Haven of Creativity

I know winter isn’t over yet, but I’m trying my best to ignore the gray, cold days by dreaming of my garden this spring! I have begun to get my seeds started indoors. They will eventually be moved to the greenhouse when it warms up and they don’t need a grow light. I am growing herbs, flowers and vegetables which will be planted in my yard and garden, and some will be offered for sale. I always plant too many, so they will need homes!

I love herbs, first and foremost, and always grow parsley, dill, thyme, chives, rosemary, lemon verbena, oregano, mint and basil. I also grow cilantro, but for the seeds, known as coriander. It’s amazing that a seed can taste so different from the leaves of the same plant. That is definitely the case with cilantro and coriander. I love the sweet flavor of the seed and it adds a wonderful flavor to salsa and sauce. I am looking forward to establishing an asparagus bed as well. I will start some from seed, but will also purchase some crowns which will enable a harvest in 2 years. By starting them from seeds, it will be 3 years before they can be harvested, so I look forward to that time when the hopeful waiting will pay off.

I also will be adding more of a cutting garden this year. Zinnias, dahlias, bachelor buttons, straw flowers, sunflowers, in addition to the shasta daisies, carnations and coneflowers already in my flower beds. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been able to do what I have wanted to with my garden, yard and greenhouse, but this year will be better. I’m working through some health challenges and have more energy and I also have less stress than I have had the last several years. We never know what’s around the corner, but I feel prepared to handle whatever comes my way.

Having faith in God is really key to everything for me. Whenever I begin to worry too much, or feel down and not sure what to do, I can pray and feel so much better. He truly does help us find solutions and bear our burdens. Being hopeful about the future is the beginning of making changes and plans. Getting out of your comfort zone and proving to yourself that you can achieve what you keep dreaming about. No one said it would be easy, but if we keep trying who knows what we can accomplish.

It’s been a busy couple of months, as I’m sure you can relate! This time of year is filled with so much fun and activities. On October 21st my grandson, Chase Matthew entered the world and has delighted us ever since! He is just precious and is such a good baby. He is very content when his diaper is changed and his belly is full and his smiles just melt my heart!

I have been enjoying time with my granddaughters, which is one of my favorite things. We made gingerbread houses the weekend before Christmas. When you have children in your life, this time of year is extra special. Every year I tell myself that I’m going to be finished shopping early so that I can relax and enjoy the fun of baking and spending time with family. So far, I have not accomplished the early finish, but will continue to strive for that goal!

We all had a wonderful holiday and I hope that you have too. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve and a new year is full of promise and hope. We never know what’s around the corner, so enjoy every day of this wonderful life.

 

Today I made my last batch of pesto. Basil does not like when it gets cold, and if you have some planted, you may notice it is getting some dark spots. If you still have nice basil, make pesto before it frosts. My recipe is:
2-3 cups packed basil leaves, 3 cloves garlic, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano grated cheese and 1/2 cup olive oil.
Place all but the olive oil into a food processor and pulse several times to get leaves nuts, and garlic broken up. Add a little pepper, I don’t add salt. While the food processor is running, pour olive oil in, in a steady stream. Pesto can be stored in an airtight container for one week. Place plastic wrap on the surface of the pesto so it doesn’t turn brown. I also freeze in ice cube trays, then place in a freezer bag. When you need a cube or two, they thaw quickly.

We had a wonderful time in August on Long Beach Island, NJ. I think it will always be my “Happy Place” as long as I live! There is something so special about it and maybe it’s the familiar places, streets, people, shops, restaurants, etc. that make it that way, or just the way I feel when I’m there.

We had beautiful days on the beach, fun in the pool, shopped at How to Live, and ate great food at the Gazebo, Beach Haven Fishery and Barry’s Do Me a Flavor. We hope to return for a weekend at the end of the month.

My son started back to school and so far so good! He also is playing drums in a band with 3 other friends and is loving it. When our kids are happy, we are too! My granddaughter, Karlie, started Pre-K and is also doing well. She loves crafting with me and comes over often. Her baby brother is due next month and that will be a change for her, I’m sure. I know she will love him dearly and be a protective big sister. We are working on a canvas painting together for her baby brother’s room and I’m excited to finish it with her this week. My other granddaughter, Lilli, will be a big cousin to the new little one, and she has an important role too! I have some surprises for both girls at the shower this weekend so they feel special too!

