{charmed earth}

The Lifestyle blog of Katie Storms.: something simple, something sweet, something styled.

29 August 2010

Something Weekend: Fresh Flowers

I can't get enough of Trader Joe's flowers. They are beautiful, fresh, and pocket-book-friendly. I never leave without a bouquet. This weekend I hosted a small birthday lunch for my friend Rita, and the flowers looked perfect in a trio of glass jars. As I was putting away the china, I rediscovered this silver service teapot I picked up for $4 nearly a year ago. I think she adds a glamorous element, and one of the jars fit just right.



And on our morning walk today around the park near our charming bungalow I discovered these sweet, sweet, cupcake icing pink roses. Love. Love like I love Ingrid Michaelson's "You and I" right now.

xo,
charmed earth

26 August 2010

Something Versatile: Vintage Top Quilt Apron, Earrings, and Tape



I found the top quilt back in March. She was hiding under a pile of completed quilts in the last booth at the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall along highway 70. And I almost didn't buy her at the *expensive* $20 ticket price. In fact, I did another loop back toward some blue Ball jars before committing to the purchase.

It's one of the best purchases I've discovered, and I can't wait to find another top quilt that's as versatile. Her first project: The charming aprons I posted over the winter. Her most recent affairs? Cover button earrings and tape.



The tape is inspired by Maya*made's blog. She fell in love with the new Japanese tapes with designs. I fell in love, too, the first time I spied them in a Martha magazine. But fancy-colorful-tape-at-a-pricy-ticket-price didn't seem justified. Even if I intended to use it to wrap presents. After reading through Annekata's Blog, I discovered the step-by-step that involved some glue, some scissors, some fabric, some wax paper, some packaging tape, some sand paper, and some scissors. And some patience. I considered finding packaging tape and pasting and cutting away for a moment. Until I realized that I had a roll of hem tape in my dresser drawer, a roll of hem tape I never got around to using.

Oh what a discovery! No glue, no sandpaper, no wax paper, just hem tape and top quilt fabric scraps. I can't wait to wrap a present!

Here's a step-by-step picture DIY.




And then I found a stack of cover buttons at a tent sale, cover buttons that are considered "old" because a fellow crafter bought them new. What a delight when I put another two and two together--so many designs, so little fabric, so much fun. I' wearing a pair right now! And look for your own pair to buy in late September at the Corner Cottage in Dexter.

16 August 2010

Something Beautiful: A Wedding



Over the weekend, we went to a wedding near home. I pretended to be a professional photographer, and I am in love with how some shots turned out. And I just wanted to share.

School is back in session, by the way. So I be prepared for short and sweet posts. Oh. And not buying school supplies is really, really, really hard for a school teacher. It's kind of like how hard I imagine it would be for a baker to not buy mixing spoons or how hard it would be for a banker to not buy a new tie. It's so difficult, that I have failed. The Wonder Woman notebooks are only $2.50. I need a new notebook for Creative Writing. I was going to make one with the old sheet music, but I didn't. I wanted to write on the lined blue pages, with Wonder Woman water marked and soaring toward me. I bought it. But I think that I am going to be ok.





10 August 2010

Something Summer: A Beautiful Mess of Crafts


I wish I could say it was the 500th day of summer. That would mean summer vacation lasts 500 days! I don't know how many days summer lasted this year, but today is my last. Tear. I know I will still be able to create during the year, but this is probably the last Tuesday that I can create in my studio at 10 a.m. barefoot in blue jeans and the Love t-shirt my charming husband surprised me with on our second anniversary.

So today my studio is a mess. But I am an artist all. day. long.

Oh. And I guess this is the first time I've shown off my vintage bingo tile and poker chip necklaces. They will be on Etsy soon! I'm going to do a photo shoot this weekend and next weekend and perhaps throughout the week.

Enjoy the sunshine today!


06 August 2010

Something Fresh: Farmer's Market


Every Saturday Morning at Tower Grove Park, there is a Farmers Market, May - October. We went last Saturday, and we enjoyed our elephant hearts (fruit like a pluot), peaches, zucchini, goat's milk cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and Marten Rice (from Sikeston) this week.

The fruit was sweet and fresh, but to avoid letting it spoil I just had to bake a few fruit crumbles! The exciting think about this batch is that I finally used the blackberries in the freezer--I always freeze extra fruit. But sometimes I forget it's in there. Which is why this week hasn't just been fresh, it's been frozen (we've been trying to eat what's in the freezer before we shop big meals!)

Back the the crumble. It's super simple.

1 bowl of in season fruits (about 2-3 cups)
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons of Flour
3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1/4 c. Oats
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon (I use Vietnamese Cinnamon, which is to die for. I buy it in Florida)
2 Tablespoons of Brummel and Brown (or Butter)

Mix the fruit with 1T of flour, 1T lemon juice, and 1T of brown sugar. Scoop the mixture into individual ramekins or one shallow baking dish. Set aside. Mix the oats, 1T flour, 2T brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the Brummel and Brown. Get it crumbly. Sprinkle oat mixture over the tops of the ramekins filled with fruit. Spread it out evenly, giving the extras to your portion:) This dish is 3 ww points per serving, by the way.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes (until it bubbles) at 350.

If you want, add ice cream or cool whip free. We didn't have that in the freezer, so we enjoyed them without. Ah. Something fresh. I love summer. Check out Tower Grove tomorrow. It's from 8:30-noon.

Peace,
Charmed Earth

04 August 2010

Something Stretched: Blue Jeans

I didn't want to admit this, but my dark denim jeans are too tight. Way too tight. It's been the sadness of the summer, the one thing I keep thinking I should just go out and buy. I'm in the process of trying to drop those pounds, and after a few lost, I thought they might fit looser this morning. They didn't.

I tried to stretch them by just wearing them around the house, attempting yoga moves like warrior pose and a downward facing dog. Both attempts resulted in zero give. My last attempt: Google.

Google: "How to Stretch Jeans"

I had no idea that by spraying the areas I wanted to stretch (waist and thighs) with lukewarm water would let them give. Wow. All I did was fill the spray bottle with warm water. I covered the thighs with water and gave them a tug. Then I sprayed the waist and gave it a tug by stretching it out with my foot to hold it in place.

Result: The jeans buttoned with zero problem!

Who knew. Who knew. Thank you, Google and eHow. My jeans fit just in time for fall.