Just Make Stuff

A fifteen minute break...

I mentioned yesterday that life is a little fast-paced lately and that is the case too for my friends who are also on the cheer booster board and the committee for the school bond. One of them had a birthday last week and I decided to get her everything she needed to take a fifteen minute break.

It was very similar to this holiday gift from last year. There's chocolate, really good vanilla tea (I love to use it for mint iced tea), a mini blackberry scented candle and a magazine. 

Then I used this idea again to quickly wrap it up.

Momentary...

The weeks are rushing by in a haze of teaching, meeting, grading, emailing, phone banking, hosting, organizing, and cleaning.

So little moments really matter right now. Starting braised short ribs in the oven on a late Tuesday morning. Getting the car washed. Hanging out at a Friday football game. Lighting a couple of fall candles as we spend Sunday getting ready for the week ahead. 

Honestly, I am a little overwhelmed, but taking a moment to stop, document, and appreciate these bits of life helps make everything a lot better.

Craft room...

Earlier this summer, when I shared the "before" photos, I was honest about the fact that there is no where near enough crafting in the craft room anymore. Regardless, I still spend an inordinate amount of time in here, so it was easy to come up with new ideas on how to make this space even better. 

There is a now an extra tall, glass topped counter that is a perfect space for the occasional craft project or more likely for organizing endless piles of student work. I draped a strand of cafe lights in the window to have an additional option from the ceiling fan lights and you can see them hanging in the window from downstairs. 

There are new floors...since we were having the entire downstairs flooring replaced, I decided to keep going just a little more. I always needed a chair mat before on the carpet, so I am extra happy to have fresh new flooring in here.

Next was the file cabinets...not exactly a genius decorating move, but a total necessity to store all the student work and cheer team related papers I amass. I had one legal size, two-drawer cabinet from my mom and purchased the four-drawer one from Craigslist. The original plan was to ask Sean to spray paint each of the cabinets a fun color, like he sprayed the green one awhile ago, but I ended up kind of liking the neutrals with a pop of kelly green. On the other side of the file cabinets are shelves with printers and other computer equipment.

The closet is now a little couch nook. Sean used the wood from the standing desk that was in there and added 4x4 legs. I had a cushion custom-made for the spot and went pillow shopping. One of my favorite details of the room is the back wall of the nook, with wood panels that Sean cut boards in all different lengths for (he actually drew a diagram to scale for me and had me mark lines where I wanted the boards pieced together) then he nailed each piece in. 

My big tanker desk stayed put...especially with the double screens mounted in front of it (that was not an easy project a few years ago). Yet, everything around it changed...the white walls, floors, new work spaces and a cozy spot just like I envisioned. I have always loved this room and felt very lucky to have it...but I now I am really extra, super duper lucky.

Apple and Gruyere Chicken Salad...

I concocted this sandwich idea over the summer for one of our picnic dinners at a concert in the park. They have a sweet and tangy mustard dressing, lots of apple and cheese.  I am totally craving them again this fall. 

Apple and Gruyere Chicken Salad Sandwiches

• Loaf of french bread; sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter; room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup celery; diced fine
• 1/4 cup green onion; minced
• 1 cup apple; diced fine
• 1 cup gruyere cheese; shredded

Take eight pieces of bread, spread with butter, sprinkle with garlic powder and toast lightly. Set aside to cool. Mix together dressing of mayonnaise, dijon mustard, sugar, white wine vinegar, and onion powder. In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, celery, green onion, apple, and gruyere cheese. Pour dressing over the mixture and stir well, incorporating all the ingredients. Pile the chicken salad onto bread to make four sandwiches.

Learning: 05

In tomorrow's Social Order and Change class we are talking about social interaction.

A large part of interaction is social norms, the "usual", "typical", "normal" standards for a group of people. Norms are the unspoken rules we follow to fit in...to try not to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

When I teach social interaction, I end with this video a student told me about last year...

 

These individuals did not follow social norms in this video and it's a good reminder that sometimes amazing interaction can occur when we go outside our comfort zone.

You can read more learning posts here.

Heaven-sent...

