AfricanKelli

I spent an obsessive amount of time getting creative inspiration from artists of all sorts online. There is Jane and Kath and that Molly Chicken. Nicole at Craftapalooza is so kind. I’m thankful to have met her via BackTack. Speaking of which, I met two other crafty gals — Cindy and Joeleen. There’s Finny and Min — both of whom participated in BackTack and are regular crafters. The problem is all these artsy ladies provide me with too many ideas. My kitchen table has become a cornucopia of unfinished bits because my attention has been swayed to the next greatest thing.

Oy.

This week, it is advent calendars. Advent starts tomorrow! And I decided it was pretty silly to make a calendar for just me, but next year, I’m going to take a suggestion from Loobylu and make something like Rosa’s. Isn’t it beautiful? It would look lovely hanging in my front hallway and what a great way to teach children about the tradition. 

What’s that you say? No idea what advent is, other than the faint reminder of lighting those purple candles in third grade when you attended Sunday School? Yeah. That was so me last week. Here is way information more than you could imagine about Adventus, sc. Redemptoris.

Phoenix has had a dramatic cooling off in the last few days. The difference between the high on Saturday and Sunday was 16 degrees. For someone who often complains about the heat, but really loves to be warm, 16 degree change = misery. [This is when my east coast friends collectively roll their eyes.]

Suddenly I had to find warmer clothing to sleep in, work out in, and of course wear to work. The pajama thing really isn’t an issue, but I own only one pair of running leggings. I’m either going to have to buy another couple pairs, or wash these suckers every other day for the next two months. I’m leaning toward shopping. (shocker) The work wear is more of a challenge. If I’m known for anything in regard to my wardrobe it is that it is nearly all black or white and open-toed. I would much rather be fashionable than sensible, even though my feet regularly hate me for such foolishness.

This is why it is frankly shocking I’ve worn actual closed-toed shoes TWO DAYS IN A ROW. A baby step toward maturity, I’m thinking. And you know what? I’m warmer. I’m more comfortable. And I’m going to get behind this winter wear thing.

Here’s what’s on the shopping/Santa list:

Old Navy. Cord Blazer. On sale for $25.

Old Navy. Fold over yoga pants. On sale, $13

Target. On sale $25.

Target. On sale $19.

And for the not so practical side:

Banana Republic, $44.

Banana Republic, $78

There are also a very cute pair of leopard print flats I’ve had my eye on for a bit at Nordstrom. Chances are I could buy everything my size at Old Navy for the price of those shoes, but this girl’s got priorities, and as previously mentioned, foolishness is top rate.

I am happy to see that knitted items are all the rage this season, and then again, a bit dismayed that you can get such cute scarves, hats and mittens for such low prices. It makes the knitter in me want to take a back seat to the shopper in me.

~K

I won’t lie. I spent a ridiculous amount of time this weekend shopping, crafting, wrapping and singing “Jingle Bells.” I am 100% in the spirit. It was quite nice yesterday to haul my giant box of homemade goodies outside into the sun for a little photo shoot. I placed them carefully on the green grass and took a portrait of each item. I hope to later display these once they’ve all been received and opened. I’m getting better about keeping secrets/surprises in my old age.

I can show you this, however, because I’m pretty sure my 4-year-old Salvation Army angel kid doesn’t read my blog. And if he does, my Lord is he bored. This is a SpongeBob-free zone.

I figured out a few of the embroidery features on my sewing machine and went to town. Then I went to Target and stocked this baby full of candy — did you know they still make Pop Rocks? Feeling a tad guilty I was contributing to childhood obesity, he also got a toothbrush (Curious George, so cute!), toothpaste and art supplies.

I can’t imagine what happened in this boy’s life that has qualified him for an angel, but I hope next year his name isn’t on the tree and his parent’s have had better luck.

***

Did you see the NYT has published their top 100 books of the year list? Can I sadly tell you I’ve read only two of 100. Oy. And one of them was terrible (Prep). Freakonomics, however, was enjoyable. I’ve just finished reading A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. While searching for something new to read — I’ve finally gotten around to Saffron Skies, a book a girlfriend lent me — I realized my books were in serious need of sorting and purging. More than 100 were taken to Goodwill for some redistribution in society. A few others ended up at the used bookstore, where of course, I bought more books.

Internet, let me tell you, I do not need another book for the rest of my life. I have hundreds and 99% of them are currently collecting dust. Gah!

