A saley sale!

I just put all my buttons on sale, grab 'em while they're hot! I know they'd love to come home with you!

xoxo.

Find the deals here

Here we go!

Alrighty dears, here's where you can find me.

RoseWoolls Designs

I'm completely moony-excited already.

xoxox

Cat

Moving, delays in leather

I've been thinking a lot about tangles and mud lately. And I've decided it's probably high time to move along, and let it be part of my history. I love the name terribly, but since I don't do clay work anymore- and lets face it, I still can't find any inkling of want when it comes to working with clay still- I don't feel comfortable using it to share my new leather work, where I am seriously heading. (Really, I've fallen harder than a rock off a cliff for leathercraft.) This place, this blog, it feels stale to me. I'm proud of what I've accomplished as tanglesandmud, but it is time to mosey on down the path, I'm not excited by it anymore. It has become a burden, which is something I don't have room for in my life. I'm too lit up and excited about my knit hats, crazy yarn, leather, leather leather; and this name is dragging me down.

It may seem silly, to let a name I chose gladly and proudly bother me so much, but it does. And I need to shed this skin and live fully in this lovely life I have been building and let the past be past. It's time to move on.

I think I have settled on a new, better, and deeper name for my art's designs. I can't wait to share it with you, but first, photos must be taken, a new Etsy shop needs to be tweaked and twirled and I've decided to move to another blog space. I'll link everything here to the new space, of course, and tanglesandmud on etsy will stay up until the items expire, or are sold (which would be even better! hee!)

I need to make a clean, fresh start to match this chapter I've fallen, scraped and climbed into. I am ready to settle down, buckle up and really SHOW you what I am capable of. (and show myself, even more) I have things to say, show and share with you. Accomplishments are so close to being made it is getting ridiculous. I am going to do my best to stay fresh, to share, to ask for critique, to keep deadlines I make to myself, and therefore you.

But I've been letting my emotions for clay stagnate my actions forward. I love what I made at Cub Creek, but my artist self is still scarred from the emotional toil it took out of me. So. A new start, a new blog, and then, and I'm promising, cross my heart, stick a needle in my eye promise, that I will have a boat load to share, and I'll do my best to keep posting regularly and I'll be creating up a storm. I can do that because I've been so productive already, I truly believe that changing names and direction will be the boost I need. I am excited to be excited about my art again. It's been a struggle, trying to force myself into this silly mold I thought I had made for myself. I'm grateful that I've finally realized that it's time to let this chapter of life go. That moving along isn't giving up, it's living life to it's most creative, happiest fullness. I can't say exactly when I will be ready to share everything new, there are photos to take, headers to pick fonts for, and plans to fufil. But I can promise you this, it will be soon. I'm out of town this week for work, and once I get back to my studio's desk and my camera, I am going to fly!



And now, the most important bit of this whole entry:


Thank you, dear readers. I can't wait to share my newest thoughts and paths with you. Thank you for reading this scattered girl's thoughts and waiting out my long time between posts spells.

You're the best. Really. Truly. Like kitties and pies you are the best.

xoxoxo

Cat

Breath

Get Humble

Brought to you by today's yoga thoughts. Nearly cried. Wish I had.

A double sided satin ribbon

Is just what the Chartreuse Doctor ordered.




What silly little thing did you do today to make yourself happy?


xoxox

Collections

I've recently unearthed my stone collection from when I was younger. It's amazing to me, that through out all of my moves in my life, and in the past few years, I am able to hold on to little things like these earthly gumdrops.


Some of them look simply tasty, don't they?? And dearie dear, do I love some tigers eye!

(do you like the flower?? I made it late one night, and am thinking about the next to come, any color suggestions?)




Have a spiffy day!

xo ~cat

Happiness is...

Being at work, in a corporate office, and realizing that I was holding/wearing three things that were made by my own hands.

It was comforting indeed.

What do you treasure?


And:

Wheeee!!! LEATHER!!!! YAY!

