Silver

Posted on January 18, 2010 by elizabeth

One of my favorite new photos projects in 2010 (yes, there is more than one… and yes, I’m again taking a picture a day. Can’t stay away for long, it seems…) is sixty-four colors, which was created by Jodi and Dani as a project where they post a diptych each week inspired by the colors in a box of 64 Crayola crayons. Enough people clamored to join them that they started a group and it has been so much fun to have something to look for each week. Silver was the first week, and I’ve decided to gather my favorite silver shots (the top one is the one I took for the project, the rest are just favorite silver photos) here as inspiration.

Goldilocks and the Three Camera Bags

Posted on January 15, 2010 by elizabeth

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Elizabeth. She liked to take pictures and started collecting a surprising amount of gear. Pretty soon, she realized that she needed something to carry all of this crap around! So she bought a Crumpler 4 Million Dollar Home.

And that bag was really perfect for a really long time. It kept her camera safe. But then she started collecting even more cameras and lenses. “Now this bag is too small!” she said.

So Elizabeth decided that she needed a bigger camera bag, and was given a 6 Million Dollar Home for Christmas last year.

This bag held so much stuff! Look at all of that stuff! That’s a big bag! Except it got so HEAVY with all of that stuff. “I hate to say it,” said Elizabeth, “but this bag is just TOO BIG!”

So she finally took the advice of her friends and ordered a 5 Million Dollar Home. It appeared on her doorstep a day and a half after she clicked “submit” which is just crazy talk. She opened the box and filled the new bag and declared, “This bag is just right!”

The End.

Ribbon-Bound Blank Books

Posted on January 6, 2010 by elizabeth

I really like the idea of making small gifts to give people around the holidays. Putting them together is something that makes me really happy, and it’s also nice to have a reason to craft other than for yourself. I mean, there are only so many little books one person needs. Or can ever fill. So this year I thought it would be fun to make little blank notebooks for a few people. And since I was in the getting things done spirit (see also: the beer bottle cap wreath), I actually did it. And they turned out so cute, if you ask me. Here’s how I did it.

I used patterned file folders and an old card holder/envelope that came in a Piperlime box for the covers, mostly because they were heavier paper and they already had creases that I could work around.

I wanted the finished books to be 4.5 inches high and 3.5 inches wide, so I cut the pages 4.5 by 7 inches. I used a variety of paper that sort of coordinated – loose-leaf paper, graph paper, old planner pages, solid colored cardstock, and some patterned scrapbook paper. (I didn’t use the kind with gridlines on the back, because once the pages were in the books, both sides of the paper would be visible.)

I have been collecting spools of ribbon like this from the dollar aisle at Target for a long time, and it was perfect, because each spool had about 12 inches of ribbon, which ended up being exactly the amount I needed for each book.

Once I had all the pages cut, I arranged them in four piles and put them in the order I wanted them to appear in the books. (Haphazardly on purpose, you know, so they wouldn’t look so organized. I am organized even when I try to make it look like I’m NOT being organized!) Then I folded them in half in batches. That part was kind of annoying, because to make nice folds you’re supposed to use a tool called a bone folder, which until now I’ve brushed off as completely frivolous. Who knew?

I found a book binding tutorial online that explained the method I wanted to use. Their instructions said to punch tiny holes in the pages of the book using an awl, which I don’t have, and then to sew the binding with embroidery floss or thread. I wanted to use ribbon because it seemed like it would be a bit sturdier, not to mention prettier. So I punched three holes, in several pages at a time, with my boring old hole puncher. That tutorial does a better job of explaining how I threaded the ribbon through.

It was a little fussy, making sure that the ends were even and the ribbon lay flat, but totally worth it.

If you’ve threaded the ribbon correctly (or, the way I did it), both ends should exit the center hole and hang on the outside of the spine of your book. Then tie them in a bow, and you’re good to go. After I finished all four books, I left them under a pile of heavy books for a few days so they could flatten out a little more. I think that if I’d used a bone folder to make better creases, this part would have been unnecessary.

