Anthony Michael
Seriously one of the most manly 15 year-olds I’ve ever seen. At almost 6′3″ and 180lbs, Tony was asked to play on the Varsity football team this coming year instead of the Sophomore team. They are afraid he might hurt the kids his age.
Grain
I find my life rubbing against me lately, on all sides. It’s feels like it MORE some times than other times. Life turning me that way and this way, getting in the cracks, carving lines through the layers. Creating my grain.
Today's Theme Song
That I Would Be Good
that I would be good even if I did nothing
that I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
that I would be good if I got and stayed sick
that I would be good even if I gained ten pounds
that I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
that I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
that I would be great if I was no longer queen
that I would be grand if I was not all knowing
that I would be loved even when I numb myself
that I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
that I would be loved even when I was fuming
that I would be good even if I was clingy
that I would be good even if I lost sanity
that I would be good
whether with or without you
Forest in Blue
I’m obsessed with trees. I’ve done more tree sketches and paintings than I can count. I see something new all the time and try to capture it on canvas. This 4 foot square painting made with paper, modeling paste and acrylic paint is one of my all time favorites.
Detail -
Forest in Blue is for sale here. Other paintings are available here.
Short Update
Things are hard right now. I can’t talk about any of it at the moment but I feel a post coming soon. Thanks to those of you checking in on me. I appreciate the love.
xoxo
Leahpeah's Tasty – Pico de Gallo
I don’t eat much onion. In fact, as a rule, I remove it from everything from burgers to salad.
I don’t enjoy the taste although I do like the crunch. But, what I really don’t like is the aftertaste for days that comes along with it.
This is a sad thing for my husband who loves onion and garlic and all things stinky but delicious. If he eats it, I can’t kiss him for a few days without gagging. Not really a good thing for intimacy.
But I love Pico de Gallo. LOVE. It’s half chopped onion but I don’t care.
I shovel it in my mouth using tortilla chips as a vehicle. Why this discrepancy? I have no idea. It’s a little unsettling. It goes against my nature. Against the grain. Against everything I believe in. Against my testimony of avoiding smelly vegetables in the allium family. And yet, I snork it like nobody’s business.
Pico de Gallo is sometimes called salsa picada, which means chopped sauce. Pico de Gallo itself means rooster’s beak and I have no idea why. Maybe you do and you’d enlighten me?
Pico de Gallo
1 medium to large white onion
4 large, ripe tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
seeded jalapenos to taste
lemon
Chop tomatoes and onion into dime (or smaller) sized pieces. Place both in large bowl. Cut off the green onions’ root ends and half the green stalks, leaving the pretty and firm bottom to mid-section. Slice slim rounds and add to bowl. Chop or snip small pieces of cilantro. De-seed jalapeno and slice in to tiny chunks, maybe a third the size of the tomatoes. If you really like the taste of jalapeno, add as many as you want. If you want your salsa hotter, keep some of the seeds in the mix. Squeeze lemon or lime juice over the whole thing and mix well. I add a little salt to make the flavor pop but if you’re watching your sodium, it’s great without it.
Then, snork it with some chips.
I find it keeps ok for one day, but any longer and it gets too wet and the flavors fade and change. Store it in an airtight container and before serving the next day, drain as much fluid from the bottom as possible.
How-To Craft, 2-Tiered Flowy Blouse
I found some sheer white fabric for about a dollar a yard and bought a bunch. I thought it would make a great top and decided to make it two layers so you couldn’t see through it anymore, but it still looked flowy and airy.
I made a pattern from a loose-fitting tshirt.
I folded the top and arms in right above the bust line.
Then I drew line around it, marking how big it was.
I added 4″ inches to the top, 2.5″ to the sides and 3″ to the hemline, extended the pattern, cut it out then pinned it to the fabric. Because the fabric was so sheer, I cut through four layers of fabric at once. But it’s tricky, so do that at your own risk.
Next time, I won’t add anything to the hem and keep it just what it is. Because when I layered the panels, the bottom layer ended up being about 7″ too long and I had to cut it off. The top layer was three inches too long (how much I added) and I had to cut it off.
I sewed two pieces together to form a shirt front and back and then I did the same with the other two panels. After turning them both so all the seams were on the outside, I took one panel and put it over the other panel, pulling it down 3 inches and sewing in place. Then I turned it right sides out to make sure it looked good on the outside.
As you can see in the photo below, the inside layer is now 3-ish inches longer then the outer layer.
Next I rolled the top down in thirds towards the inside, creating a tube inside where the neck strap will go later.
I pinned it and sewed it down next to the seam I sewed to place the inner panel lower than the outer panel. HINT – after pinning, sew it with the outside up so you can make sure the seam is straight and looks good from the outside.
Then I cut a button hole shape near both side seams and used no-fray to seal the edges.
To make the neck tie, I cut a 3″ by 8′ long strip and folded in half. I pinned and sewed down the long side and one short end. I used a ruler to create an angle line, sewed and trimmed.
Using a thin wooden spoon, I turned the strap right side out then top stitched the seams I had sewn, closing the open end as I went.
To place the strap, I placed a large safety pin on one end and took the strap all the way around, pulling it out the same hole I sent it in to. Then I took the other end and pushed it through to the other hole. Imagine a pretzel crossing in front and going out each hole. When you’re done, you should have the strap going completely around your back, crossing in the front with the ends coming out the holes.
I tried the shirt on, cinching the strap tight until it felt snug but comfortable around my back and neck. After tying it, I checked the length in the mirror. This is where I cut off the fabric as I described before. After I shortened it, I used a straight stitch at 1/4″ from the edge and a tight zigzag to finish, not rolling or folding for the hem. If you own a serger, you could use either of those stitches to create a clean edge. Since I don’t have a serger and I’m ok with a little unfinished look on this shirt, I was fine doing it that way.
It’s cool and summery and flows nicely.
