a radio show
• Pick up a print from Mr Feather’s Den – a cool little shop in Featherston
• Fold the washing
• Make the dinner – we’re having Chicken Cordon Bleu because we love 1993

Image via Pinterest

Don’t cry for me Hydrangeas

The bunny in my chest

A couple of weeks ago I got asthma – not the ‘I can’t breathe I’m going to die’ kind just the ‘it gets harder to breathe changing temperatures and it makes me cough a lot’ kind. I’ve got a bunch of inhalers, it’ll possibly just be for winter (the asthma) and it’s all tickety boo.

Part of the full diagnosis was to get a chest x-ray, which was all well and good. Until a couple of hours before the appointment I began contemplating my own mortality. I emailed Tom and he sent me the best advice,

“The worst that can happen is that they find a bunny in there and then you’ll have a little friend!”

Turns out there isn’t a bunny in my chest – just bones and a heart and blood and guts and normal other stuff. Hoorah!

Image via Pinterest.

Wellingtonians: a good place to massage

I really like getting regular massage; since suffering some incredibly bad stress a few years ago I’ve found it does wonders for my headaches if I get regular work done on my shoulders, neck and back.

Yoga helps that too of course but you really can’t go past a good massage to ease things up and make you feel aligned again.

I’ve recently started going to see Lauren Dalmon – she was recommended by a friend and has just opened a clinic in Woodward Street after working from home. She’s wonderful – her room (and her) are super warm and comforting and she does a fantastic job of really digging into tight muscles while also making you feel completely relaxed.

She’s a one-woman operation so just has a small room without a waiting area so arrive just before your appointment. Of course that also means you pay $75 a session rather than the big city prices that bigger operations charge.

I’ve been a couple of times and am telling you so you can go too.

Contact her at lauren.dalmon[at]gmail.com and mention that I sent you because recommendations get rewards and who doesn’t like a half price massage?

Image via Pinterest

Recipe: super easy pea pesto

Here’s a super easy and super yum thing to make for lunch or dinner. I like to call it pea pesto. You will need:

• Frozen peas (I like the minted kind)
• Parmesan (you can leave this out if you want)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Some olive oil (not much)

Put about a cup of frozen peas in a bowl and let them thaw out a bit. Add about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese (or not if you’re dairy free), salt, pepper and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Blitz with a stick blender or mash with a fork or mortar and pestle.

Once it’s pretty mashed up taste it. Add more salt, pepper and cheese to taste. The olive oil is just to keep it all stuck together so you might like to add a little more if it’s not holding.

How to use it
Pea pesto is super green! And it stays green so if you make too much, just chuck it in the fridge and it will stay nice and fresh.

We like ours with grilled halloumi. Either as a sandwich (make it on the morning you’re going to eat it or it gets soggy) or on top of toast as an accompaniment to soup.

Spread liberal amounts on bread

Add some grilled halloumi

Add some greens (we added microgreens)

Add another piece of bread and ta-da!

Friday list: 17 May 2013

• Have a little sleep in √
• Make some pancakes for breakfast √
• Wash a few dishes we had √
• Pack up some stuff to do at the shop
• Craft Country duty from 10am – 3pm where I will…
• Make a new window display (we still have Mother’s Day up – shame)
• Sew a big green doily on the back of a cardigan
• Sew up a bunch of pinned things
• Write some postcards
• Read some book and then…
• Fill the firewood baskets
• Fill the windscreen wiper squirty things (technical term) on the car
• Change the sheets on my bed
• Make dinner – tomato soup with pea puree and halloumi toasties

Image: part of my Autumn bags and purses photo shoot for Emma Makes (coming soon)

My haul from the Alt. Shift. Craft fair

I really like when other people go to craft fairs and then blog about what they bought – mainly because I’m really nosy.  So here’s what I got at last Friday night’s fair – it’s been ages since I went to a fair as a shopper and there were lots of great things to buy…

A tiny suitcase side table from Coulter & Coulter

Random card from //unravel//

Random card from //unravel//

Random card from //unravel//

A black crocheted collar from Ramari Textiles

A glitter and skull hairclip from Miss Candy Stripes

Glitter skull wand from Miss Candy Stripes – I bought four and have them in a jar as a sort of bouquet of skulls

Swallow and swift bunting from //unravel//

Bunny brooch from //unravel//