I decorated them (or if you want to use a fancier term, I embellished them) using a sharpie, a shipping label and stamps, and some alphabet letters. But really, that’s the fun part and that’s where anything goes.

It was a lot of fun to put these together, and I could see doing this again and trying out different sizes, different varieties of paper… the possibilities are endless!

So This Is the New Year (and I Don’t Feel Any Different)

Posted on December 31, 2009 by elizabeth

I always feel compelled to write something thoughtful and reflective at the end of the year. That feeling is amplified this year, because it’s not just the end of the year, it’s the end of the DECADE for pete’s sake. I mean, the AUGHTS! There are so many puns I aughta make. You aught to remember! UGH.

At first I was really into the idea of writing a post to sum up the decade. But then I realized that I was a freshman in college when the new millenium started, counting down to 2000 with a bit of hesitance in a living room full of my college friends, clutching a drink I’d only just decided it wasn’t an awful idea to consume, wondering if things really would go haywire, even though I firmly believed there was no way that would happen. The Aughts, as they were, consist of the entirety of my “adult life” so far, me from age 18-28. Would it really be that great to write a list of all that happened since I was 18? I graduated college. I struggled over what to do with my life. I got my first real job. I went to graduate school. I graduated. Someone (or several someones) broke my heart. I broke a few hearts, too. I fell in love. For real. I moved out of my parents’ house. I still struggle over what to do with my life sometimes. I started taking pictures. I overanalyzed things.

Anyway. I suppose what I might be doing is explaining to myself that it’s perfectly acceptable NOT to need to write a summary of everything that happened in the last ten years. But I don’t know, I remember being eight years old as the end of 1989 was approaching, and wondering what the 90s would be like.

As for 2009, it was really good. I went to Cape Cod (twice), to Pittsburgh, and to four beautiful weddings. I moved into a new apartment, even if it was only across the parking lot. I fell in love, and it’s the best thing ever, because for the first time, it’s the real thing. And I’m so happy. I don’t know. As I sit here trying to sum things up, all I can really come up with is the fact that life is pretty good right now. I have bad days, there are things that make me super cranky, and sometimes I wonder if there isn’t something else out there, somewhere. But most of the time, I’m just happy. I’ve got people to love, who love me too, and crafts and photography (and sometimes writing) to keep me busy, and I’m grateful for it. What will 2010 bring? Your guess is as good as mine. But I have a very good feeling about it.

Favorite Photos, 2009

Posted on December 30, 2009 by elizabeth

Books Read in 2009

Posted on December 29, 2009 by elizabeth

Books Read in 2009:

Paper Towns by John Green
The Stupidest Angel: A Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore
Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
Wake by Lisa McCann
Fool by Christopher Moore
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty
Fade by Lisa McCann
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather B. Armstrong
The Ticking by Renee French
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (again)
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

So apparently, last year, I resolved to read 52 books this year. I might have come closer if I didn’t read so many giant, hulking books (see: the Martin series, and Harry Potter #7). But I suppose that’s not much of an excuse. Looking back, it seems I powered through (or re-powered through) several entire series. There were some books in there that I enjoyed in spite of them (Charlaine Harris’s books), some that took effort to get through (Octavian Nothing, the Amulet of Samarkand, and the Angel’s Game), and a few stunners I’d recommend in a heartbeat (the Martin series, and Life As We Knew It). Honestly, this list doesn’t look like much to me now that I’m looking back at it. Maybe my resolution for 2010 should be to read more than 40 books, and to read some of those books that everyone recommends but that I haven’t gotten to yet. But really? Just to keep reading. Always just that.

In Previous Years…
Books Read in 2008
Books Read in 2007
Books Read in 2006
Books Read in 2005

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Are Perfect Any Time of Year

Posted on December 24, 2009 by elizabeth

Or, peanut butter m&m cookies can be Christmassy if I say they are, so there. At last year’s holiday lunch, my good pal Pookie brought some to-die-for peanut butter cookies with m&ms in them. She told me the recipe came from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home To Yours, which I immediately borrowed from the library in order to copy down the recipe. I know that I have claimed before that the Joy of Cooking peanut butter cookies are perfect, but the last time I made them, I really found them to be way too dry and crunchy. I guess it’s a week for trying things out I’ve been meaning to for a while, because when I realized I had Christmas Eve off and nothing to do until the evening, I figured it’d be as good a time as any to make these cookies. I mean, what’s more Christmas Evey than baking cookies? (Well, probably a lot of things, but who’s counting?)

