Coconut milk and taking notes: deodorant and soap

New homemade love:  coconut milk

it just doesn't get much easier and it is so delicious, probably a bzillion calories too so I should be cautious, but it is good... the outcome is much more like canned coconut milk (but without the can or concerns associated with cans) than coconut drinks you get in cartons.    SO.  2 cups dried coconut, unsweetened and 4 cups water... let it soak no more than 30 min or so then whiz the heck out of it (I do 3-5 min in the vitamix... man I love that blender much more than I thought I would).  Strain it (I used a beer brewing strainer bag, probably like an oversized nut-milk bag or jelly bag, a strainer would probably be sufficient too if it is fine enough).  Enjoy.  It does separate so you can give it a good shake/stir before consuming.  There may be a too good puck of coconut oil at the top, depending upon the batch of coconut.  Lesson learned... don't let these things soak all that long, some recipes I found online suggest really long soaks and for both this and almond milk when I did it, I ended up with a sort of weird floral-sour flavor... not awful, but not what I wanted.  Shorter soak seems to remedy this problem.  Now I can handle a little dairy, but if you need a dairy replacement... this is it.  I"ve tried most of them and although this has a little more flavor than some, the natural richness and yumminess totally is worth it... unless you hate coconut.

Okay, I sometimes make a deodorant I love and sometimes, a little less so....  I refer to a recipe, but largely wing-it... making potions the kids call it.... not very scientific of me.   So I am writing these down until I have one I like

Sept 14 recipe
Tablespoon of each coconut oil and Shea butter, arrowroot and baking soda.
Added maybe 1/2 tsp beezwax pellets
10 drops of  lime and 10 of grapefruit
Maybe 10 of hops too

Okay day one impressions.... This batch is too big for my container by about a tsp or more.  It's still in the 80s in the house sometimes and it is a little soft and greasy for me.

Initial next-time thoughts:  Add at least equivalent amounts of cocoa butter!  I think I did this on previous versions, but forgot this time.  Use tsp instead of tbs.  Maybe I need to go back and add in cocoa butter.
See, this is why I should write this stuff down cause perhaps I did teaspoons of everything and a greater proportion, of beezwax... Last recipe was much harder, which was good for summer.  Stronger smell too, which I liked, and it fit in my jar... This batch is too big

Soap tonight... Shea butter recipe x4... split before adding e.o. and color.

1- Making orange- clove turmeric 2:1total about an ounce, there is about .1oz cinnamon in there too.  not much, didn't want it to be too warm.  Added about a tbs of tumeric... this may have been a lot for a half batch.  Filled up 9 of the molds with this, very orange.

2- clary sage, rosemary, lavender and a bit of macha... 1:1:1 1 oz total probably only a tsp macha.  It turned a decent sagey green, we'll see how it sets up.  I drizzled some uncolored stuff on top to top-off the mould, so it should end up a nice two-tone.

And for some sweetness, a little crepe flower headband I made G. for her birthday.  There is also a butterfly garland I am pretty happy with!

 She actually wore this for days!  I think she liked it too.

summer projects

A family cross-stitch.  I haven't done cross stitch... it is possible that ever is the correct answer, but probably not since I was a young kid.  This was fun, even though I had to pull Bri all the way out 'cause his first version made him waay too short and just with a weird head.  This is better.  Scooter's ears also need some work, but overall, it was fun and I am happy with it.  I'll probably try another soon.

 Tomatoes... 6o lbs picked and 21 jars packed ready to go for cooking this year... so excited

 I roughly sorted them into Heriloom, golden, some  marzano shaped ones and just a general red mix batch.  Rasmussen doesn't actually label their field very well, but it was fun to pick nonetheless.  

 After much hesitation, I tacked the Wiksten Tova top using some of my precious nani iro double gauze.  It was a little tricky, but there is a sew-along that restated some of the directions in a way that just worked for me and ... voila...!  I also love it, it is so comfy and the fabric looks like a pretty watercolor.

Mom got me a serger for my big 4-0 and although I was initially pretty terrified, a class set me going in the right direction... it was essential for the gauze.  I also have totally put it through its paces... I made several (three) a-line knit skirts with a yoga band top.  Two of them will definitely stay in rotation, the third (really the first one I made... this one) didn't wash well,


 fabric was just too fine, so a good sturdy knit is really a much better plan for a skirt.  I also made two tanks (Wikstein tank) both of which I really like.

