Autumnal Colour

 I think we can all agree Autumn has some of the most fabulous colors to put on show for us. Here are some of my favorites...

 
 The bright blue skies,dark nights and vibrant oranges..
 Rich Browns, Mossy Greens and Rusts and Deep Sunny Yellows

Or Pumpkin Orange, Dusky Violet, and Squash Stem Greens..

 Some other fall favorites...
 

Well back to school and reality has been kicking my "arse". Homework every day!!!, back to school nights, pta meetings, fall canning , bedroom makeover plus now some very part time work at my girlfriends pre school.

My friend asked me to come over the other day to make stuffed cabbages, ( if your interested let me know I'll put the recipe up, they are pretty simple) she hasn't made them since Nana passed away last year. It was fun to sit in Nana's kitchen and make them, it was a good day I finally got around to do some canning and need to do more ASAP!! I need to start harvesting my Sage and Thyme

I finished my project for the My Sisters Knitter Kal/Cal ...Finally! I am not crazy how it turned out but it will be a good everyday around my neck sort of thing. I wanted to finish more projects but a bedroom makeover got int the way . I went from a dusky purple/ reddish color to a green gold and very light violet. I ended up working around my nightstands i re painted. they took me in a whole new direction. I was going to go with a lavender but such is life and creativity. You think you are going one way and than BAM a whole new direction.

Now back to they colors..The Halloween hexie will go into a mug rug or coaster or maybe a bunting I don't know yet. I have been really into the turquoises, black and orange. I am going to make a baby beanie with it, I joined the Beanie- a-long with Me over at Knitspiring Odyssey with Stephanie a really fun blog. Give her a visit.

Well, back to homework ugh....I would love to hear what your favorite Autumn colorway? It will give me something to look forward to during painting!

Be well,
Ming

"A Good Cup" Chai Tea Recipe...

Well it's been a week or so since I blogged....back to school always gets me, glad to be back!

If you want an authentic Chai Tea recipe here you go. This is not the stuff you get at Starbucks! after studying yoga for over 10 years with my teacher... I have picked up quite a few delicious  authentic Indian recipes...a very nice perk!!( recipe below). As well as some photos of our Labor Day vacation and summers last push in the garden...

So the last few days of summer break and beginning of a new school year were...well let's say eventful . Here is the short of it, we took a trip to Stroudsburg, Pa to visit the train museums( the little guy was in heaven!)..we had a trip to the ER for  the little guy with sprained/broken arm Labor Day weekend. You see that's what happens when you are trying to avoid becoming a zombie and jump from a tree house swing set.

Brand new eye glasses for first grade, oldest son starting his new job and new place in the world now that he is out of college. Our youngest daughter is doing well in India for her semester in her new traveling high school and so on and so on.

I am back in my back to school blues...I miss my little guy being home with me and now with the glasses and busted arm he looks so much like a big guy. However, i can get back into my workroom and finish up some projects. I have been working really hard on my knitting to finish up my projects for the My Sister's Knitter KAL/CAL. So much so I have needle wound on the tips of my fingers!

On the first week of school the weather changed, so autumn like, so one night my husband brought home take out form our favorite Indian restaurant and I made some Chai Tea.

Chai Tea

Indian Black Tea loose (Indian grocery stores,We like Lipton yellow label.)

Green Cardamom pods

Tea Masala (we like the SWAD brand)or you can make your own

raw sugar ( however much you desire)

Organic milk

Rose water

 Optional...fresh ginger slices,vanilla or whatever comes to mind!

In a pot bring to boil 3 cups of water...add loose tea, my teachers instructions"sprinkle until it covers the top" I saw about 1/4 cup ...boil for 2/3 minutes. Lower the heat add milk until you get a nice caramel color. I tend to stay a bit to a darker caramel cause I like to add some frothed milk later. Add spices, start with a 1/8 tsp of the masala at first until you figure out how spicy you like it. I use a 1/2 of tsp now. Try to smash the cardamom pods too a bit. Add the raw sugar and turn the hit back up to a simmer for another 2/3 minutes to incorporate it all. Now, my husband wants me to be like the Chai street vendors in India and pour it back in forth from cup to cup in a long stream to make it frothy. Yeah, no... I have very small arms!! So I like to forth a bit of milk and add that. Now, before you pour, add a drop or two of  Rose water into the cup. Add more sugar if you like. Also experiment with other spices. Be creative and Enjoy!!

Now back to the work room today. Its a good day for that as the weather has switched back to a steamy 95 degrees! But I really feel like baking today !! We'll see what happens;-)!

Have a wonderful day!

Ming

Love and peace to all beings everywhere and may all suffering be eased.

