Weekend Links : The Alphabet

The alphabet, she inspires me.
And even though I have a leg up in that department, here are a few prime ways for everyone to have fun with all 26 letters.

Small fabric scraps can be used make a fabric alphabet, which is not only a fun learning toy (I love these big letters for toddlers, or smaller, magnetic ones for new spellers), but the letters can also be clipped to a ribbon and used for a birthday banner or bedroom name bunting.

You could also make a leaf alphabet. It's just about the perfect craft right now if you live somewhere with changing leaves. I have always appreciated creative alphabet books, and this project reminds me of Eric Carle.

Another thing that might be fun to attempt on your own, Garret Steider created a food alphabet, with prints available to decorate your kitchen and entertain your guests.

If you aren't in a crafty mood, but would still love to decorate with letters, whip out the cardstock and try these well designed free printables!

Finally, this fantastic alphabet montage might just shoot creativity straight into your mind.

More alphabet fun:
homemade alphabet pretzels 
 food alphabet on etsy
animal alphabet on etsy
whimsical German alphabet on etsy

(And if you're in the mood for reminiscing, why not watch everyone's favorite giant yellow bird being ridiculous? If you didn't watch Sesame Street as a child, this video is a very important part of your cultural education.)

Weekend Links: Batik-Mehndi-Paisley

Sister Batik on etsy 

I have always loved batik. So, when we were in Wisconsin and had a library system which allowed access to virtually any book, I thought I would learn a bit more about the history of saris.

The Sari: Styles, Patterns, History, Technique

Historically, the designs and colors on saris would denote the region they were from (a little like a tartan), and sometimes would include symbolic designs that might be chosen for special events. Machine printed fabrics are easier to make, of course, so they are popular now and usually the designs are chosen only to be pretty. Hand-dyed or beaded fabrics still take the cake in my opinion.

Back in the day, paisley was Europe's interpretation of the beautiful designs they had seen on Indian saris. So, ever since I read the book I have been thinking about that, and trying to come up with my own interpretation when I doodle. The latest was on an Easter egg. A batik of sorts.

I thought it was pretty good for a crayon....but I was humbled when I saw these amazing Mehndi inspired cookies by a baker named Fiona on Flickr (found via Epheriell Designs). Apparently they were just whipped up for a party, but I think they would make splendid wedding favors or cake replacements.

Really beautiful.

Now I think I need to work on those doodling skills a bit more. But in the meantime, if I were going to go into pottery, fabric making, or perhaps decorate a room, I would choose a few of the hand carved stamps from amandajames1 on etsy, who has a collection of antique Indian designs.

    

I might yet choose one (someday) and just use it on my handwritten correspondance.

Thinking about the heritage of beautiful designs in India made me wonder what kinds of lovely traditions have been passed down in other countries, and perhaps lost where industry has taken over. 

Do you have any heirlooms in your family that would be a good example of a heritage craft from your mother country (or the country of your ancestors)? 

Have you learned any of those arts from a relative?

I lace making and doilies might qualify...perhaps I should learn.

  Dolce Crochet on etsy

May Desktop Links

I love finding good sources of desktop wallpapers, and lately I have been on a calendar kick. Need something new for May? I have a few options for you...

First is TüTsrus, where you can find a number of Adobe tutorials, has a smattering of May wallpapers from artists around the world. With 30 to choose from, you're bound to find something to make you smile...or if they all make you smile you could use one each day! (Yes, May has 31 days, but it's already May 3rd.)

Or, if you would rather think about in season food, visit the blog Chocolate & Zucchini and grab the wall paper they offer on the first of every month. While you're there you will also find some neat food tips, including the recent How not to Cry, which concerns onions. I don't know about you, but I will be trying their tip out. Last week I said to Nathanael, "If anything other than onions put me in pain every day I wouldn't stand for it."

If you want something chill and simple, check out MonkeyManWeb on Flickr, where you can already find jewel toned desktop wallpapers for each month of 2011.