Anyway, these cookies turned out gigantic and they were plentiful. The recipe calls for chopped peanuts and/or crunchy peanut butter, but I went with the IPB standard and stuck with creamy peanut butter and added in just less than a cup of plain m&ms. And I just now tasted one, and they turned out pretty awesome, if a little less chewy than I remembered.

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses
from Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (I used smooth, but you can also use crunchy)
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts (I used 1 cup plain m&ms instead)

About 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line to baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (NOTE: I just kept the rack in the middle, and since I only have one silicone mat, the other cookie sheet went bare. It seemed fine.)

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. (NOTE: I don’t have a stand mixer OR a hand mixer, so I used good ol’ elbow grease.) Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts. You’ll have soft, pliable (mushable, actually) dough.

Pour the 1/2 cup of sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of a fork in the sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direciton and then in a perpendicular direction – you should have a flattened round of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When done,the cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let the cookies sit on the sheets for a minute before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough. making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

A Labor of Love (of Beer)

Posted on December 23, 2009 by elizabeth

I can’t remember when I first saw and favorited this photo of a bottle cap wreath, posted by Elise Blaha. But ever since I saw it I’ve been wanting to try it. This past year has been a bit more of a crafting year than previous ones, so sometime around Thanksgiving, I sent out a bulletin to my family to start saving bottle caps. And then I embraced yet another excuse to buy ribbon at the craft store.

I knew my dad would know the best tricks to flattening the bottle caps, but I didn’t really envision it being a task that required as much nitpicky work as it did. I’d collected the 50 or so bottle caps I needed, and hammered them all on Tuesday night in the chilly garage at my parents’ house. Dad referred to it then as a labor of love, and boy howdy was he right. My thumb is still feeling a little funny a day later.

But dudes! Look how cool it turned out!

I cut a wreath shape out of an empty case of beer, using a bowl and a smaller bowl as the models. I also cut a smaller circle to test out, because I wasn’t positive that the hot glue would stick the bottle caps to each other and to the cardboard. It took a lot of willpower – A LOT OF IT – to arrange the bottlecaps haphazardly, as opposed to in an orderly and color-coordinated fashion. I really wanted to count them out when I sorted them into colored piles so I could evenly distribute them. But I didn’t. I swear.

To adhere the ribbon, I cut two holes in the wreath template and threaded the ribbon through before gluing on the bottlecaps. I felt like that would keep it more sturdy in the longterm. We’ll see. Either way, I’m psyched to report that this craft was totally worth the effort.

Now if only I could decide whether to ever make one of these again, knowing that my sister’s boyfriend and his family apparently have a gigantic jug of bottle caps they’ve been saving. For me.

Christmas favorites, a list in photos

Posted on December 23, 2009 by elizabeth

Christmas lights, everywhere. Christmas light bokeh.

Stockings, handmade by my grandmother as we three were born. I have to learn how to knit so I can make them for our future children.

The growing nutcracker collection in the window, arranged by size.

Wrapping presents. Using real ribbon instead of that crappy curling kind. Even if it’s a bit indulgent.

Making shortbread with Dad. Eating shortbread.

The advent calendar my mom made when we were kids, still kickin’.

Big, fat Christmas trees. The icicles we hang once the tree’s decorated. Towering piles of presents.

Starting my own Christmas collections and traditions.

Overheard at the library

Posted on December 10, 2009 by elizabeth

Teen #1: “You look different.”
Me: “The bangs?”
Teen #2: “Yeah. But you look sorta like that girl from Scooby Doo.”
Me: “…. the really nerdy one?”
Teen #2: “Yeah!”
Teen #1: “No offense though – it looks good!”