Approaching...

Summer is ending a Fall is approaching. Its been a very nice summer, nothing super exciting or fancy travels but a lot of good ol' quality time with friends and family and nature. Some of this weeks images below,. I am going to miss having the little guy around all day and walking the garden and finding something new each day.  I also approached my first Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  project too...

I have to say I am addicted ..it was fun, could be quick (if I only had a moment to myself!) and relatively easy. No priming, No sanding, No problems. I bought my bedroom set 23 yrs ago but could only afford the sleigh bed and a small dresser at the time and never got around to night stands. By the time I could afford it they were long gone. These tables were from our girls bedroom. They were my daughters Great grandmothers. I had painting them white years ago with latex paint ..Not so good! Then I heard of chalk paint. I know I am pretty late to the game with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints but, if you are too, you need to check out Deneen from Dreaming in Color. She is a fellow Jersey girl who has this amazing blog filled with all her creations and furniture pieces. This new obsession is all her fault now ;-), as I just ordered three more paint colors and now have multiple pieces lined up to transform. I used Paris Grey as the base color and with the Clear Wax then a subtle hint of the Dark Wax and then finally gold leaf. The possibilities are endless. You can layer the paints, distress, add gilding waxes. You can go with a heavily distressed look or smooth plaster look. I went with very little distressing here and the French Gilding Wax in Kings Gold cause I am from Jersey after all and I do like my glitz!  I think they blend nicely with my bed and the hint dark wax really brings it all together. I am going to paint the inside of the drawers in Versailles. Next on the block is my girl's bathroom vanity. This was actually my first project but Paris Grey wasn't the right color. I will be using Scandinavian Pink with Old Ochre over top and lightly distressed. i got all my supplies from Classic Wall Finishes. I highly recommend Classic Wall Finishes. They are quick with shipping , great prices and extremely helpful. Patty, called me when I placed my first order and spent about 40 minutes on the phone with me walking me through different techniques. She was fabulous. I am looking forward to taking one of her workshops one day. Luckily she is only about an hour or so away from me.
I strongly suggest if you are looking to paint some furniture to try Annie Sloan paints.

I hope you all have a great holiday weekend. We are taking a few days off and are going to fit in some day trips before school starts.I apologize for not having a recipe for you today...I am having the cooking blahs at the moment.Well at least today that is!

Be Well,
Donna

I am also repainting my bedroom in the next few weeks too... A little bedroom makeover is in order, it's been 13 yrs with the wall colors!

Will Smith's family's faces during the Miley Cyrus performance at the VMA's.... priceless!But not her performance :-(

Pretty,Projects & Pasta

Well, it's winding down, summer that is but life is going to be full force once again. I was starting to feel a bit anxious...you see I am the mother that doesn't like to see the kids go back to school, well when they are little that is teens need to be in school 24/7 365!!! . They are only little for such a short time and I have enjoyed and cherished watching my little guy playing Legos all day or at the beach or getting ice cream at our favorite ice cream stand. I have loved hearing him in his bedroom using his imagination and acting out the stories boards he created in his mind.  We had some great conversations and great downtime...It was a good summer for us!
 My little guy wasn't feeling well so we stayed close to home.  It was a good thing I was able to work on creating a new baby booty pattern and picked up "way to long on the needles" knitting projects. I really want to finish these for my KAL/CAL.
I am also working on spending less time at the grocery store. I did a run down on what I spent in food this summer and it was a bit high OBNOXIOUS!! So I went to the fridge and used what I had in there for tonight's dinner.  Penne pasta with pan seared tomatoes and prosciutto. Simple easy quick and it did the trick. My garden is producing a lot of the cherry tomatoes at the moment so this was perfect. This could very easily be meatless and add some radicchio would be good I think.

• 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 large Vidalia onion sliced
• Prosciutto or nay type of ham,for meatless use radicchio sliced
• 1 lb penne pasta
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 1/4 half and half ( i use organic)
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese grated
• olive oil

Cook pasta according to package (make sure to add a good amount of salt to the water, this flavors the pasta) save some pasta water. Heat olive oil in a saute pan till hot. Add onion & prosciutto let it get crisp but not burn. Now add the tomatoes, heat is still pretty high at this point but again you don't want it to burn. When the skins start to split on the tomatoes start to crush them. Now add the reserved pasta water and let it all blend to make a nice sauce. Once blended cut the heat and add the half and half. Drain the pasta and add directly into the saute pan. Turn the heat back on medium  add a tablespoon of butter and give it all a good stir and let the sauce gloss the pasta. Last add the grated cheese and serve at once.

Enjoy!
Ming


I am also cherishing my pretty summer flowers and butterflies!