by Roxanne -

Fun, Edible Gifts to Make

Photo Kathies-garden.com

Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow, to all those who have mothered someone. Today I’m taking time to reflect on all the wonderful women (and even men) who were mothers for me during my life. They are many. By the same token, hopefully I too, served as a mother for others when they needed it.

If you would like a fun, easy, healthy and green gift to take to someone special in your life consider these two fun ideas I found in an old copy of FreshHome magazine (Summer 2010).

Idea #1

Photo Adam Albright for Fresh Home

In a low, but clear wide-mouth jar (small mason jar) place cherry tomatoes. Use them as “marbles” to stabilize a handful of stemmed basil leaves. Now you have a floral arrangement that looks beautiful, smells great and tastes wonderful. Tie with a ribbon and off you go!

Idea #2

Photo Adam Albright for Fresh Home

Take a mug or cup and saucer purchased at a garage sale or Good Will. Place potting soil with a small herb plant inside. It could be mint, lavender, chamomile, thyme, oregano. Herbs that can be used for tea are a natural choice. Insert a toothpick with an identifying label attached. Serve it up!

Happy Mother’s Day!

You may also like of Passion Fruit, Persimmons and Pomegranates and Ultimate Banana Bread.

by Roxanne -

Art In Bloom

Photo Study-for-Improvisation-V ArtsMIA 2010

Interested in going someplace fun and creative this weekend? Consider the Minneapolis Institute of Arts “Art in Bloom” Exhibit beginning Friday, April 28 – Sunday, May 1. Usually art imitates life – but here life imitates art! Although the floral arrangements are certainly art too.

You will be caught up in a feeling of spring for the time you are there. The arrangements are so clever, colorful and inspirational. Watch a flicker slide show of some of the amazing displays here. Or take a look at pictures from last year below.

Photo Abundant-Fruit ArtsMIA 2010
Photo Rooster-Weathervane ArtsMIA 2010
Photo Birds-and-Flowering-Plants ArtsMIA 2010

You may also like Winter Foliage Inspiration and Surprised by the Spirit.

by Roxanne -

Only 3.9 Billion Years Left

Photo NASA Photo Journal

As DH wrote in an email to me, “Wrap your brains around THIS ONE from Technology Review.”

Just 3.9 billion years left before time ends? Interesting to think about – and supports the Doctrine of Creation belief that time had a beginning and has a telos, meaning a purpose, goal or endpoint. Time doesn’t go on endlessly.

God or reality has a purpose and a vision in mind – even if it’s not a specific plan because we have free will. Actually all of creation has some degree of free will. This is because God takes a risk in creating and allows creation the freedom to be and to choose. We can observe this because we live in an evolutionary universe.

As theologian and scientist John Haught notes, a self-emptying, self-giving, but infinite God requires that any finite creation of God’s must, therefore, be an evolving one.

You may also like Exercise Your Mind, Stars and Spirit Sightings, What is Your Story? and Happiness is a Choice.

by Roxanne -

Romantic Living Room Inspiration

This is in fact my 100th post on this blog. Amazing!

So I will use it somewhat frivolously posting romantic living room inspiration pictures.

Photo Pottery Barn

Photo Coastal Living
Photo Angie Hranowsky for Coastal Living
Photo Pottery Barn

Photo Pottery Barn
Photo Angie Hranowsky
Photo HIllaryThomasDesigns
Photo Apartment Therapy, Writer's Romantic Supper

These rooms have a few problems. What they are missing is a lived-in look. Except for the last one which is a bit too cluttered, mainly due to the textured rug and wallpaper. Unfortunately, these pictures tell me little about who might live in these rooms. For the most part, they are too sterile. Not very complex. But they are a start. Another problem is that the furniture is single purpose. Single-use items are not at all useful in our small townhouse.

Who lives in these rooms? Check out Catalog Living and read about Gary and Elaine who live there ;-D

Here’s what I like about these rooms – they have lots of light and a casual summer feel – appealing when living in Minnesota. Also I see textures and layers including off-white cotton throws, sheer linen window coverings, pillows, layered rugs including oriental rugs. These rooms are small, like mine. Medium, rustic wood tones and wicker provide some depth and texture along candles and of course, books.

Most of these elements I already have. Re-arranged, can I use what I have to incorporate these elements into my own home – but with a little more personality (i.e “pop”), depth and function? Plus, whatever I do, it will have to flow with the rest of the space and with other items I have. We’ll see.

You may also like Isn’t It Romantic?, Romantic Kitchen Inspiration, Romantic Bedroom Before & After, Romantic Dining Area Before & After.

by Roxanne -

Women’s Apparel Industry is Asleep

By now you’ve noticed some big quality and price differences in men’s and women’s clothing. Especially for casual clothing, men’s clothing is typically less expensive for the quality level, better made in general and fits better. Men usually have a two-size option for their clothing which means a nicer fit and therefore it looks and wears better.

Women’s clothes, on the other hand, cost more, are not made very well and have minimal size options. Although women have more body dimensions, manufacturers usually make only one-size option for women’s apparel (misses sizes 4-18). On occasion sometimes pants or tops will come petite, average and tall, but not often.

So what to do? So far I’ve been pretty good about adhering to my challenge of buying no new clothes this year. So I’m not going to be looking for casual clothes anytime soon. But if you are, I strongly recommend resale clothing stores that carry men’s clothing.

In resale shops you will find that men’s used shirts come in a rainbow of colors to wear in place of a sweater. In fact, the colors in resale stores are likely to be the colors women prefer – pastels and brights. They are super soft for sleeping in. The 2-way size option (neck, sleeve length) means you can find a size that fits better – unless you have a larger bust. But even then, just leave the shirt casually unbuttoned with a bright tank top underneath.

Men’s khakis and jeans may actually fit you better because you have both the waist and length size options. Again the construction is usually excellent. Already washed and worn means the fabric is softer. The new “boyfriend jeans” look is made for hijacking men’s pants. At resale store prices you can afford more than one pair.

Finally, for new clothing, men’s sport socks (gray and white) and dress socks look nicer, shrink to fit women who wear shoe sizes 8-10 and cost less. Men’s sleep pants are a better option for the same reasons.

Like my post on the furniture industry, the women’s apparel industry is not only patriarchal but deeply asleep. But you don’t have to be!

You may also like Where Do Our Clothes Come From? and Non Profit Economy.