Happy holiday preparations and reading to all,

K

My Thanksgiving week got off on the right foot by unexpectedly getting off of work three hours early. The gift of time, sweet time, is my favorite. Three whole hours, how I love thee. What was I going to do? Crafting, cooking and gardening thoughts raced through my mind as I drove home on the nearly empty freeway. All that thinking must have been exhausting because I spent my three hours happily in slumber, waking only to the phone ringing at dinner time. I apparently needed some rest.

When I awoke, it was time to climb back into holiday mode. My first coconut cream pie — more than likely my last. This pain took nearly three hours and oh, how the meringue is flat.

Thankfully, my tried and true recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes turned out perfectly. These were gobbled up Thanksgiving evening, along with the pies my grandmother and aunt made. Oh, the pies.

Just when I thought the food couldn’t get better, we went to the Frog N’ Firkin for post-Christmas-shopping pizza the next day. I can’t remember ever having eaten so much pizza. The ASU/UofA football game was roaring in the background. No one seemed to notice I was inhaling food like King Kong.

This year I am particularly thankful for my brother. As different as we are, I am pleasantly surprised we remain close friends. In part, we can laugh at each other. Thanksgiving night we headed to the bars on 4th street in Tucson. Nothing says family holiday like having several hard drinks with your brother after escaping the grasp of your elders. Oy. While we dished about family drama, my brother proceeded to try to pick up several girls. The bar had quickly filled with young women who looked like they live at Kitson and H&M. (Damn you Mary Kate. Why can’t Reese be the popular fashion icon? Then we’d have lovely skirts and pretty shoes and necklaces that are flattering, vs. sequined EVERYTHING and bohemian/homeless chic. Ew. You girls are so going to look back at photos at this age and cringe. Escape Forever 21’s tractor beam and dress pretty!) My brother sorted through the clones to find a select two standing near our table. The conversation went something like this:

“Hi babes.”

The two look over their shoulders at my brother and then turn completely away from him.

“Hey, has anyone ever told you, you have scrumptious asses?”
(this is when I begin to laugh so hard I think wine is going to come out of my nose)

They take a step farther away and keep trying to ignore him.

“SCRUMPTIOUS ASSES ON AISLE FOUR!!”
They walk away. I have to hold my stomach I am nearly dying.

Then we walk outside.

There is a very pretty girl standing next to the bouncer who took this photo. My brother says nonchalantly,

“That’s a tall drink of water standing there next to you.”
The girl smiles and looks directly at my brother.

“I mean a tall drink of Dasani water. Dasani water poured over sexy ice.”

Oh. My. God. I had to run away I was laughing so hard. The true tragedy in all of this is not that my brother is apparently insane, but that the girl LOVED it. She smiled and started walking toward us but he lost his confidence and walked away.

Oh, Thanksgiving, how I love thee.

~K

Two posts in one day. Ho hum. Can you tell it is a holiday week ’round here?

I baked these yummy gingersnaps last night. The recipe called for rolling the cookies in white sugar. Instead, I used powdered sugar. Next time I’ll follow the instructions.

Forgive the Christmas plate. YES I KNOW IT ISN’T THANKSGIVING YET.

I’m learning new crafts this week, including embrodiery and double knitting. I’m working on holiday surprises and talked myself through a small embroidery project last night. I’m so happy with the results. Amanda was right — you just have to get started and see what you like when it comes to embroidery. Reading about it is useless.

As for double knitting, I’m taking a page from Jessica’s book and knitting one of these babies up possibly for a certain golfer I know. We’ll see if my timetable is generous enough to encompass all of my holiday crafting desires.

I’m eating gingersnaps, humming Nat King Cole and wearing red. It’s useless. I’m a Christmas devotee, whether it is just Thanksgiving week or not.

~K

I am officially jumping on this bandwagon. Kath of RedCurrent has been organizing a weekly Self Portrait Tuesday blog-along of sorts with themes. I read these creative posts and have been inspired.

Theme: Exploration of Identity

I have so many interests, I’m not easy to define. One love that has remained constant since the ripe age of 6 months, when I took my first lesson, is swimming. Living in Arizona , you’d be hard pressed to find many kids who don’t love to swim. Our family was one of several in the neighborhood that made the sport the center of our attention for more than 10 years. My younger brother was this great national swimmer at 11 years old, or something ridiculous that like. We spent our holidays traveling to swim competitions. My parents spent more weekends poolside than not.