The sound of the rain

Dear darling person,

It's raining today, it started as I drove home from work, straight into the storm. I counted at least 40 lighting bursts within 15 minutes. The long, hair thin cracks of light in the sky, and the bright explosions of light that fill the sky. It wasn't even that dark yet, and the sky would sizzle with brightness. Then the thunder began, cracking like a bullwhip. I love storms. Luckily, this place has had a good round of them this summer. It pours, it can pour for hours, so that the whole world is eaten up in soft dark gray water. So you can hardly see if you're stuck driving. I'd rather sit on my porch getting sprayed on by the drops that jump back up to the sky. My yarn grows into a river, reminding me again why a rock garden on the side of the house would be such a good idea. A place of quiet to help with times of rolling, avalanche like thunder and buckets of cool rain.

The thunder is purring away now, sloping through the clouds, following the rain, the wind has let up and the trees are once more quiet. The kitten will soon come out from under the bed. She'll go straight back there if it starts again, which it has habits of doing. Right when you think it's over, that it is safe to venture out without an umbrella and rain boots (I really need a pair...) it begins all over again. The wind dancing hard through the leaves, the water pouring down the sky, the thunder shaking the widow panes.

I love thunder. I love the shocking surprise of it, even when I know it's coming, after seeing a beauty of a lighting strike sprint across the purple gray clouds. But you never quite know how loud it will be, how soon it's coming. It's like the game we played as kids, racing to pop the most balloons by sitting on them. you know you'll hit the floor with a bang, but oh the fun of the suspense!!! It might take one or two hops to get that balloon to surrender. It might take two seconds or thirty for the thunder to roll into my head. I love deep sounds.

Do you?

for the love of old things.

Whooooopies!

So. Who doesn't know what a whoopie pie is? I learned about them when I lived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virgina at the bakery I was lucky enough to work at. They're not limited at all in flavors, we did chocolate, pumpkin, vanilla, and even red velvet once!

Esentially, they are two cupcake tops with some sort of cream filling in the middle. Like a moonpie without the chocolate dip part. (do I have that right southerners? I'm learning...)

And so, I present, via the darling J, Raspberry Lemon Woopie pies:


1/2 c butter (room temp)
1 cup and 3 tsp brown sugar
1 TBSP grated lemon zest
1tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 1/4 c flower
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk (all I had was 2 percent... so I added some of the heavy cream worked just dandy!)
3/4 c heavy cream
1 cup fresh raspberries! (I used frozen)

Heat the oven to 350.
Mix together butter, 1 c of sugar (holding the 3tbsp back), & lemon zest til light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat the heck out of it. In a second bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add them to the wet stuff alternating between the milk and the dry, mixing everything before adding the next dollop.
Drop the batter in 2 tbsp mounds about 2 inches apart on to your baking sheet (parchment paper is very helpful here) * Also very important, try your best to make these as evenly shaped as possible, nothing's worse than lopsided woopie pies... at least, not while you're trying to make these tasty beauties. * Bake until puffed and pale golden brown around the edges, 12-19 min. Be sure to rotate the sheets in the middle of this!

Right before serving the whoopies, whip cream and the 3 tbsp of sugar together into soft peaks.
fold the raspberries amongst the cream. Plop a healthy amount on the bottom half of your pies, and then add the top.

Then try not to eat them all at once. I made these for my friend's birthday party and so I can't tell you how long they last, since we ate them all that night. But man, they are some of the prettiest desserts you'll ever see, all that yellowy pinky goodness!mmmmmm


xoxox

Razzleberry lemon woopie pies

Recipe to come soon, sadly, they did not last long enough after being put together for me to photograph them. I took this photo whilst mixing them up (yes, all by hand... I have no whirring contraptions in my kitchen... yet!).


I think it is my new favorite photo of me, if I do say so myself... which I do! Aprons do wonders for your mood when cooking. I wear them out and about town some days too, they are also fun as the dickins to make.

I will be making them again, and am not afraid to change the berries!



