Organized, me?

I needed a better way to organize all my sewing thread. All my many spools were neatly packed in a box but it was impossible to see what colours I had. I had to root around to find anything, and removing one spool from the box threw the rest of them into disarray. I was thinking of threading the spools onto wooden doweling and hanging them across a frame, when I opened an old Burda pattern magazine and saw this great idea:

The perfect solution! Of course I had to make one, and it was really easy. I found a piece of cedar in our basement and measured the placement of the holes, then drilled them.  My drilling arm got a bit tired after a while so my dad helped me out.

I used my carpenter's ruler (a very handy tool, by the way, it folds up to just 15 cm in length so you can carry it in your purse, for all your emergency measuring needs) to mark 7mm dowels into 2 1/2 inch lengths (I think the mix and match approach to measurement units must be a canadian thing)...

...and sawed them off using a regular square saw and a mitre box. 

After sanding down the dowel edges and the surface of the plank, it's just a matter of inserting the pegs into the holes in the board. I had planned to use glue, but if you have a good match between drill bit and dowel size, it's not necessary.

I made the mistake of buying the doweling before I knew the dimensions of the board I was going to get, so I ran out of pegs, but as luck would have it I had exactly enough space for all my thread spools, so I suppose I don't have to hurry to finish it.

I have a mild obsession with organizing everything by colour (case in point:I recently bought a red eraser to match the box of läkerol, the tiny notebooks and the box of pens on the red shelf above my desk...) and especially with arranging groups of colours by tone, so I love being able to arrange all these colours and have them hanging on my wall for all to see!

golden courgettes

How to make a simple and refreshing salad:

Start with a yellow summer squash.

  And a handful of basil leaves.

Use a vegetable peeler, mandolin or the large slot on a box grater to cut the squash into very thin rounds. Tear the basil in small pieces over the courgette.

 Add lemon juice.

 Add a Serious Amount of olive oil. Grind over black pepper and toss with flaked salt (for extra crunch and flavour).

 

Yum!

Extra good with a dusting of grated parmesan or over sliced fresh mozarella. I like to use mini bocconcini, torn into pieces.

Summer food!

new purse!

This wonderful new purse came for me in the mail this week. It's small and cross-body, the perfect replacement for my big, floppy purse that I was quite tired of always holding on my shoulder.

Now is the time to show you what's in my purse!

• a couple of fresh hankerchiefs
• flash drive
• a little zippered pocket for holding cards
• sunglasses, my beloved vintage Ray Bans
• The best pink lip gloss
• tictacs
• violet pastilles
• my metropass and student id in a Mumin card case
• my iphone
• cash and coins wallet. I found it at a flea market in Dortmund, Germany where I was practicing my great German bargaining skills, which consist only of saying "I'll give you that price for two of those!"
• I usually have a compact mirror somewhere too... 

I take everything else I might need in my school tote bag, which I'll show you another time.

♥

Amaranth, and garden eating

I harvested a handful of massive amaranth leaves for my dinner.

I mentioned before that I had never heard of amaranth until I began growing it this summer. Now I love it. It grows so quickly, doesn't mind the heat, has been bug-proof (knock on wood) and despite being eaten down to the quick by rabbits last month, the plants are now all about 30-50cm high and covered with big leaves. If you garden, grow amaranth! I have only a few plants, in a tiny area, but they are so vigorous that I seem to be getting a large harvest anyway. You can eat the young leaves like lettuce, which is great now, at high summer, when lettuce is a bit fussy about high temperatures, and cook the large leaves like spinach, good for when the spinach is not yet ready (at least mine isn't).

Amaranth is popular in all around the world. I found and made this Indian curry recipe (the first one on the page). Try it with spinach if you don't have amaranth. Yum yum yum.

Of course curry doesn't exactly 'go' with the insalata calabrese I served alongside it. That's just how it is with garden cookery. Sometimes you simply have a basket of rapidly ripening tomatoes, a basil plant that's longing to be eaten, a small jungle of amaranth needing to be picked, and a serious craving for buffalo mozzarella all in one day. Of course there are surely ways to work all these things into a single cohesive meal, but I don't have anything against a mismatched salad and main course. After all, it's just me I have to please!

A thoroughly modern Thursday

My tennis practice was rained out for the second week in a row, so I did what any modern, 21st century girl would do. I sat down and hemmed some handkerchiefs instead. (and waited for a sunny day to photograph them, of course!)

