Twins!

Preciosa Ornela, the manufacturers of beads in the Czech Republic, has just released a new seed bead called "twins." They're a two holed, 2.5X5mm oval seed bead.

Currently, the only colors available in the US are crystal, crystal matte, jet and jet matte... and Dancing Beads has them! They arrived today, and they're wonderful. We'll have them packaged for sale next week in 10 gram tubes. Unlike other two holed beads the cost of these lovelies is quite reasonable.

There will be 80 colors after the first of the year. I'm looking forward to orange!

I Love Monday

... and while I'm at it... I love the time change, too!

I love Monday because it's my day off! In essence, it's like Sunday, except there's no church, and the banks are open.

Monday is an interesting day to have off. The world moves differently. Folks seem friendlier, and less hurried. I can take my time with errands, and not fear I'll be run over by some harried person in a parking lot, or have to listen to the pitiful wails of children kept out past their nap time. Monday is great day to have off... I highly recommend it!

I also like the time change. Most people act like it's a real inconvenience, but honestly, what's the big deal? Time is all a perception anyway. Each one of us gets the same amount, and we are free to use the time we're given any way we wish. Why use it complaining about it? One good thing about the time change is that in six months the time change complainers will have something to complain about again.

Today was especially nice. I had a massage to work out all the aches and pains of the past few weeks. The bank was open, traffic was light, and the grocery store wasn't mobbed. I even got some Christmas shopping done today! I've decided that since I'm out and about on Monday, I might as well start holiday shopping now rather than waiting until the last minute.

I made a pot of my favorite soup for dinner tonight (I'll share the recipe in a minute). At the grocery store today I scored a wonderful buy on brie. Yes, guilty pleasure won out. At $2.29 each, I couldn't just leave them there... so I bought two!

One of my business neighbors made my life a bit easier today. First she gave me an incredible massage, then she made a generous offer.

Give me three minutes, and I'll start lamenting about the lack of space at the shop. I know most of the lack comes from my own perceptions. I'm extremely visual, and do not like too much disorder. I can take a few items that are being processed being out, but beyond that, I want things tucked away. The storage situation for back stock items and supplies has gone beyond my ability to function. As I wrote last night, I'm cleaning out the storage area frequently.

I told Caitlin (my sweet neighbor across the hall, and wonderful massage therapist) about my lack of storage. She offered me the use of her closet! Other than some cleaning supplies, she does not use it. We took a look and although it's on the smallish side, and doesn't have a lock...yet... it will be perfect for storing office supplies, paper products, brooms, and some other strange items that take up valuable space, and irk me every time I encounter them. Color me happy!

Now the soup!

In an issue of Sunset Magazine, I found what I like to refer to as a "Suggestion". I am my mother's daughter, and rarely follow any recipe I find (unless, I'm baking). I enjoy making alterations as I see fit. This recipe was perfect for altering.

Italian Chicken Sausage Soup

Ingredients::

1 package Italian Chicken Sausages, removed from the casings (I like the Isernio brand).
2 cartons Wolfgang Puck Organic Free Range Chicken Broth (This broth is so perfectly seasoned you don't have to add salt)
1 small organic leek, chopped
1 bunch organic rainbow chard, chopped
Olive oil

That's all! No seasonings necessary because the sausage and the chicken broth have you covered!

In a large pot, heat olive oil, and saute leeks with sausage. When the leeks and sausage are done, add both cartons of broth. Bring to a boil. Add chard, let soup come back to a boil to soften chard, about 5 minutes. Done!

I like to let the soup sit for 15-20 minutes to cool. It's great with toast, or biscuits. My cat likes it, too!

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Monday Meanderings

True confession... it's actually Sunday, but as there's a post waiting in the wings to publish, and I'm in the mood to write. I figured tomorrow would be just as good a day as any to share my thoughts.

OK, come on some thoughts!

Actually, I have lots... such as, when this post goes live I will likely be at the shop bothering my contractor with my camera, getting in the way, and changing my mind again once the cabinets start being built. I have big plans for that small space, I'm just not certain I have enough space for all the big plans.

I guess that remains to be seen.

Painting the walls and the slatwall were on my list of things to do Sunday. Then I sat down at my computer with a cup of coffee, and realized I was tired. Really tired. So tired it was an effort to lift the coffee cup let alone move the mouse around.

At nearly 1pm I posted the following on Facebook:: "Paint or play? Paint or play? So far, play is winning! It's almost 1:00 and I'm still not out of my jammies."

Jammies won!

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I sure had fun playing tour guide this week. Nearly everyone who came in to the shop wanted to check out the new space. The consensus has been that the additional light is wonderful, the room is just big enough, and the carpet in there can really use some attention. My plans have received the stamp of approval from one and all.