I keep waiting til I have more time, more energy, more photos, something profound to pop in my head for this poor blog. It's time to just start posting what I'm doing, no matter how silly it is. Now, let's see if I can do that!

Newness

I've been busy, I've been thinking about what to say about this art I've been learning. All there is to say is that I love it. I need more tools. I am tres excited to share my new endeavor with you.


I hope you enjoy them too. The hydrangiea design is what really kicked me into high gear about leather. I was feeling good about my beginner skill, but blocked on what to do with it. And then I thought back to my first real leather inspiration, this woman is amazing. Please do check her out.
But I thought about what it was that kept me coming back to her site, her art, and it was the individuality, and how she welcomes her local world into what she does. So I did too. The hydrangias in the back yard were in full, bluest blue bloom, and I took some into the house. And then I made two, incase I messed one up when I stained and painted them. But I'm happy with both.

The cuff with one painted blossom is mine, and I've been wearing the heck out of it. But the other is up for grabs, please contact me if you'd like to have it come home to you! The rest are up for grabs too! (and need good homes)




The daisies aren't quite done, but will be today!


love you all.

Braiding

This is how things get done around here at Casa Del Fidgit...

She's such a helper, isn't she?

If it weren't for my Mr....

If I could, I would live of the smell of these flowers.

I'd also probably eat grilled corn and cantaloupe every day this summer. all. the. time. But he doesn't like these things as much as I do, so luckily my diet is much more diverse than my taste buds demand. He's quite handy to have around, and even makes me tend towards a more even diet! teehee! He may be convinced to eat peaches every day though... hmmm...

Coming soon

learn something completely new. You'll be amazed at what happens.

I'm feeling quietly confident in my learning curve, but not so much yet that I'm ready to offer up anything to the shop quite yet. It's coming, I hope to thrill your eye-buds (get it? like taste buds, but eyes! teehee, oh, I kill me... snort!)

I'll be to my knuckles in pits soon

Peach pits, that is. I have a kitchen sink full of peaches I bought at the farmers market, and I CANNOT wait to start baking with them. The few that have fallen prey to my snacking have been the juiciest peaches I have had in a long, long time. Perhaps ever, dare I say it!



Aren't they breathtaking?


Summer does have its perks, and peaches are way up on that list. Now, can someone please do something about this blasted humidity??

xoxo



p.s. made a cobbler out of some of the peaches, YUUMMMY! Anyone need a new recipe for this dish? I'll share!

Pleasures...

There is little better than sitting still after a day of crawling around on the floor, trying to install a sink while the hot water is still dripping because the shut-off valve is funky. A new couch to sit on is also quite the perk, don't you think?

But I did it. That is, after three trips to the hardware store (thank goodness it's practically around the corner, or else I might've cried), panic, and following relief thanks to the lovely man who helped me figure out how to fix my hook up hose issues.

Whats that? Oh, alright, here's how it looked in progress...

Fidgit helped, of course.

The color is called artic stone, more pigment than I had pictured in my head when I chose the paint chip, but I love it.


Now all I need to do is get small feet for the tall cabinet (and hope Shawn likes it where it is). Oh, and bleach and seal all of the grout in the shower and on the floor.

After that, I need my house painter friend to stop by and give the trip a quick bright white pick-me-up (I don't do oil based paint... I'm not precise enough, and he's a pro!) and this bathroom will be finished, friends. Finished.

Geeze...

Who knew how hard it is to take a photo of your own hair pulled up in a pretty clip! I've tried and failed you again, dear readers... I'll have to try again the next time Shawn or someone is around to take the photo, make sure it's focus and I'm in the frame and all that... Sigh... Normally, I'm quite good at self portraits. They were always my favorite assignments in photo classes.

Though I did think up a new way to show the pins off! How do you like them on yarn? I feel like showing the actual flower pin you'd be buying in my hair might gross some people out, (no matter how clean I say I am!) and they're just SO plain on a white background.




