AfricanKelli

Who doesn’t like flowers in the spring? I have two favorite flowers. I love pots of red geraniums, which I have growing like weeds on my patio until the heat arrives next month. And I love hydrangeas. Check out Joelene’s here. Aren’t they lovely? These grow wild in Nicaragua. I remember seeing them roadside on my first trip to the Central American country and shouting from the back of a crowded bus, “My God! Are those hydrangeas?” The purple and indigo blooms were everywhere. The peasant woman sitting next to me couldn’t wait to get away from the crazy American, who was a bit too excited about the local flora and fauna.

No hydrangeas in Phoenix, but there are lots of other pretty palates to select from. This week’s CAOK surprise was a pot full of sweet-smelling spring color left at the front door.

These were simple to put together, but far more difficult to transport. I need to get my car to the carwash this weekend. That purple on in the center spilled over and I’ve still got fertilizer in my passenger seat, three days later. It smells lovely.

Regardless, isn’t the color fantastic? Maybe I’m so enamored because color is fleeting in the desert. These plants are not olive, nor sage, nor taupe. Nor will they poke you until you bleed if you accidentally touch them. Therefore, I am in love.

What is your favorite flower? What blooms in your area, reminding you spring is right around the corner? [For my Australian friends, this post means nada. They are hot and bothered and dying for fall. ]

~K

I think the best part of my CAOK campaign to date has been the response from others saying they too are participating. I am one of those cheesy sentimental sorts who truly believes in paying it forward and the power of karma. Make the change you want to happen in the world start with you, so the saying goes. That and peace begins with a smile.

I’m smiling at all of those who are sharing a little love in the name of kindness. Rock on!

Week 2 goodies, which were finished this weekend:

I learned a great lesson from this little sewing assignment. When you are sewing strips together like this for an apron tie, don’t iron the center fold. It makes it much, much more difficult to sew the piece together nicely. If there isn’t a center ironed fold, the fabric sews together nicely and you can iron it flat when you are done. I made seven of these fruity aprons. [Photos here.] They are being dropped at the post this afternoon.

Week 3 CAOK gifts are being assembled and delivered tonight. Details manana!

~K

I’m going to try to get this all in to one post, because what a crazy weekend I have planned. I have house guests arriving tonight, a big fundraiser for work tomorrow and a baptism on Sunday. It should be a great weekend with lots of time spent with friends.

First things first: Week One CAOK

Several of you have received a small surprise in the mail recently as part of my Calculated Acts of Kindness campaign. This week’s craft was wristlets. I’ve finally mastered my zipper foot. Yippee! Would you believe I’ve owned this sewing machine since 1999 and just last weekend looked at the manual? Ay yi yi. I am a visual learner, so manuals typically do me no good. I need to see someone do what I am trying to learn and mimic it to really truly get it. But, with a bit of trial and error (and booze and swearing) I got it figured out. Voila — le spring wristlet:

Some were filled with chocolates. Others were packed with a mix CD. My favorite is the purple polka dots that I embroidered for Finny. I am so please with how these turned out and even more excited about the week 2 craft I’ve already got planned. [Hint: Think kitchens. Think Martha Stewart. Think fruity and sweet.]

~

This week my girlfriends and I have been discussing our weaknesses. The things we simply cannot live without. Our vices. I’ve nailed mine down to three: tortilla chips — the Lex Luther of my otherwise pretty healthy diet, pedicures and magazines. I just love magazines. Put me in front of a newsstand and I’ll read anything. I spend about an hour or two every week doing just that at the nearby Barnes and Noble. I browse, I read and I purchase a select view. Yesterday afternoon, after going through the most recent Star (K-Fed is apparently ruining Britney, in case you haven’t heard.), Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition (wow), Rachel Ray’s new cooking mag, Cooking Light, and Martha Stewart Kids, I bought my trusty friend — Real Simple. I am never disappointed in this $4 purchase. I look at each page carefully, even the advertisements. I’m always curious to see what advertisers think I’ll be interested in. They are usually so far off the mark it is humorous. The April issue of RS does not disappoint. It is one of the best I’ve read in a long time and I’m only through the first 1/3.

There is a feature on how to easily dress up cupcakes for a more formal event. You know very well how much I love to bake, especially cupcakes. Well, look at these babies:

With the how-to instructions. Love it!

There is also a mention of designer Matthew Sporzynski. He’s the crafty papersmith who makes all of those interesting paper constructions between sections of the magazine. If you’ve read Real Simple in the last two years, you know what I’m talking about. Here’s an example from this month’s issue:

He studied at Parsons and is super talented. I love paper crafts. Can you tell this is made of yellowbook ads? So sweet.

Props to Real Simple. Good work friends. Good work.

I’ve recently discovered two great craft blogs. Naive Knitting is a fun read, and I used her free button hat pattern for a CAOK gift. I’m sending this “Kick Cancer in the Bootay” knit cap to my friend Ruth.

 Heed!

I used one of my favorite yarns — the standard wool blend stuff from JoAnn’s. It is about $6 a skein and is so soft. I swear this color should be called, “Buttered Popcorn.” I hope she likes it!

And in other crafty news, I’m loving Red Felt Flower’s photos on Flickr. Wow! She has some great ideas. I particularly like her packaging, which I used to wrap up some CAOK sweets. I’ve been saving random buttons for ages, and this presented a great opportunity to use a few. (This is also a good reminder to pay attention to the details. I foolishly rush wrapping and finishing gifts because I am ready to move on to the next thing. Her photos show what a difference the extra five minutes make!)

I’ve got a slew of CAOK gifts heading out in the mail today. I’m really enjoying this project. It is fun sharing a few homemade surprises and sweets with friends. I’m already starting to feel the karmic effects. I’ve had several particularly nice things happen to me in the last week.

~K

I remember the first time I gave up something for Lent. I was living in Torreon, Mexico as a foreign exchange student. My homestay family, the Roca’s, watched in horror as their new American daughter consumed bottled Coca Cola by the case. It was so sweet, and icy cold and I’d never experienced the joy of Coke in the bottle before. To this day I think it is a culinary delight. (Goes to show you how sophisticated my palate is.)

My homestay mother, Perla, challenged me to give up my soda habit for the 40 day Lenten season. Always up for a test, I agreed. It wasn’t pretty, but I managed. Since 1995, I’ve given up some diet delight each year in honor of Lent.

The thing is, you aren’t supposed to talk about this. The point isn’t to get a big pat on the back by those around you when you give penance. It is supposed to be private and personal — much like I consider my faith. So, I’m not going to share the details of my sacrifice.

I have a friend who is starting radiation for cancer this week. She said that she was giving up her hair for Lent, and I couldn’t help but laugh. In all seriousness, she is fighting for her life. She said that instead of worrying about what foods she wasn’t going to eat, she wanted instead to add one intentional kind act to her day. She inspired me.

Today I begin CAOK — Calculated Acts of Kindness. For the next 40-plus days, I’m going to share a little extra love with as many friends, families and perfect strangers as I can muster. Again, the idea isn’t to be patted on the back, but a way to add a little happiness in a world that seems at times spinning out of control. I believe in karma and paying it forward.  It can’t hurt to share some kindness. So, we’ll see how this goes. [This is something I struggled with whether or not to share, but my blog is as close to a journal as I keep these days and it is something I want to remember.]

If I shoot you an email in the next month to ask for your mailing address, I hope you’ll indulge me. I am looking forward to many a craft and baking project to get CAOK off to a great start.

Last night, I made some stationery (because who doesn’t love receiving a card in the mail?):

I’ll be keeping the details at Flickr too.

~K