We went to a good family friend's baby boy's baptism this past weekend, so I had my first chance in awhile to wrap a gift. My go-to for baptism cards or tags is usually a quick patterned paper cross. Thank goodness for some simple crafting. 

Just a hint...

This weekend the weather reminded us that fall might actually arrive one day...it felt extra amazing considering last Monday it was 103 degrees and humid. 

Then tonight, as Sean and I headed out on a walk, I spotted them...just a slightly changing leaf or two.

Our next door neighbor, Mr. Kelly, has two liquid amber trees that have grown much higher than our houses and stand almost alone in a world of palm trees. 

And those leaves are one of the very best parts of the fall season.

Crazy idea #4,572...

It involves a doorway, blue tape, craft paint and dreams of colorful stripes.

We'll see how this goes...

Banana Hot Fudge Cake

This cake was inspired by one in a Cake Doctor cookbook that I have had for so many years that it's falling apart. I had ripe bananas and needed a treat for a cheer board meeting, so I used the Cake Doctor recipe as a guide and put this together. As most people know, Sean is usually the baker around here...but he may have some competition with this cake.

Banana Hot Fudge Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 box (3.4 ounce) Jello cheesecake pudding mix
• 1 cup ripe banana; mashed (approximately 2 large or 3 medium bananas)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons brown butter; cooked and cooled 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 jar (16 ounce) hot fudge 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan well with cooking spray. Place cake mix, pudding mix, buttermilk, mashed bananas, brown butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until the batter looks well incorporated, Slightly warm half the hot fudge sauce in a separate bowl so it is easy to stir and set aside. Pour half of the mixed cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the slightly warm fudge onto the batter and sprinkle with half of the chopped walnuts. Top with remaining batter and place into oven for 42-47 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool. Heat the remaining hot fudge sauce so it is slightly warm and easier to spread. Carefully spread on the top of the cake and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Store cake, covered tightly, in the refrigerator.

More washi love...

I love to check the Timehop app for a few seconds in the morning to see what happened on this date in years past. It just reminded me about this washi tape discovery from back in 2012. Coincidentally it was just a couple of days ago that I tried my next new favorite use of washi tape...file folder labels. I got the idea from IHeart Organizing...along with the need for my first new label maker in over a dozen years (the cute font choices sucked me in).

Looking back through the archives, it was almost five years ago that I discovered washi tape and I am still majorly in love.

A new craft...

This weekend a good friend from college was in town visiting and she and I tried a paper flower making class. As you can see, the tables were lined with vases of the most beautiful bouquets.

Unlike the calligraphy class I tried a few months ago, this medium I might have a future with. Although it requires a fair amount of skill, I think you can still get away with being a little messy and haphazard...that's my kind of craft.

Here's my attempt at flower making...it's wonky and filled with minuscule stringy remnants of glue gun usage...but it sure was fun. 

Learning: 04

Here are a few of the resources I have used in classes these last couple of weeks...

We analyzed socioeconomic inequalities by contrasting this video and this article.

Every single person can make a difference.

A discussion about technology and social media usage, included Twenty Symptoms of Internet Addiction.

You can read more learning posts here.

Once a week...

I teach all my state college classes in the morning, but on Wednesdays I am at school throughout the afternoon for my office hours. That means packing a lunch. I received this adorable lunch bag as a birthday gift last spring and love packing it up with stuff the night before. This week it was a turkey white cheddar cranberry sandwich and some chips. Last week it was a bento box with rolled turkey, salami, fresh mozzarella, two kinds of hummus, pita chips and parmesan crisps.

The only unfortunate thing is office hours have kept me very busy these past few weeks, so I have had to wait for lunch until around 2pm...but it's extra good when I can finally eat it.

Life changing...

A couple weeks ago I mentioned my new favorite pens (at the time) which were thick, colorful and cheap. Then last week I couldn't resist signing up for this planner class and erasable pens were on the supply list. I decided to order some this past weekend and my mind is completely blown. As much as I love pens, I don't write with them too often in case I make a mistake...