And finally, if you aren't really into the calendar, but want a steady source of wallpapers that will raise your eyebrow, check out The Desktop Wallpaper Project from The Fox Is Black; a design blog where a wallpaper from a different artist is shared for free at least each week, and occasionally every day. Some are colorful, some are crazy, some are even emo. Flipping through the site is like visiting a gallery...I could get stuck on it for hours. (More of my favorites from their collection: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Have you come across any neat wallpaper websites lately?

Weekend links: A Mix

Some of you might have noticed the absence of my weekend links feature over the last few weeks. The primary problem was that I couldn't decide upon a theme, and the secondary problem was that I was probably gardening!
   So, despite it being Monday, I want to share with you an eclectic selection of things I just couldn't keep to myself.

For the Artsy

 

Psyko Paint allows you to turn an existing photo or blank canvas into a painting using a variety of different texture brushes. With no sign up or program download necessary you can use it as a fun distraction or a serious art form depending on your time constraints. I turned a photo of Nathanael walking through a parking lot into the picture above...it's not genius but I only had a few minutes. Even if you don't try it out flipping through the galleries of works submitted by others is worthwhile.

For the Bookish

Over at Lemon Squeezy, Sharon has created some really fun fox bookmarks which you can print for free! There is even a neat pattern to print on the back. I don't have a printer, but if I did these would find their way into my cookbooks and the other books I'm reading lickety-split! (Picture from Lemon Squeezy.)

For the EcoNut

I am a fan of fungus. In general it is essential to ecosystems, occasionally it is tasty, but starting soon it will also protect your computer during shipping. Dell recently announced their adoption of Ecocradle Mushroom® Packaging.

 This alternative to Styrofoam is, of course, biodegradable (use as mulch is encouraged), and can be grown in just a few days without the use of petrochemicals. Ecovative also designs building insulation from mycelium materials. Photos from Ecovative. 

For the Traveler

The Market from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo documents a bit of a day in the Maeklong Market in Bangkok. Not only is a beautiful and colorful walk through the stands, it also shows one thing that makes this market a bit different. Read the short write up Terje wrote about it on his page, and then check out some of his other glimpses of the world.

Aren't these exciting finds?
What fantastic things have you discovered lately?

Music I Love: Free in March

2011 Sampler--Sleeping At Last

I have been trying to post every other day, but today I got inspired by all of the free music I have come across lately and I wanted to share it with you right now. I also love google's changes to Blogger this morning, so check out the link to the fun new features at the bottom.

Sleeping at Last is a band doing something a little different, advertising by word of mouth mostly on facebook (which is how I found them, so I guess it's working), offering a lot of free songs, and not coming out with 10 song feature albums. Instead they have a project they are calling "Yearbook" where they are releasing a 3 song EP each month. Their songs are mostly soft and some sound a bit sad, but all are perfectly poetic and laced with hope. The free sampler includes one of my very favorite songs, the upbeat "Next To Me". Another of my favorites (not on the sampler) is January White which you can listen to on their facebook page, where they share three more free songs. The also release each month's EP for streaming on Relevant, complete with the beautiful watercolor cover. Their January EP is bedecked with a narwhal, so how could you not be a fan?

When You Grow Up --Priscilla Ahn

I discovered Priscilla Ahn one day because her album, A Good Day, was on sale on itunes and I bought it on impulse because I liked the cover and the song previews. It soon became one of my favorite albums; it is full of word pictures to exercise my imagination. She will be releasing her next album, When You Grow Up, in May, but the EP is free on her website for a limited time to help us anticipate happily.

                                                      

Winter Night

You've probably heard (and seen) Little and Ashley on the kindle commercials, either on TV or when I posted them. Since Amazon featured them, they also have been offering those songs for free on amazon. Right now the one from the Holiday ad is free, which is seems like strange timing to me, but I'll just save it in my Christmas playlist and appreciate the generosity.
(*All album pictures are from the linked sources.*)


Other Artists you might want to check out on NoiseTrade:
Katie Herzig, Hannah Miller, Andrew Ripp, and Seth Slay.


Finally, the new Blogger feature is called Views. Try it out the 5 views on Harmless Color!
(To change the view use the blue button on the top right.)