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Saturday was an amazing day! There were two classes back to back. Jenny taught Freeform Peyote from 1-3, then ran the shop for me while I taught a make up Wire Wrap 1 class from 3:30-5:30. Sales were brisk from the moment the shop opened until past closing time. Hmmm, that's likely why my pajamas won out.

During the freeform class I joined a discussion about cooking, and eating organic... both of which I truly enjoy. I told the gals in the class about a wonderful polenta pizza I prepare that's vegetarian, organic, and very tasty. The recipe was requested so........

Polenta Pizza

CRUST::
1 1/2C yellow cornmeal
1C cold water
1C boiling water (heated in a medium saucepan)
1/4t salt
1/3C grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Place cornmeal in a small bowl. Add cold water, and stir until uniformly combined.
2. Stir cornmeal mixture into saucepan of boiling water. Cook, stirring, over low heat until thick (about 5 minutes).
3. Remove from heat, stir in salt and Parmesan. Form a crust in the buttered 9X13 pan (use wet hands or a spatula to pat into place). Baked uncovered for 30 minutes at 375°. Remove from oven. Turn oven down to 350°.

FILLING:: Here is where you can have some fun!
1T olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 leek sliced
1/2C sliced red bell pepper
1/2C sliced mushrooms (I prefer Crimini)
1/2t oregano
1/2t basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/3# mozzarella cheese, grated
1 medium tomato, sliced
Grated Parmesan cheese for the top

1. Saute' garlic, leeks, peppers, and mushrooms in olive oil until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, add herbs.
2. Spread mixture over crust. Arrange mozzarella and tomatoes on top, sprinkle on Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Serves 4.

This recipe is from a collection of recipes published privately by my mom and her friends. They met weekly for over two years to do yoga, and share meals. Their cookbook is one of my favorites.

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Humor me while I share another recipe that has become a real favorite this winter. I came across the inspiration for this soup in Sunset magazine in December. I've changed it enough that think I can call it my own.

Chicken Sausage and Rainbow Chard Soup

4 Italian Chicken Sausages, casings removed. (I use Isernio's Mild, they're free range and minimally processed... according to the package, and we know we can always believe whatever the manufacturer tells us, right?)
2 cartons Wolfgang Puck Free Range Organic Chicken Broth (probably the best prepared broth I have ever encountered)
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 leek, cleaned and sliced
1 bunch fresh rainbow chard, cleaned and chopped
1t fennel seed
3T olive oil

In a large pot heat olive oil, add garlic, leek, and fennel seeds. Saute' until garlic and leeks are translucent. Add sausages, breaking them into small pieces, and continue cooking. When sausage is cooked, pour in both cartons of chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. After soup has started to boil, add the chopped chard, stir, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Soup is ready to serve in 15 minutes. Don't be surprised to find your soup slightly pink as the red stems of the rainbow chard will add color to the broth.

Serve with toast, and enjoy.

I had some for dinner last night, and it was just what I wanted on a rainy Sunday night.

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As much as I love beads, I also love words. Believe it or not, I've been publishing my thoughts online for over five years. There were times I was a bit more dedicated than I have been recently, but it seems that my love of writing is starting to show itself again.

Recently, I came across this page and wanted to share it. The article is about 'paraprosdokians' which is a figure of speech where a sentence or phrase ends in an unexpected manner causing the listener or reader to rethink the first part of the statement. There were 37 examples provided, some were clever, some cute, and a few caused me to laugh out loud!  Here are my favorites::

• Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.
• Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.
• You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
• If you are supposed to learn from your mistakes, why do some people have more than one child?
• Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.
• The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

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One more thing before I end my meanderings::

I hope everyone has an amazing Monday!

Bead Soup

Likely, most of you know what 'bead soup' is, but for those who don't here's a quick explanation.

Bead Soup is a mixture of small beads either in a single color way, for instance pale pink to dark red, or a collection of small beads in complimentary colors. Bead Soup is used for creating free form items. It's also a great way to occupy younger fingers that want to help. Just hand them the soup and ask them to sort.

I think that's how I got my start loving things small, and pierced. My grandmother would hand me a pill bottle full of seed beads. The beads she gave me had belonged to my great grandmother, and they were extremely soupy. She'd give me a place to work at the table while she and my mom created their latest craft.

I can remember sorting seed beads by the hour as they glued dried beans to a board cut out to resemble a rooster, or mix resin to make trivets (and everyone within a 20' radius high from the fumes). It delighted me to be able to sit at the table with them doing such an important task.

Every time a new craft would come out, I'd be offered a pill bottle of beads to sort. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I realized just what a clever woman my grandmother was. The bottomless bowl of Bead Soup she gave me to sort were actually the same beads. She'd wait until I went to bed, or school, or outside to play, and she'd mix them together again.

I have those beads in my collection, and all the hanks of beads my great grandmother used in her business.

Yep, the bead business seems to run in the family, but that's a story for another day!

*bead soup image found here. Go check it out, it was a very lucky find!