However these pens, and their seemingly magic eraser, really work. I actually graded student work with a pen for the first time tonight. I may have also ordered a second set to have one with me at school.

From now on my favorite pencils are going to be lonely.

Mums...

The rusty old wheelbarrow has been home to an herb garden for the last couple of years, but for the next few months it will be a little fall-ish mum garden that I can see right out our kitchen window. 

Our kitchen update...

We are so, so happy that all kitchen updating wrapped up a few weeks ago now. 

Here's the before and after...

Thankfully I had help to pick a cabinet color a couple months ago now (I went with #5). Sean did a fantastic job painting and rehanging the doors. He also built a box to hide the ductwork for the hood (we painted it with #8), hung up several shelves, and spray painted the legs of our new (super cheap) kitchen table.

All I did was clean out and reorganize our cabinets, shop for jars, strung a little fabric banner for the hood cover, had a print made, tried not to cry, and decided that the numerous years I spent collecting latte bowls in all different colors meant I needed a rainbow display.

Both Sean and I love how open it feels...technically we do not have any additional counter space, but it sure feels like we do.

Our kitchen has always been a happy place for us to be, no matter how dated it may have been. Now though it really feels like us...and by us I mean my ideas and Sean's amazing efforts to actually make it all happen.

This week at school...

These are a few random things I used in my classes...

Learning about the pre-industrial women's economy meant each student reaching into a drawstring bag to pull a little piece of paper with a random household item on it. Then they had to make their way through the classroom setting up trades to try to get everything they would need for their household. However, since illiteracy could be common at that point in our history the student's could not write down anyone's name or what/how much they traded...they had to try to remember it all. After they were done attempting to trade for a few minutes they went back to their desks to write what they could remember...the most anyone wrote was eight trades.

The red yarn helped teach Weber's Iron Cage of Bureaucracy. We had to toss the ball around the classroom as we itemized the various steps it can take to get one task accomplished in a bureaucracy. We went through the steps a parent/student/teacher have to accomplish when there is an absence from school. It was seven different steps just to have an excused absence.

Then silly slang flash cards to analyze the socialization process in regards to language usage...how words are funny, overused, outdated, inappropriate and how they can shape our understanding of the world.

Have I mentioned I have the best job ever?

Everybody probably knows this...

So as new laminate floor owners, I needed to start figuring out fast how I could be a good laminate floor cleaner...often. I bought a swiffer sweeper and lots of dry refills thanks to coupons and buy three get one free deals, but I haven't heard great endorsements for the wet swiffer cloths.

Instead I grabbed a stack of cheap washcloths. I just get them damp with water and wipe up dirt...and more dirt...and then some more dust and dirt. And did I mention, often?

I wanted to share in case I am not the very last person to figure this economical solution out, but if you have any other ideas I am super eager to hear them.

Dots...

Last spring I started using tiny dot stickers on my monthly planner calendar. 

I use one color for all the journal assignments I need to grade for my classes and another color for all the tests I need to grade. This way I can quickly glance down to see how many stacks I'll need to get through each week.

Although my first thought when typing that last sentence was, "so I can quickly see how screwed I am". Let's just say, I have yet to figure out how to develop multiple class schedules that create a well-spaced work load. 

Today I started loading the dots up for this semester...and added one more color (red) to mark the days that Sean is working as an assistant coach after school.

I just roughly started adding up how much grading all these tiny dots mean...roughly 490 journals and tests. Yikes.

It's time now, right?

Now, that Labor Day has (barely) passed...do you agree with me that it's time to start enjoying all things fall?

Because my mantle, farmers market sunflowers, perpetually burning autumn scented candles and I are totally ready. 

Green and yellow...

If it's Sean's birthday (like it was this past Saturday) it pretty much means there is some kind of peanut butter dessert and some green and yellow decorations. They are color of his beloved Oregon Ducks and actually were his high school colors too...but his wife added in the lime green.

This year I quickly made a little fabric garland (like I have pinned a couple of times). Messy cut fabric knotted onto the twine that Mac held taunt for me.

Oh and to meet the peanut butter requirement, I made a double batch of this pie.