Would love to know what you think!

xoxo
Cat

dream space

This is where I work out designs, write to you here on this blog, and write my letters to friends. See the box on the second shelf??? She's my newest favorite thing, and I will share her next time the light is better, as you can see, it's quite dark in here for photos at the moment, and needs some sunshine to be properly shown off.

I love this desk, it is from the ubiquitous Ikea, and I've had it since this blog was started (see? you can just make it out under the pile of supplies and the hat...) The space to work on is huge, the shelves are lifesavers, and once I get some hooks, I'll be able to hang things from the bottom of the shelves and along the side supports. Crammed full. That's a good desk.

I love this room, and can't wait to paint it. Soon, soon!

my own horn...

Have you seen the new flower pins in the shop? I love making them, the wee bits of fabric slowly turning into ruffled shapes, choosing the right color of beads to finish them off... It's nice to know there's something so pretty to do with my fabric scraps! This batch is all bobby pins, but I have done them with brooch pins before as well, but the bobby pins always get the most attention when people see them in person, so I've stuck with that for now. I do hope you like them!


I always get compliments on mine when I wear one, I bet you'll have the same luck! They're just so nice pinned up in one's hair. Simple and sweet.

I wish I could have gotten a shot of me wearing one for you, but it JUST wouldn't work out today, soon though, promise!

Rainy day snacks

It's been raining forever today! Really! We're working somewhere between 7 and 8 hours, I can't believe there's so much water left in the sky still. I've had to pull some of my potted plants up on the porch, so they wouldn't drown! (which may be over reacting, but I'm new to all this planty business, and am trying very hard to keep everyone alive and happy. (so I can eat them later...)). hm. :)

The thunder has let off for a bit, though it was strong enough that a crack of lightning cut the power for a few seconds while we were lazing about in bed this morning. There's not much better than that, snuggled into bed, listening to the rain and having a kitty who is a bit freaked out and wants you to be awake and about the house now, please. Poor Fidge spent the morning under the bed when she wasn't trying to get us up.

At one point the rain let up so we ran out and bought provisions; pizza supplies, breakfast goods, milk, and at one point some blackberries threw themselves at me and I just couldn't leave them there, now could I?? After lunch, knitting, and reading, I decided to make shortbread. It's pretty good, but the next batch will have more vanilla and a touch more salt. Dangerously easy to make, and even more dangerously easy to consume.




Didn't my snack turn out pretty? It looks so dainty.

Fish, fish, fishy fish.

It was delish, this little fish.





It's when I make meals like this for lunch on weekends that I find myself pining to work from home more than usual.

le siiiigh.


Fidge thought the water was divine. In case you were wondering.
I did not set out to share on purpose. greedy kitty.

fun with fractals

This amazing sculpture is outside of the new Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. It is well worth the money (only $8) just to look around the building. The art is the icing. And so much of the collection was simply thrilling!

Tea is for the mornings

Summer time is nearly upon us. I can tell, because in the mornings lately I’ve not wanted the comfort of hot tea that I’ve been enjoying for the past months. I miss it, but am usually too warm already to even think about hot water. But I missed the quiet minutes while I drank my tea, so I took matters in to my own hands (as we all so often must, and should). I brewed some chai tea, added some brown sugar, let it steep for a lot longer than normal, added some cream and popped it into the fridge overnight.

The morning was blissful with my glass of cold, spicy sweet comfort.

I miss the moments of tea when I don’t have the time or the temperature to drink some at home. At work it just doesn’t seem as lovely, as quiet. It’s mostly a way to keep warm in the icebox I am lucky enough to work in. There, it looses the peace and the ritual. So, for real tea I must drink it quietly, at home in my sweet cave of plaster and wood.

Sweet milky thoughts

Crowd my brain, crown my tongue.

As morning creeps up and over my toes.

Mornings are for tea

A place to wake.

If you have any, I'd love to know what your rituals for the mornings or evenings are... especially if they involve teas or coffees. The drinks that have certain steps that you must partake in to enjoy a cup.