I use cotton or linen, 1 foot square (30x30 cm). With cotton I usually machine-hem them, but with soft fabrics like linen it's almost as easy to hand-roll the edges, and it looks so elegant. I prefer white, because it's so easy to wash all your white things at once and stick them in the sun to dry. Otherwise I like to use fabric scraps from cottons I've sewn with, as in these green ones. Sometimes I initial or monogram them, but I don't always get around to it. The pattern for these initials comes from an old book of my grandmother's.

Handkerchiefs are one of those things I love because they are so perfectly practical, as well as being a little bit old-fashioned. Not to mention their versatility as an accessory. But I love things that are perfectly simple, designed to suit one purpose very well, and with no superfluous bits. Things like Converse sneakers, white t-shirts, and sturdy handkerchiefs.

It doesn't hurt that they are reusable, and it's so much nicer to pull one out of your purse or pocket than it is to use a kleenex!

I spent the summer wasting, the time was passed so easily

Sources:
1. 2.   3.  4. 5..  6. 

I just don't understand how summer days can be so short. It's not that I really want to do so very much. Just the usual, you know, have a couple of good meals, watch a film or an episode of something, get work done for my thesis, and have time for a shower and reading before bed, and some time to sit outside, listen to music, sew, draw, read books that aren't about Roman slaves. That's not to mention weekend days, going to the city, dancing, seeing friends - things it seems a thesis student is meant to set proudly aside.
If anyone has some time-management tips, or better yet, knows of some magical or scientific ways to make a day two times as long, or reduce the need for sleep (and I like a whole ten hours) I'd be glad to hear them!

Hej!

Working in the library on this sunny day! I am reading about Roman freedmen, it's interesting at least!

♥

lounge

I took the life-affirming decision this morning that even a girl with a thesis to write can have a lazy Sunday now and then. I'm not sure I can call this a conscious decision. When I saw that I'd slept in almost two hours past my dutifully set alarm, I took it as a sign and kept my pyjamas on, lounged around and listened to Radio Deluxe with John Pizarelli, the jazz guitarist, and Jessica Molaskey.

I sewed these a while ago from a vintage pattern. They have this beautiful yoke and little puffy bloomers.

Yesterday I dried my white laundry in the sun. There's no feeling like sleeping in fresh pyjamas in a freshly-aired bed. These ones make me feel like I fell asleep in the 60s and just woke up, which is a sensation I like to cultivate whenever possible.

Sorbet shades

I am definitely going through a pastel phase. My Lisa Frank-loving inner eight year old is ecstatic.

Belt: ESI.
Shorts and t-shirt: Gina Tricot.

♥

lemonade

For hot days, how about lemon balm lemonade?

Take 3-4 tablespoons of sugar in the bottom of a glass. Tear up some lemon balm (or mint) leaves and muddle them into the sugar with a spoon or a proper muddler, if you have one. Stir in the juice of half to one lemon (depending on juciness, of course). Add ice and top up with cold still or sparkling water. Herbs make good things even more refreshing!

(add an oz of gin if it's that kind of party)

Best enjoyed through a straw on a sunny afternoon!

frågor och svar

I have unabashedly stolen this questionnaire from Sandra and I hope she doesn't mind! I want to start writing more in Swedish, I've got to practice you know, and answering questions is a nice, dip-a-toe-in way to get started, without having to think too much or form long, complex sentences!

vad har du på dig?
vit t-shirt och pistagegröna kortbyxor. Jag gick helt och hållet för pastell i år.

Hur mår du?
lite stressad men glad för att vädret är så fint idag. och lite ledsen för mig själv för att jag måste sitta här och plugga istället för att vara utomhus nu att det äntligen är skönt väder.

Vad önskar du just nu?
Att vara på semester. Att min stor final uppsatsen vore klar och att jag inte behövde plugga längre.

vad har du ätit idag?
bröd med skinka, cole slaw, och kyckling schnitzel

vad ska du göra imorrn?
läsa, läsa, läsa

och på söndag?
läsa.

vem saknar du?
min gammal rumskamrat. Det gick dåligt mellan oss när jag flyttat till sverige, för nån skäl jag fortfarande inte riktigt fattar. Trotts att allt det där hände för mer än två år sedan, ändå saknar jag henne, då och då.

senaste köp?
shorts och en t-shirt på H&M

vad skrattade du senast åt?
igår kväll, jag kollade en gammal avsnitt av The Simpsons

vad grät du senast åt?
Jag blev faktiskt ganska ledsen häromdagen för att jag saknade mina vänner som alla bor så långt borta. Tror att jag gråtit lite, men jag var ju hemskt trött.

vem sov du senast med?
min stor grå hankatt.

vad läser du just nu?
1Q84 (andra delen) av Murakami

senast sedda film?
The Hardys Ride High - som sagt är jag inne på riktigt med gamla Andy Hardy-filmer

Vilken svordom använder du mest?
fuck (men jag försöker motstå den om jag kan, ordet är ju bättre ju mindre man använder det), piss, balls - jag måste erkänna min svaghet för riktigt smutsiga svordomar.