I was never a fast swimmer, but I loved it anyway. I swam on year-round teams for eight years or so and made life-long friends in the process. I swam in high school and found such comfort in its familiarity I was able to persuade my parents to pay more for the private school with the swim team the year I studied abroad. I learned that year that some things are universal and don’t require language skills, such as algebra and backstroke. When I came home from college, I started swimming with my father at the local Y. I still swim with this group several times a week.

I love being a swimmer because it makes me independent. I feel strong in the water. I notice the way the color of the water changes as the bright sun rises. There is that moment before I step out of the locker room in a Speedo and walk the brief 20 steps to the pool’s edge that I am covered in goose bumps. Jumping in, the water is calming and cool. It’s a race to stuff my hair in the cap, clear my goggles and get going to warm up. Steam barely rises from the surface. The taste of chlorine or its scent on my skin is more common than not. I enjoy swimming in a new pool, gazing down at the different tiles on the T below and listening as the water laps and drains in the gutters. Swimming is my alone time. It is when I run through lists of tasks, spend time in prayer and think about the day to come.

When I run into classmates I haven’t seen in years, they often say, “You were that swimmer.” I nod and smile, replying, “I still am.”

 See more Self Portrait Bloggers here. 

The Tie One On theme for November is “Holiday-Themed” aprons. I purchased the supplies for these months ago when I found this “thank you” fabric. When my parents moved to Texas last month, many of my friends and their parents went out of their way to invite me to their family Thanksgiving. I found this so kind, and was reminded to be thankful for my friends. 

Later this week R and I are headed to Tucson for Thanksgiving with my brother and extended family. One of these will be coming with us. The rest have already been mailed to others who invited us to their table.

This “thank you” fabric is the backing for each of the aprons.

~K

I came up with a new recipe yesterday that I enjoyed. Also, it is a great way to incorporate pumpkin into your Thanksgiving meals if your family doesn’t care for pumpkin pie. (I do not understand such nonsense, but I hear it happens in some families. Pumpkin pie = nirvana in the Africankelli genetic pool)

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

 Ingredients:

 3 cups all-purpose flour

 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter (I prefer Challenge)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 can of pumpkin (I prefer Libby’s)

Directions:

Melt the butter, add all the above ingredients (minus the brown sugar) and stir like mad. Because the pumpkin will make these cookes extra moist, you may need to add more flour to thicken the batter. I placed these on an ungreased cookie sheet by dolloping them with a spatula. Then I sprinkle cookies with brown sugar and cook them for 10 minutes at 375.

Yield:

2 dozen medium (American) sized cookies.

Yum!

I’m busily working on holiday planning and cannot post the details or run the risk of ruining the surprise. So… I figured I’d venture into a new topic for the time being.

I’ve never taken an art course and couldn’t tell you the difference between periods or genres. But I can tell you what I like and why I like it. I am inspired by many artists for different reasons. Sometimes I think things in life should be that simple. I like that painting. I don’t like that one. I didn’t have to research their history or circumstances before making any decisions. Often, it is the artist’s use of color that wins me over.

My favorites span mediums and centuries: Dale Chihuly, Frida Kahlo, Mark Rothko, Georgia O’Keefe and Herb Ritts.

Today, Mr. Chihuly — the one-eyed glass blower from Tacoma, Washington . You may have seen his work at the Bellagio in Las Vegas . The glass flowered ceilings came from his workshop. His pieces are also shown at the Atlantis in the and at museums internationally. He makes scenes out of twisted, turned and altered colored glass sculptures that seem to bring a Dr. Seuss book to life. They are otherworldly in their beauty.

The museum in Tacoma had a Chihuly exhibit several summers ago when R and I were visiting Washington . I begged him to take me to Tacoma , a town not known for its culture. He thought I was crazy, but we made the 2 hour drive from nothern Washington and spent 2 hours drooling over Chihuly’s use of color and texture. We were both hooked for life.

I love glass as an art medium because it changes with the lighting. I think blue glass in particular is so eye catching in a windowsill. I own several pieces of blue and green glass that I’ve used to decorate my kitchen. One day, I hope to have a small Chihuly seaform to display in a foyer.

Check out more of his work here.

~K

Things I’m currently enjoying:

• The recent issue of Time, from which I read,

              ”Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.”   - - Buddha.

• These beautiful bags. I am going to try my hand at making something similar. We all know I’m not above copying great ideas.

• And this column. I read it weekly, but certain ones hit me in the gut and really make me sit down to think.
• I’m also celebrating Africa’s first female president — democratically elected no less. Chalk one for the “developing” world.  My hat is off to you Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Let’s see what you can do.

~K