craft alliance..coconut grove

craft-alliance-pink-polyp-image.jpg celebrate valentine's day in st. louis at craft alliance.  i'm tickled that they used my pink polyp ring as the valentine's image for their email announcement.  i'll be sad to be away from chris on valentine's day...but, the next best thing will be spending it with my mom in miami.  she's meeting me there to do the coconut grove art festival.  YIPPPY!!!!  i can't believe it's already here again.  i'm packing my bags now.  i'll catch the bird tomorrow :O)  swing by my booth and say hi...i'll be in the same booth as last year #33.

pink polyp ring photo credit: robert boland

spotlight...

picture-13.png a big happy thank you to nfall2rt for the feature on your blog.  go here and scroll to 2.08.09 to read the entire entry.  thanks for the lovely description of my work...

cheesey cheeze kale chips

kale-chips.jpgkalechips2.jpg so, you may have read about my craving/addiction for kale chips.  these will satisify your salty, cheese, crunchy craving if your vegan.  i finally carved out a couple hours to give these babies a whirl at home and also, use my dehydrator that chris' mom gave us.

here's the recipe i tried....

3 bunches of of medium sized bunches of kale.  the dinosaur kale works well because it's curly and has a lot of nooks and crannies for the cheezey sauce to stick too.

1.5 cup of raw cashews...soaked in water for a couple hours, then drained.

6 sun-dried tomatoes  or 1 red bell pepper

1/2 cup - 3/4 cup of nutritional yeast...depending on how cheezey you like it.

a splash of braggs amino acid

juice of 1 lemon or lime

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. of paprika

1/4 tsp. of cayenne

1 cup of water....maybe a bit more...

wash kale, cut in large-ish pieces....they will shrink quite a bit in the dehydrator.

place all other ingredients in the blender/vitamix and blend til smooth. pour over kale and mix well with hands until thoroughly covered. place kale pieces on dehydrator trays  and let dry until crispy.  on my dehydrator the bottom trays were dry in 4-5 hours...but the higher trays will take longer.  continue to rotate trays until all trays are completely dry.  let cool completely and place in plastic bag for later. enjoy.

pink pillow brooch...

pinkpillowbrooch1.jpgpinkpillowbrooch.jpg new pink pillow brooch is made of plastic from a rain poncho, thread, polyfil and sterling silver.  i am excited to make more of these plump pins :O)

"kale crack"

kalechips.jpg today i was working at the yoga studio where i am part of the work study program.  i donate a few hours of "labor" in trade for unlimited classes.  it's such a great program and i feel proud to be part of it.....i'll do anything for the yoga :O)   i was cleaning the floor to prep for the expansion grand opening and began to feel my belly crying out for something toothsome and delicious.  i just so happened to be sweeping in the cafe area, and saw on the shelf some dark green leafy packaged "substance". the package read "quite cheesey kale chips".  with my insatiable curiousity to try all things health food related and potentially good for you, i busted open a bag.  i have to admit my expectations were fairly low....boy, i could not have been more off the mark.  these slightly salty, nicely pungent and irresistibly crunchy dark green layers of goodness were beyond any expectation for a deep fried fat filled chip.  these were absolutely delightful, satsifying and, dare i say, utterly delicious.  as i am typing...i am craving and wishing for another bag of green delight.  so it  begins, my quest for a recipe online.  if anyone has tried making these at home and would be willing to share their recipe i would love to give it a try.  when i find time i will definitely be trying my hand at making these dehydrated, green and flavorful chips in my kitchen.  the brand i tried is from blessings alive and radiant foods.  i highly recommend them.

image via kitchen dispensary

badfruit....

new cards by my friend trish of "bad fruit".  she makes cards inspired by typical household boxes/containers destined for the landfill and instead pulls them aside to house these sweet and beautiful art cards.  these cherries rock it!!! cherries-trish.jpg

sage green bracelet

sagebracelet.jpgclose-up-braclet-sage.jpg new sage green bracelet made with (top to bottom) vintage glass, vintage button, beach pebble, part of vintage plastic button