Golden: Candied Lemon Peel

I have always loved lemons.
My Mom says it has some correlation to how she always wanted lemons while she was pregnant with me, but I'm not sure which way the lemon love would have been moving; from me to her, or from her to me. A mother's experience during pregnancy has been shown to affect a child's tastes in some ways, like salt preference (read that article, it's so neat!), but I don't think fruit cravings have been researched yet.

Weekend Links: EcoFriendly Inovations

 Lately I have noticed a few different items I thought were really worth taking a look at.  Obviously we (all of us, but especially Americans) have a lot of steps to take before the majority of consumer decisions are able to be low waste, low energy, and low production input, but each of these products is at least a little friendlier to the environment than its predecessors.

Have you been longing for something a little more beautiful than the typical flourecent bulb? Look out for the plumen. This recent winner of the Brit Insurance Design of the year award for 2011 (the photo source) is coming soon in a 110 volt version (US markets), and already available in a 230 volt version. Visit the plumen website for more pictures and specs. (I discovered this through EcoGeek.)

Bolefloors make the most of trees by using computer programs to decide the best way to cut each log into tightly fitting flooring pieces. Technically it may not "reduce waste", since scraps from typical board making are used to construct particle board, but it would reduce the number of trees necessary per floor, and enable the most beautiful woods to be utilized to their fullest. I think it is also a lovely new design technique; using a modern technology to create something old fashioned and homey looking. I'm a fan. (I also found this through EcoGeek, picture from Bolefloors.)

Last year was a big deal for us composting fans. Why? Because SunChips came out with compostable snackfood packaging. (And compostable in your yard, not just gigantic facilities.) I really liked SunChips even before that, so I was even more excited. Apparently though, some people did not appreciate how loudly the compostable bag crinkled when touched...it was pretty loud. So, this year SunChips has released a new bag, still compostable, but quieter because the material they created is a bit more rubbery. Want to learn more? SunChips has it all pretty well documented, and they even have a video so you can hear the crinkle comparisons for yourself.
   
Unfortunately, they will only be using this bag for the original flavor, and the other flavors will be switching back to plastic because of customer prefrence. Really unfortunate I think.
(I heard about this from the ENN, Environmental News Network. Photo from Our Twenty Minute Kitchen Garden, a fun blog with a nice write up on the whole process/issue.)

I wanted to add a link showing you a compostable toothbrush option, but I am sad to say all of the things I found were astronomically priced and had poor reviews, except for The Environmental Toothbrush (photo theirs). They are only being marketed in Australia, so shipping is a bit pricey, but for $36 plus $12 international shipping you get 12 brushes (in soft, medium, or child soft), or $4 per brush. Not too bad for plastic-free, though I'm not excited about adding world shipping to my toothbrush's footprint.

I would really like to see more options in this market. Toothbrushes come in all kinds of newfangled versions these days, but most of them will do nothing but pile up once we're done with them. Mixing with the soil is a much better option.

Let me know if you have any leads on compostable toothbrushes...or if you plan on visiting me on your way back from a trip to Australia....

Weekend Links: Things you didn't think you could make

This weekend, I have been thinking seasonal foods.
Nathanael and I spent the day in our garden yesterday, hoping that our produce will step it up and start growing...but alas, it is only March after all.

tiny beets

 

 

A neat little pink rock I found in the garden. Completely unrelated to the subject at hand.

But not all seasonal foods are produce.

Last week I saw a couple of girls standing on the side of the road waving posters at cars speeding past, and one of the girls was dressed as a giant cookie. Know what I'm talking about? Somehow the girl scouts in our area never got around to knocking on our door. So, I was thinking of making some of those delicious minty cookies myself, and did a little searching. I have not made them yet, but I figured I should not wait to share with you how to make your own girl scout cookies. Plus, the tutorials and pictures on the website are super (here are two of them).

And with Easter approaching, Marshmallow Peeps are hitting the shelves. 