Vem var den senaste som ringde dig?
Farsan. Typ, "Jag handlar. Behöver vi mjölk?"

Har du dejtat någon av en annan religion?
det har jag gjort.

senast 3 inkomna sms?
"Tonight we will stay in PEI"
"aww, little (big) one!"
"Byeeee! Thanks for hanging out! Enjoy your treasure!"

Vad stod de i ditt senaste skickade sms?
"Gee!"

Vilket var ditt favoritämne på gymnasiet?
Writer's Craft

Vilken är din favoritfrukt?
hallon!

Vilka kändisar har du blivit jämförd med?
i princip, inga. En gång var jag jämförd med Shelley Duvall, men vi liknar inte varandra, tror jag. 

Vad är du rädd för?
Att blir dement när jag är gamla

En person du tycker är snygg?
Al Pacino

Blir du lätt svartsjuk?
Nej, inte längre. 

Din favoritkaraktär ur en serie?
Maeby Fünke. Nej, Liz Lemon. Nej, Maeby. Jag var aldrig duktig på att välja bara en favorit.

Vem skrev senast åt dig på facebookchatten?
Jag använder den inte

Vilket språk hade du velat lära dig?
Spanska, rysska, japanska, nederlandska - alla världens språk!

Vad för sorts killar faller du för?
roligt och snällt, med bra musiksmak (det vill säga som tycker om samma musik som jag!)

Vart vill du åka just nu?
sverige!!! och New York. Och Argentina.

Vad önskar du dig i födelsedagspresent?
en banjo.

Sådär! Ursäkta mig mina stav- och grammatikfel!

♥

Translation: Answers to questions. Read with google translate if you are interested!

My motto

♥

green (and red)

 I made this small salad for lunch from things in the garden, and it looked so pretty. It's fresh shelled peas, radish, dill, thyme, and red and green amaranth leaves. I had never had amaranth in my life before, or even heard of it, but I read an article extolling the virtues of growing red leafy vegetables, including amaranth, so I tried it. It's good! Slightly bitter and very fresh. On the side is a grilled sausage and a pool of grainy mustard. Perfection.

DNA

If there's one thing I love, it's monograms. I put them on almost everything I sew, and I want them everywhere else. I found this great post over at College Prep about where to find everything with monograms, and I am in looooove with these monogrammed notebooks.

You know I'm going to be ordering some first thing tomorrow!

cocktail hour

I was looking around on the internet to find a nice drink recipe, something refreshing to beat this heat, and I have thus learned about a great drink, the Country Club Cooler. Don't let the posh name put you off, it's really good: simple and refreshing. Just 2 oz of dry vermouth, a teaspoon of grenadine, ice, and a twist each of lemon and orange zest. Top off with club soda. The drink is pink and fizzy, and it's a great way to put that bottle of vermouth that you keep around for martinis to use. Personally I hate having things around that see no action, although you wouldn't know it to look at my house.

Incidentally, sorry for the lack of posts around here lately. I have been having some technology issues (card reader refusing to read for a while) compounded with time management issues. Everything should get back on track after today though.

Happy sipping!

♥ Dawn

Friday: The Week in Review

This has been a busy week!

I brought home a pile of fabric [my favourite sight: a bundle of new fabrics] and have been sewing a great deal. Shorts, dresses, blouses. I'll do a post soon.

My favourite sight: a bundle of new fabric

I finally got new tennis shoes. I love them! Super light, super comfortable, and they have tiny Michelin Men on the heels. ♥

My garden has been growing like crackerjacks and one morning for breakfast I had nothing but a big bowl of blueberries and strawberries, floating in milk. Heaven.

