between rains

Hot bakery ovens traded for a hot honey latte, which feels right even with summer pressing in at the edges. Last night's storm left everything washed clean by this morning's light. The garden feels alive after the rain.  we have had a lot of rain.  Roses blooming wide and the butternut squash seedlings are reaching up.  I picked 5 blackberries on my way back inside and ate them standing in the wet grass while the chickens were close by and our one chicken we call Blackberry, well she is a smart girl and so she made the case for a fence last year. I threw her one that looked not quite right for me but perfect for her. So much of this season feels fragile in the loveliest way.  Fleeting. Temporary. Here for only a moment before the calendar turns again.  June is knocking at the door.  

Earth Day dish cloths

 

It's Earth Day 2026 and to celebrate I'm re-purposing some scrap fabric and terry cloth towels and making some dish cloths.  Kitchen duties and cleaning can feel so domestic and sometimes boring.  I like to embrace the feral side of domesticity every chance I get.  A little wild and free to be creative and repurposed old things or scraps feels a bit feral over just buying some cheapies at the store.  I think we should add in a little color and personality to the monotonous routines we sometimes find ourselves in.  I also want to make a matching dish towel drying mat for my clean dishes.  *For the dish cloths,  I cut out 5 inch squares from the fabrics and used 1 terry and one cotton print fabric, I put the right sides together and sewed around the perimeter.  I left a 2 inch area on the last side, to turn the square right side out.  After turning the square, taking care to be sure and push out the points on the corners, I top stitched around the square and turned fabric in to close 2 inch gap.  I also sewed diagonally across the square so it stays laying flat and doesn't pucker in the center.  This is an easy and fun beginner friendly sewing craft that is both useful and cute!  These little dish cloths are so unique and makes cleaning up a little more fun.  They can also be used under a hot coffee mug or at the espresso machine for quick clean up. The cloths are sturdy and of course washable/re-usable and will last years! I hope you give them a try! Happy Earth Day!! 

xo ~tina

spring, welcome

Spring arrived in what seemed like a hurry. Wasn't it just the long days of February? The fact is the days are whizzing by, and I'm not sure why? I feel like I am just flipping the calendar months every time I turn around. April has not brought us much for showers, so what does this mean for our May flowers? It didn't seem to slow down my lilacs or roses from doing their thing, for which I am thankful.  Today is hot, record or near record high set.  I'm still waiting for the final tally. At 6 pm it is still 83 degrees. We will wake up to 70s in the morning and then a storm is promised and a sharp drop down to the 50s.  I love a swift change of weather like that and I hope we do get that rain.  We NEED it.  I made a sourdough lemon cake that was really good ~to welcome spring and it was like eating sunshine.  We spent last Friday (used) car shopping for my 17.5 year old who was due an upgrade from the car she's been using.  We found one that was exactly what we were looking for! She was surprised and happy and all the things that make such a purchase feel just right.  Also makes the work we do outside of the home that much more needed, especially during the times we are in right now and the prices of everything we need! That also makes us think about the things we don't need so much right now too and perhaps simplifying even more, where we can.  I don't know about where you are, but here, these gas prices are pretty invasive to the purse strings. So anyway,,, Happy Spring! xo ~tina

in the studio

 

Sharing a few snippets of my work in the studio this morning.  Lard SOAP in the mold (yesterday), being cut and drying (today).  A gifted tea/coffee service~ washed and on the bench, waiting for me to find it a home. I cut the sweet woodland cotton fabric into neat rectangles for heat packs ~as well as the pure linen backing.   I filled them up with organic wheat berries and homegrown lavender.  I will have a handful of them available online for the May 3rd shop update.  Wishing you a bright Friday and a peaceful weekend too.   

~tina

what we made

               Soap on the Winter Solstice 

Solstice treats for the feathered ones. 

Peppermint Bark (more on that below)

 Cottage Pie.

          Lots of hot things in our mugs.

                    Cookies!

          Maple Nutmeg and Gingerbread 

            Dog Treats. 

Clay Ornaments. 

O Christmas Tree. 

M & M Bark.

1 Sock (ahem) 2 Pomanders.

Egg Salad Sandwiches. 

Chili and Cornbread. 

Paper Bag Stars. 

Finished a chicken started long ago. 

Started cutting squares for a quilt... 

We have been busy welcoming 2025 and everyone is now back to school and work.  I was MIA on the blog over Christmas.  I really hadn't planned to be away for so long, but life gets so full sometimes.  I thought I would update with a little recap of a few of what we made. 

We made our annual Peppermint Bark, from here. We gifted some and kept some and topped coffees and hot chocolate.  It is SO good.  December, year ending and January, year beginning has been a good and nice time full of making. 

I hope you had wonderful holidays!

~tina