The season changes

Saturday was the first day for this market's season, and ever. I was searching for one that used to be close to downtown (or "up"town as the fancy folk around here like to call it) and while it was closed, a new one was opening. Bonus, new market opens at the most reasonable time of 9am. I like. So I put on a summery orange sherbet colored skirt, grabbed my camera and some cash and headed out to see what there was to eat.

For it's first ever showing, I was pretty impressed, it has grand potential to be MOST awesome! There were plenty of new plants to buy for your garden.

And a few butchers, lots of farm-fresh happy chicken eggs, some delectable looking chocolates and soap even! And a pickle man. Well, let's be fair, THE pickle man. :)

I ended up with a bucket of growing lettuce (on the cheap! I mean, think of how many salads I can eat between batches growing!!! hooray!!) And some beef short ribs that I cooked up in the slow cooker, which was the first time I've come close to "making" BBQ sauce. It passed the Shawn test, so I'm pretty happy with that!
Did not take a photo of the cooked ribs, they probably wouldn't have looked as yummy as they were, and we ate them before i could even think about taking a picture.

As I was leaving I ran into some of our friends who were setting up to play some music outside the market area... If they keep doing it this will be the BEST market. perhaps ever.

I also succumbed to some strawberries. And ate them all within 2 and a half days. Delish. Summer does have its sweet spots.

wishes

I wish I could type a letter on my new old typewriter.

my kingdom for a type ribbon.

ca-chunk-ca-chunk-ca-chunk-diiing

This may become more common

I got this recipe in the mail the other day from a good friend. It is YUMMY! So I thought I should share with you! I meant to take a photo of the meal on our plates, but it was too late by the time I thought about it, and rice and lentils all mixed up in a tupper-ware is not so pretty.... Instead you get a photo of the Berbere spice getting measured out.

May I present
Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Stew:
2tsp oil of your choice
2 cups chopped red onion
1 tbsp minced and peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 tbsp Berbere Spice (see below...)
3 cups veggie broth
1 cup dried small lentils
chopped fresh cilantro
cooked Batsmati rice

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over med. heat. Add onions, and cook until tender (15 min) stirring occasionally. Add ginger and garlic, cook for 5 more min, stir frequently. Add tomato paste and Berbere spice, cook 1 min more. Gradually add broth, stirring to combine with a whisk until blended. increase heat to med. high and bring to a simmer. Rinse the lentils in cool water, drain and add to broth misture, simmer, partialy covered for 35 min or until lentils are tender. stir occasionally. Stir in some salt to taste. Serve warm, over rice, sprinkle with cilantro. Now. I am going to add some diced tomatoes next time, it needed a little more... texture or something but was quite good! And I was very proud and surprised the Berbere spice worked out so well!

There are a millionty-one opinions on how to make Berbere spice, so I'd recommend searching around and choosing one that pleases you the most. I used chili powder, ginger powder, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, black pepper, turmeric, ummm... crushed red pepper... I think I wrote it down, and if anyone wants my "recipe" for the mix, let me know! It was yum, vegetarian (which I'm not, but was searching for something to serve to my friends who are) and pretty healthy I think. It would be easy to add tofu or maybe chicken.... not sure. but I will make it again!

Weekending

I spent a few glorious hours out on my front porch. I love my glider. It is heaven. The breeze was cool, the sun was out, the book was as good as ever (I was re-reading the Narnia series... I love them, have I told you that lately? Next up on the re-visit list is probably the Wrinkle in Time series. I adore the books of my not so distant youth)

I mean... who wouldn't want to sit here all day?


I had brought out my sketchbook with me too, but got so into the book I finished it and then realized I had been sitting long enough that my keester was half numb... so I got up, ate and went out with some dear friends for a drink or two. I loved this Saturday, it was breezy.

Thar She Blooms!

One of my favorites.



