Make your own Spicy Chai Latte

I'm a huge coffee fan but in the cooler months I enjoy an occasional cup of Chai Latte. I recently purchased a pricey can of the instant mix and have been enjoying a cup in the evenings - as a kind of indulgent and comforting dessert.  Rather than replace the dwindling can, I thought I'd try to find a recipe to make it myself. And I did! It makes quite a bit, so I'm considering packaging some of it into air tight containers and giving it to friends during the holidays.  The recipe calls for less chemically stuff than is mentioned on the canned label but this isn't a particularly "healthy" drink. It is, however, a soothing guilty pleasure for those cold nights.

 

Spicy Chai Latte Mix

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder

2 packages instant vanilla pudding

2 1/2 cups sugar (turbinado or brown sugar if you prefer)

1 1/2 cups instant tea

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1/4 teaspoon anise

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to incorporate all of the powders. You'll see that the consistency is a bit grainy so if you have a blender or coffee grinder, it's worth the time to run it through for a finer texture.  I used my Cuisanart burr grinder which worked beautifully. 

To make the latte, add three tablespoons of the mix to a cup of boiling water, stir and enjoy. 

Size matters

When I began writing my morning pages a few weeks ago, I realized how infrequently I write.  Most of my communication is typed or pecked out on my iPhone.  Sometimes when I first start writing in the morning, my hands aren't sure what to do. It's okay because morning pages aren't for re-reading or sharing. They fulfill their purpose in other ways.

Do  you ever think about handwriting? The infinite number of possibilities in those lines and loops provide a little peek into the interior of the writer...or if you have studied graphology, an educated analysis.  I've never studied the subject but I do remember reading a fascinating book many years ago that got me interested in the subject. I've noticed that some people's handwriting changes over time...beyond the obvious changes from childhood to adult.  I have a friend whose slant changes from note to note and apparently that's due to mood swings. Or maybe too much caffeine? I've also noticed that both my husband and father don't write in cursive- everything is printed, defying the opportunity for analysis.  According to at least one expert:  "It is estimated that over half of men in the United States prefer to print rather than write cursive."  Hmmmm. With so few people actually writing with a pencil or pen anymore, I have a feeling that handwriting will continue to degenerate until we're all scratching out printed letters in the abbreviated form of texts.  "OMG did u see those ppl?"

Did you learn cursive writing in elementary school? Do you remember how to form the letters? This morning I challenged myself to recreate the cursive chart that used to hang above the chalkboard in elementary school.  Everything was going pretty well until I got to the last letter of the alphabet and couldn't remember how to form a Z.  I had a feeling that it somehow dipped below the line but drew a blank. I refreshed my memory with a quick Google search.  Well, I think I'll stop talking about handwriting before you begin emitting a different kind of zzzzzzzzzzzzz. LOL (J/K)

And the universe responded

My to-do list mocked me yesterday morning. "You think you're so organized and efficient with this list of yours but why is it that one item never seems to get crossed off? You just carry it to the next list, renewing its hope."

CLEAN AND ORGANIZE THE PANTRY

All right all right. I get it. Maybe this weekend. This is what I said yesterday morning. In the afternoon I walked to the mailbox to find my new Real Simple magazine. A magazine that I love. A magazine that I read from cover to cover.  The same magazine that when I consider tearing out articles to archive, it transforms to a pile of torn pages. It's all good.

We drove into Santa Ana last night to attend an industry awards dinner, so I took the magazine. (I'm one of the lucky ones who can read in the car).  It's about a 50 minute drive- the perfect allotment of uninterrupted reading time. Thumbing through the pages...I found myself gearing up for Thanksgiving and all that entails...the decorating, the cooking, the planning, the cleaning. Oh right...the cleaning.  Then, what should I see but this article:

The article promises it will only take 15 minutes.  I carefully tore out the article and when we got home I placed it next to my list.  I think maybe today is the day. 15 minutes. We'll see.

A shade more interesting?

I was wandering through Anthropologie last week and became enamored with their embellished lampshades. I decided to make one myself. After all, for what they were asking, I could buy a dress instead. (Which I did.)  I gathered together a collection of textile remnants from my studio stash, borrowed Carl's Super 77 spray adhesive (sshhh don't tell) and just dove into the project.  My style is a jumbled mix of a little bit of everything so I enjoyed the mashup of plaid, florals, silks and knits with a few ribbons and trims. It was a really fun project and I finished the shade within a couple hours.  

 

I started with a bronze metallic papered shade with the thought that if it showed through it would be okay.  The adhesive is stinky and messy so I opted to do the project in Carl's workshop. I covered his pretty bench with newspaper and gathered my supplies. 