.  One is a bit snug 'cause I didn't figure out the french seams correctly and ended up taking in a little too much, but it still fits and I still love it!  You can't see the double weave goodness, the front is the gingham, and the back is the reverse, which is basically a demin looking black... as is the pocket, also can't see from this pic.

Okay that is entirely too many "self" pictures for a post, so here is a cuter subject....

and one more serger star... a cute skort for Grace.... and the first thing I put on the serger  Perfect for my monkey-bar girl.

However, I really need to get some new patterns, I have two tanks, three skirts and three of the tovas... that pretty much covers most of what I will wear.  Although the lady at the fabric store was trying to convince mt that it is okay to have a "uniform", I probably ought to branch out a bit.

Figgy raglan with short sleeves

Figgy gifty... short-sleeves for Alice's 7th.  I kinda dig the bow headband... easier than you would think.  Just had a rectangle, made a small loop that I threaded on to the rectangle.  sewed the wrong sides together and then just threaded one of the sides through so the small loop snugged right on the seam and voila.  cute bow.
I didn't have quite enough fabric for it to go along the grain correctly, so I cut things out sideways, I still think it looks pretty good, but I hope it wears correctly.

another comfy dress

another comfy dress from {lbg}, these are so easy and nice to sew.  This was even longer... in part because the fabric from JoAnn was the end of the bolt, so I got the last half yard which allowed for Grace's preferred length!

Hmm, the best shot I have of a really cute "ballet shirt" (as she thinks of it).  It's a cute reversible wrap shirt from craftiness is not optional.  The front is a pink and green floral that G picked out, the reverse is a swan print (her ballet performance has her class as the swan princesses).  I'll get a better picture one of these days.  The ties are just purple ribbons.  Easy on and off so as not to mess up ballet hair.

Thanks pinterest for the beautiful rhubarb tart recipe!  Val helped me out, rhubarb from the robust bush in our front yard.  It is almost as pretty as the inspiration!

and tasty too!  Very creamy, and I sort of skimped (okay didn't add) the cream because I didin't want to go to the store, so just upped the ricotta and marscapone to come close to the correct amounts.  The crust with almonds, sugar and eggs) was yummy!

The rhubarb in batons like this is beautiful, though a little tough to eat with.  Val even peeled them for me but it sort of squishes the filling out to cut through it.  It's worth the pretty presentation though.

quiet

You know what's weird.  There have been a few quiet weekends this term, where we have no particular plans, no papers to grade or lectures to write.  I'm not saying there isn't stuff to do, but there occasionally, is less press.  Not just work, but at home too.  The kids are playing together, maybe for a few hours, and I'm just home, they don't really want/need me to play with them, and I'm don't want to interrupt their time together, getting along.  It feels so delicate, and wonderful to hear them working out problems with eachother and enjoying, even relishing their time together... without me orchestrating... I hope it's not delicate, but right now it still is, so I do not want to interfere.

I've already vacuumed, cleaned up the kitchen, done the laundry, the basics.  We have a few activities (ballet, church) that have kept us from taking any real road trips, we have play-dates... but it's weird... not bad weird... just weird.  I don't think I have figured it out yet; is this just this moment in time, or is it a glimpse of the future?  I have not yet figured out what to do with myself.  I guiltily sneak a coffee, cookie and a read a magazine... maybe even a whole magazine; I hunt for things to do, a closet to tackle, or I pull out my sewing machine or make plans for my next batch of soap, and though nice... and man do I sometimes need to exercise my creative outlets, it doesn't feel quite right.  To add to this, when the quiet does eventually break ( and it does indeed break), I shatter... my resilience is diminished.

It's a subtle transition we are going through, and I am not sure what to call-it other than pleasantly unsettling.

further adventures in knits: comfy knit dress {lbg studio}

This one was pretty fun.  There is a great tutorial, and it really fits the bill.  I had to go with the 4-5 sizing suggestions and lengthened the tiers (Hmm, I'd have to remeasure, but I think I went with 9 and 12") because G. prefers her dresses long.  

 and spinny, long and spinny.  I'm sort of excited that she has worn this one already a few times.  I made another one last night, and she wouldn't wear it today... but it was cold, so we'll see.  I'll put some pics up if I can get her to try it on.

blindfold

So, I made the kids a each a sleeping mask in preparation for a trip where we would have a couple of late night flights.  Who knew they would want to wear them around... all the time.... 'cause it's fun just seeing how far you can get around blind.  I sorta forgot about the seam allowance so they are a bit small, but still very effective!