And since they need ants' help to open and bloom, it does make me appreciate the little buggers a whole lot more! (did you notice the one in the first photo?)
I planted a few more in the front yard, and will have to move this one in the fall, I think she's not getting enough light, there's only this bloom, and no other buds to speak of.

And look what I got this weekend!

Next month, the workshop! Hooray for learning new things! I can't wait to share this new project!

Hooray Hooray Huzzah!

The morning view

As I was driving home last night, the moon was low, large and light orange. I love the moon, I thought to my small self, almost as if I had forgotten how terribly I adore that rock in the sky. And I do. It comforts me somehow, whenever I see it. Especially on the nights she brings out her best dresses. The night I first saw the moon as a red giant, I was on top of a mountain and was totally blow away at the majesty. I feel that way about small rocks sometimes, in a smaller way. I always try to find an interesting rock when I go places like the beach and the mountains, or just somewhere new. They remind me of the place, yes, but also, of being outside. And have you ever seen a prettier stone than agates? Now, I've not found one of those on the ground, but do own some. One in a ring, others from when I was a young rockhound. (Which meant every time we visited my grandparents we went to Old Towne Rock and Gem and I was allowed to choose one or two polished stones to bring home). I need to take their photos, I just rediscovered them unpacking the other week. Seeing old friends is always such a reward.

Here's a glimpse of my morning. This is the table in what was once the dining room in this house. We've turned it into the record& book library with an eating nook. I never have been one to want a formal dining room, so this is perfect. And it's in the heart of the house, so the music goes everywhere when Shawn puts on his DJ hat and plays the records. I love it here. I love my table cloth, and my aqua cup. You've probably seen it before, if you've been reading a while.
I adore it.
You will probably see it again.

I've also made another blog-me-how-to-write-truthfully- decision. I've been writing letters to a dear friend (yes, the kind with stamps) and I've realized how open I am, how easy it is to say whatever it is I wanted to say. And that's how I was trying to write here. But I was feeling blocked and untrue when I was trying to write as myself here... Not sure why I was blocking myself, but hey, when don't we all do that at?? So. I' m going to try my best to pretend I'm writing a real letter. And we'll see how that goes from here. I think it will work. I'm excited.

A bonus photo of Fidge, she had been laying quite relaxed when I brought out the camera... Now she just looks too snooty not to share!

I did retouch this photo, it had come out too blue from my camera, evening light is still tricky for me. But relearning how to use a "real" camera is SO much fun! I uped the saturation and sharpened it a bit, just so you could see what it was I saw when I took the photo.

Now we're getting fancy!

I put the Merci Beaucoup shawl pattern into a pdf format!! I noticed that whatever it was that I had done trying to format it in a a pretty way just wasn't working nicely in the blog post, so here's a polished version! All the bold type in the right place, all the information looking swell. I am quite pleased.

I've loaded it up onto Ravelry.

If you do not have a Ravelry account, check it out, it really is a valuable tool. But if you still don't want it, but need the .pdf, please let me know and I'll be happy to email it to you, it is free after all!!

Let there be Tiles!

Good morning dears!

I will be posting these tiles tonight after the office-work. I have more, but surprises are nice, aren't they? And plus, who knows what I will need to make tonight, so I don't want to promise you too much. I much prefer my home-work. Home work is art, it is craft, it is little pieces of my soul and thoughts coming together to create. Whatever that creating is, I am pleased as punch to be able to make it.

(I love this one, the little black eggs are so snug in their nest... Does anyone know if there are birds who lay black eggs? I think emus lay dark blue ones...)



I hope you have a sweet and tart lemon bar kind of day!



Edit time! I just listed all three of these tiles. Sadly, I must go clean the bathroom floors instead of posting more. But it's only because my mum is coming to visit tomorrow! She deserves clean bathroom floors!

A new experiment

Oof, tried to post these photos this morning before work but the photos would not load up as lickity-splickity as I needed them too. So here's what I was thinking about this morning.

I wish you were here to see the sun on these yourself, it is stunning.


mmmm... green.