After selecting each piece, I turned it over and sprayed it with the adhesive. I let it set up for about 15 seconds then applied it to the shade. The adhesive remains repositionable for a little while, so don't worry if you need to move it once you've set it on the shade. I layered the textiles, trying to add as much texture and color as possible. I added trims to the top and bottom as a final touch. What I enjoyed about this project was entering it with a sense of abandon and knowing I could finish it rather quickly. That's my kind of DIY!

Back in the swim

I was perusing the active wear section at the Magical Thrift last week and caught a glimpse of avocado fringe between a blue crocheted bikini and a pair of black bike shorts.  I moved the two garments aside and was excited to see this sweet vintage swimsuit trimmed in hip-swinging fringe! I checked inside and saw the DeWeese Originals label and, once again, let loose with that little shriek of joy.

It was marked a size 12/34 and I estimated its age circa late 60s/early 70s.  As I inspected its condition I began to think "Maybe this is wearable!" It was marked a beyond reasonable $2.95 so into the cart it went.

When I got home I inspected the suit more closely and found that the foam in the bra had hardened into little yellow crumbs. I decided to replace the bra liner and, luckily, found one in my repair bin o'tricks.  First, I trimmed away the thin, yellowed cotton and removed the hardened foam.

 

 

Then I hand laundered the suit and hung it to dry.  After it dried, I hand stitched the new bra on top of the original lining and then cut away the old bra cups underneath. 

 

Everything went perfectly except for one unfortunate accident. When I was trimming away the old bra my scissors caught the swimsuit fabric and I made a little v-shaped cut at the left side of the bust.   (Expletive deleted.)  I found some matching thread and handstitched it closed. It's noticeable but not awful. Lesson learned: be careful with those Ginghers! 

After repairing my repair, I steam-blocked the exterior of the swimsuit over an oversized lightbulb in an attempt to round out the bullet-shaped bustline. I had some success but it's still a bit pointy....suggesting sunbathing in cold weather.  Maybe I'll wear it when we go to Maui in the Spring. We'll see.

Changes...

Today I spent most of the day redesigning/redecorating the living room.  I decided to move the whole Mexican folk art collection upstairs. The guest room has the travel theme with an emphasis on Mexico so it just seemed right to move the Oaxacan carvings and Mexican ceramics there.

But then I began to think about the personality of the living room. What is it? All of a sudden it felt sort of lost. So... that is my focus right now- to create the essence of the downstairs living area. It revolves around original art, color and texture. And I'm trying to inject a little personal technology into the eclectic design element because, after all, I spend a good amount of my time sitting in a comfy chair, blogging, facebooking, flickring, etc. etc. etc. So it would be disingenuous to pretend that wasn't going on. I love the idea of a true mix of vintage and modern.

Filofax love

 

Yeah, I've gone old school. Not completely, but as a backup/alternative/excuse to get a new Filofax.  My iPhone has a built in calendar complete with audio alerts to remember appointments. Technically, it takes care of business. But aesthetically, well, it felt like something was missing.

I've always been lured by paper...be it a deck of cards, old foreign currency, slick glossy magazines, or the pages of a Filofax.  I added a few new accessories- don't you love those colorful page tabs? I also ordered a pull out world map (complete with time zones) so Carl and I can plan our vacations while we're at the wine bar downtown. There are plenty of pockets for I.D. and a mesh pocket in back for coinage...almost a wallet replacement but not quite. A pocket for bills (the money kind) would have made it perfect. My old model had a wallet pocket but I forgot to check the specs on this one. So...I'm folding the few dollars I carry and slipping them into the vinyl sleeve in front.  Behind the financial tab I'm tracking my expenses...every single one of them. (That's been eye-opening and conducive to a lower level of spending.)  And let's hope this custom sized pen doesn't disappear as quickly as the last! This sweet new accessory relies on me for regular updates so, in that regard, it may take a while to get back into the Filofax flow.

Happiness and the Connectivity Factor

 

How do you stay in touch with people you care about?  I enjoy the immediacy of social networking...  checking online for updates from my contacts. A friend once described Facebook "...like having my friends and family in my back pocket." That said, it's a lot easier to check in than check out.   Googling ensues...hours elapse. 

Then there's the telephone. Do people talk on the phone anymore?  Is it just me or have calls gone the way of the U.S. mail....mostly junk with only an occasional personal greeting?  I receive more texts than calls, lately.  Texting is fine for quick updates like "running 5 min late" or "I won the lottery" but a happy birthday text generates a low level of happiness. 

So, what's left?  Words written on paper, that's what.  Nothing satisfies like a piece of personal mail. When Scout and I take the daily hike to the mailbox, I quietly hope for something handwritten.  The infrequent letter or card generates a big smile and an extra perky hop up the front steps.

Want to make someone happy today? Want to help revive a diminishing social grace? Write a few lines on a postcard and mail it to a friend. Better yet, write a few lines on five postcards and drop them in the mail. Multiply the happiness factor times five!