what's new :: monday edition

it's a brand-new day!

here's what's new:

today at

the lettered cottage 

layla has a very special guest who is

arguably my most adorable friend

lucy has 3 videos there

that you won't want to miss.

and you can always find lucy here.

{hi, lucy!}

also new today:

tadpoles growing legs

caterpillars spinning silk

blenders blending goodness

what's new with you?

♥

inspiration :: zero waste home

i learn lots of stuff from reading my mom's

outdated people magazines.

that's where i found this article {from 01/16/12}

about béa johnson and her family

which lead me to her blog

:: the zero waste home ::

where i found her top ten tips

for lowering waste in your home

{there are  8 categories with 10 tips each, so 80 tips total}.

and this video

she has an amazon store

:: the zero waste home store ::

{clicking on the categories takes you to the amazon store}

this is a great resource for tried & true

eco-friendly products like glass jars

for storing your bulk food.

i've added her blog to my sidebar ►►

so we can all see what's new

with béa and her family.

♥

art-paper-scissors :: found fabric brooch

today at everythingeagle.com

i have a fun, eco-friendly project

that is 100% creative and 100% beautiful.

you can really make it whatever you want

{girly & sweet?  shabby-chic?  hip & edgy?  you decide}

:: found fabric brooch ::

this would be a heartfelt mother's day gift.

and if you are missing your own sweet mother

{i am sending tender hugs to those of you who are}

how about making one for yourself to wear

as a special tribute to her on mother's day?

this is my favorite kind of project because

there is no right or wrong way to make it:

sew it, glue it, tie it with sting.

do you have scraps of

lace? tulle? a vintage handkerchief?

the sky's the limit with this one.

please come and

☼give it a go☼

♥

a senior moment

emily won

best dressed

best hair

best laugh

her best friend annie won

most likely to surf around the world

♥{love you, annbann, my most loyal reader}♥

when i was a senior, i won

best hall roamer {ahem} and most unique {ahem}.

what senior award did YOU win?

♥

marc chagall jazz

when i was doing research

prior to teaching ned's class about

marc chagall

{see my post here}
i found this video at the MoMA website

which led me here,

{scroll down, it's the 5th album listed}

where i listened to a sample,

then here,

where i bought the whole album.
i showed the kids the video above,

then played the chagall piece for them

while they made their enchanted villages.

♥

first grade art :: marc chagall

marc chagall

we looked at these

{especially this first one}

we talked about pattern & shapes.

we talked about warm colors & cool colors.

we talked about imagination.

we talked about the russian village

where marc chagall grew up.

we talked about how he moved to paris,

where he lived among many other

famous artists.

then, we made our own

enchanted villages

♥

green juice, hammock-style

after a cold & wet spring,

someone flipped the warm weather switch.

it started friday and hasn't stopped.

thankfully, it's been mild enough

to throw open the doors & windows

and really enjoy.

i make green juice every day,

and i'm always mindful of where i sit to drink it.

today, i had the urge to relax in the hammock

with my verdant cup of nutritiousness.

it took a bit of doing,

since the hammock was still in hibernation,

but well worth it.

i recommend green juice.

i recommend a hammock.

i highly recommend green juice in a hammock.

{i'm talking to you, dianne}

♥

cat

this is rudy.

more often, though, he is mr. roo.

he is a pretty princess

but he makes a mess.

it's really too much.

that downy-soft fur?  it's everywhere.

and i'll spare you the other unsavory bits.

i tell him from time to time,

you're my last cat.

like any pampered fluffball,

he has several endearing yet maddening routines.

here is one:

at bedtime, every single night,

he waits

anticipating this:

then, when ned gets into bed,

rudy curls himself around ned's head

while meowing these little baby-meows.

i swear, it's baby talk.  from a cat.

meew!  meew!  i'm a tiny baby cat!  look how adorable i am!

meew!  meew!  i'm irresistible!

it is serious cat & boy cuddle time.
ned loves it.

mr. roo loves it.

i love the sweetness and i know that ned

will long remember this,

but it takes all i've got to ignore the fact

that ned and his bed

are fully covered in white fur.

ugh.

now, let's segue from my cat conundrum

to this song that is always playing

somewhere at the edge of my consciousness

and while we're at it

♥

recovery

so far, this year has left me breathless.

i feel like i'm always bouncing back

from one thing or another.

this weekend, i tried to get my groove back.

it was a rest and recover weekend.

i slept in.

i drank lots of tea.

i cleaned closets.

i scrubbed toilets.

i cleaned out the fridge a bit.

the state of the fridge on saturday was like this:

4 containers of cream cheese

3 containers of almond butter

3 containers of sour cream

7 containers of salsa

to me, this speaks volumes.

time to consolidate.

time to regroup.

time to eat some salsa.

♥

art-paper-scissors :: paper pennant banner

pennant banners

{also called buntings}

are 100% charming.

be your own charm fairy and make one today

at everythingeagle.com.

:: paper pennant banner ::

meet ya

☼there☼

click the pic to see it on pinterest

Source: everythingeagle.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

♥

walkathon

today was the walkathon at ned's school.

also the first hot day we've had.

here's ned at the ribbon table

ned with his friend, ty

these two were really funny

{and this was after doing 24 laps - that's 6 miles!}

♥

black bean soup & cheesy corn casserole

how have i not posted these 2 recipes before??

easy, easy black bean soup 

paired with a corn casserole from paraguay.

mmmmmmm.....

the soup is from here.

the casserole is from here.

note: the casserole is a little tricky due to this step**

cheesy corn casserole ~ from paraguay

{start this first because it takes longer}

2 T butter + 1 T canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
----------------------------

1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1 t baking powder

----------------------------

8 oz. frozen corn (thawed)

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs, separated

4 oz. jack cheese, grated

----------------------------

1 T grated parmesan

preheat oven to 350°

butter & flour a loaf pan

saute onion in butter & oil (10 min)

mix dry ingredients

puree corn & milk in blender, then add egg yolks.

combine in this order:

dry + wet + onions + cheese

**beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into mixture

pour into prepared dish, sprinkle with parmesan

bake 40 - 45 minutes until set & golden on top.

black bean soup {from salt & chocolate}

{put this together once the casserole is in the oven}

2 cans black beans

1/2 cup fresh salsa {we love Aj's "3 spicy bitches"}

1 T chili powder

1 cup water + 1 tsp "better than bouillon"

combine all ingredients.  

simmer.  

puree with stick blender.  

done.

top with:

chopped or sliced avocado

a dollop of sour cream.

serve with:
cheesy corn casserole & tortilla chips.

♥

wednesday

tonight was a

rainy, sunny, rainbow-y

baseball game

♥

narwhal :: unicorn of the sea

{narwhal print}

{narwhal print}

{narwhal ornament}

{narwhal tshirt}

i just read the most incredible article

about these amazing and elusive whales:

in search of the mysterious narwhal,

from smithsonian.com.

it takes place on greenland's west coast.
{thank you, stephanie, for the link}

be warned, vegan friends,

the scientists work with native hunters

to learn more about narwhals
and ultimately protect them.

blubber eating is involved.

here is a video clip about the piece

be sure to click here to see more photos.

i remember this song from the limeliter's album

that was in heavy rotation when i was small:

greenland is a dreadful place,

a land that's never green.

where there's ice and snow

and the whale fishes blow,

and the daylight's seldom seen,

brave boys,

the daylight's seldom seen.

♥