If you're ok with plain, marshmallows are pretty cheep, but Alisa Burke's blog has pictures which makes homemade ones look special and delicious. But, if you want to go all the way to the peep stage, you might have to choose bunnies or chicks.

With all of this dessert making you might want to make some vanilla. Or start a bunch of it now, and give it as Christmas gifts.

And if you don't have a garden, but are in the mood for some sprouting, why not try tempeh?(And even a tempeh video with relaxing Indonesian music in the background.) Once it's ready, you may even want to season it with some home smoked chipotle peppers....but if you're wanting to use homegrown peppers you're going to have to wait a little bit longer.

And in case you missed them, here are some things you might not have realized you could make from past posts this blog (not necessarily spring foods): Yogurt,  Refrigerator Pickles, Kimchi, and Trail Bars

Blue Jean Kindle Cover Tutorial

     Some of you (especially those of you who know that my frugality borders on stingy) may have read that title, and said,"Wait a minute. She has a kindle?"
Yes. It's true. But for the story on that, you're going to have to wait until the end of this post...mainly because I want you to scroll past the pictures and see the transformation of a few pieces of discarded blue jeans and cutting board into a kindle cover (I apologize for the florescent lighting...but most of my inspiration happens after sundown. Ignore the frequently changing colors..I did try to adjust them believe it or not). I also saved it until last because the story involves some videos, and those will be at the end.

     As for the cover, I really wanted to make one because most of the ones out there are either really expensive or completely synthetic. I wanted something that would last, and would be durable and thick enough to protect the screen, but streamlined, not bulky or floppy. I wanted something that I could shake (whether open or closed) and the kindle would still be held tightly.

     I thought it would be a good project to utilize my neglected denim collection, so I came up with a sketch. And even though I changed a few things, I'm happy with how closely I ended up sticking to it. I should sketch my projects more often.

Weekend Links: For artists of every caliber

As some of you may have noticed, this week I added a brightly colored button in the right column linking to a blog I stumbled upon lately and thought some of you might enjoy.

All Sewn Up is written by a Mom named Melissa (not my sister, but another fun lady by the same name) from Massachusetts, who shares tips she uses to make her household more environmentally friendly and frugal, as well as some occasional recipes and craft how-tos for old and young.

She also has a fun All Sewn Up etsy shop where she sells colorful, non-toxic, olive oil dough to encourage the imaginations of kids who love to play with dough. She's developed a recipe which is a little more advanced than your typical salt-dough, leaves your hands smooth and soft, and requires no refrigeration! Go check out Melissa's neat shop!



This weekend I also want to share with you some links I've found lately, which will be especially fun for those of you who love fiddling around with interactive websites. And even if you don't typically consider yourself an artist, these links just might draw a little skill out of you. (I found the first two on the blog How About Orange?, and the last one I found on my own.)

Tartan Maker allows you to create the plaid of your dreams by moving just four little knobs and choosing three colors. And for those of us who are as distractible as a goldfish, it's hours of fun!

Design your own Wallpaper by x3 studios is perfect for those of us who fill most of our browser's "bookmarks" with places to find neat wallpapers. With intuitive controls (and no registration necessary!), you are enabled to create desktops to suit your style and color preferences, whether they be simple, modern, sophisticated, neon, or grunge. The four examples above are from the gallery featuring other users, but I did come up with my own creation using this website...the header for the blog!

 Pancake Week by Boris Kustodiyev

The Emerald Necklace by Viktor Borisov

Finally, for the want-to-be globe trotter who has no funds, the most famous art museums of the world at your fingertips. Google Art Project allows you to go on virtual tours of museums, click on the most popular works and view them in minute detail (even closer than you would be allowed to get in person), and also has information about the artists, collections, and related works in an information bar on the right. It is a work in progress, but so far 17 museums, and hundreds of paintings, are up for viewing. The two I chose, Pancake Week by Boris Kustodiyev, and The Emerald Necklace by Viktor Borisov, are from The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow; a museum I visited during my semester abroad. Click them, and be amazed by the unbelievable detail which is yours to view.



Yes, google may be taking over the world, but we love it, don't we?