I work as a research assistant for a post-doc at York, and this week he gave me an interesting assignment. He's writing about an experimental film that remixes clips from old Andy Hardy movies, and he wanted me to find out the source of a particular scene in the film. I had heard of Andy Hardy, but had never seen any of the movies. It's a film series starring Mickey Rooney from the 30s and 40s, and is considered the first 'sit-com', though in the form of movies, since they predate television somewhat.

I've been trying to narrow down which of the movies this particular scene could be from (there are 16 of them) and have been downloading them. So far I've watched two. At first I thought I would just skip through the film on fast-forward, trying to spot the scene, but they are strangely compelling and once I start watching I can't seem to stop. It's like a mystery case, I've become completely wrapped up in trying to track down this little clip, and I have a feeling I'll have seen all 16 Andy Hardy movies before the week is out.

♥ Dawn

tennis

What a weekend! I saw Aziz Ansari do standup, picked and ate two pea pods - the taste of fresh-picked peas is like nothing else - went to a barbecue at Allison's, and am now watching my favourite Roger Federer play the Wimbledon final and having multiple heart attacks as I wait for him to win.

I love tennis but if I care about the outcome I can barely watch it. I don't know what it is. You'd think I would want to watch and enjoy a close, well-played match but it's unlike any other sport for me. If I am supporting a player, I want desperately for them to win, unlike other sports where I just hope they'll make it. It makes it very difficult to sit still and watch a match without rolling around on the floor, jumping up and down, burying my face in the couch cushions, etc. I just love Roger so much. He looks and plays like a fairy tale prince. How could anyone possibly think they can beat him?

This rain delay shall end shortly, and in no time at all I'll be back with either glee or sorrow.

it's saturday!

♥ Dawn

breakfast

Yoghurt with brown sugar and strawberries from the garden, toast with gooseberry jam, water and tea.

Those strawberries were so lovely but I kind of wish I had saved them for tomorrow, so I could have a proper strawberries-and-cream breakfast-with-Wimbledon Saturday morning! Perhaps some more will ripen by Sunday.

♥ Dawn

översättning: min frukost: yoghurt med hemodlade jordgubbar, te och rostat bröd med krusbärssylt.

Summer lunch

I grilled a steak for lunch today with caper sauce and a lettuce salad. It felt so luxurious, but was so simple and delicious. In principle I don't eat a lot of meat, but a good rare steak is better than almost anything.

The best cooking trick I ever learned is how to check if meat is done without cutting into it. The trick is to learn how to judge the meat be feel, by gently pressing it with your finger or a utensil. If it's raw, it's squishy, and if it's medium-well done, it feels like pushing on a mattress. Rare meat has a feel somewhere in-between. Another way to think of the texture is to compare it to the fleshy bit between your thumb and first finger. When your hand is held loosely, that spot is soft, like raw meat. In a loose fist, your hand will feel like rare-medium, and a tight fist will show you what well done meat feels like. I've had good luck with this technique with every kind of meat, from chicken breasts to pork roasts and steaks.

The caper sauce is easy as anything. Saute a quarter or half an onion, chopped, in butter and olive oil until it is lightly browned. Add a few spoons of capers (I like lots) and a big splash of red wine and let it putter for a few minutes. I also added fresh thyme from my garden. The sauce is fast, but make sure to start chopping the onions and getting your ingredients out before you put the steak on the grill, since it won't take very long to cook, if you like it rare. You can also pan-fry the steak, just let the onions cook for a minute or two and then put the steak in with them. Extra steak flavour in the sauce is always good.

mums and dads

On Saturday I went with my dad to a barbecue at our family friend's house. Their daughter was turning thirty. She is just a few years older than me and when I was around 11 we spent the summers together, as she babysat me quite often. We haven't seen each other since I started high school. It was so exciting to meet again, and to find out that she grew up into the nicest person I think I've ever met. 

Our families have known each other for longer than anything. In fact, my parents met because our mums were co-workers, and our dads good friends. So I have to credit them with the fact that I am alive, really! It's quite an odd and nice feeling to be able to trace your existence back to such a specific occurence. I learned this weekend that my mum used to get in trouble for going to work in bare feet.  Hippie mum, she makes me proud.

seeds

 

After a marigold blossom starts to die back, I cut it off and let it dry out for a day or two. Then I can open it up and take out the seeds inside, which look like small black-and-white needles, and plant more, or save them for next spring. Some people don't like marigolds because of their smell, but I think they are beautiful, with their orange and red and gold ruffles, and they help protect the other plants from being eaten by insects. They're one of my favourite flowers!