I am trying to get every last drop of summer out of September before the colder weather sets in! I do love fall, but I’m not a fan of winter. I love the change of colors in the trees and building a fire in the cool evenings.

My thoughts and prayers certainly are with those struck by the hurricanes. I know the cleanup and rebuild will be a long process. I hope most can return to some semblance of normal soon.

Onward and Upward!

Susan

In this day and age I think it’s quite a challenge to “Live Simply.” We have so many outside distractions vying for our time, thoughts and attention. Social media, cell phones, TV and more. That doesn’t even include the real people standing in front of us!

To live simply requires commitment and forethought as well as planning. Scaling down our possessions we have acquired is a start. When we keep what just really matters to us, it can free up a lot of space, physically and emotionally. Cleaning out closets and cupboards of all the things that are taking up space, yet we don’t ever use anymore. I can be guilty of placing frequently used items on the counter in the kitchen because they don’t have a place, yet my cupboards are filled with things I never use. That’s a little backwards!

Getting back to eating like our grandparents did, by cooking from scratch and knowing where our ingredients come from can be overwhelming! We’re all so busy and take out and fast food is so convenient. But…we are paying a price for that convenience in many ways. Planting a garden takes time and effort and you need a little space, but it can be done. Shopping locally and at farmer’s markets and farm stands is so rewarding. Cutting up fresh ingredients, cooking together as a family and sitting down to meals together is a lost art these days, but it is recoverable.

I have found that as I’ve gotten older, saying “no”or “I’m not sure I am able to do that” has been freeing. I don’t mean we shouldn’t be generous with our time, but pick and choose those things you spend your time doing. Say “yes” for the right reasons–Not to save face or impress someone or because someone will be mad or talk about you. Say “yes” because it helps someone, it makes a difference, and your family doesn’t suffer for it.

I don’t know what the answer is, but I think starting to Live Mindful will lead to Live Simply. Being aware of our surroundings in our home, doing things that matter and not allowing ourselves to be pulled into giving our time to things that don’t matter is a daily goal to strive for. It’s a start!

I have created a Facebook page for Haven of Creativity and now this page is more visible. I guess anytime you put yourself out there it’s a little scary. I am very passionate about creating, writing and crafting so what you see is who I am. If someone can learn something here, try something new or even step out of their own comfort zone and take a plunge into something fulfilling, then YAY! We’ve each got one life. “Live your truth,” as my beautiful friend Kristen Tripolitis says, and be your authentic self! Here’s to taking those first steps!

Well August is upon us and as much as I love the summer, this humidity can leave any time now! I’m so thankful for mulch, which is keeping the weeds down, and for air conditioning, which is keeping me sane! I enjoy spending time in my yard, tending to my herbs and flowers, but lately they’ve been on their own!
I will be going to the shore later this month for a long weekend and I can’t wait to get my toes in the sand. We weren’t able to get there last year, so I am really looking forward to some ocean time. There is something so peaceful about being at the ocean’s edge: feeling the cool water, the warming sun, hearing the sounds of seagulls and waves. It has always been a time of reflection and renewal for me. We go to Long Beach Island, NJ, otherwise known as my “happiest place on earth.”
I’m sure you all have a place that makes you feel the way I do when I’m at the shore. Maybe it’s a vacation spot, a family member’s home, or your own backyard. Sometimes I just close my eyes, picture the beach, listen for the sounds and it is a 30-second vacation. I am so grateful to God for all of the wonderful gifts he has given us, including the ability to go anywhere we want to go just by closing our eyes. How priceless! Maybe this will inspire you to close your eyes and take a mini vacation. We can’t always physically be in our “happiest place on earth,” but we can visit in our minds anytime. For me, it is one of the ways I am reminded of the tools God has given us to center ourselves when we are overwhelmed or stressed with life’s challenges. Focusing on the gifts we have makes all the difference.

Many years ago, I taught classes on paper making and sold paper making kits. Well, I think the time has come to do it again. We all know how important it is to reuse and recycle and what better way to do it than with junk mail and paper we would otherwise throw away.

I like to put dried flowers and seeds in my paper and also to experiment with creating different colors. Seed paper can be planted, so they are fun to include in a card so that the recipient can plant it and enjoy your gift for a long time.

If you and a few friends would be interested in a paper making workshop, let me know and we can set a time for a class! I will have kits available for purchase and there is a discount on kits if you take a class.

Here are a few pictures of my herb garden. I have others areas with flowers and herbs, but this is the largest and right at my patio. It makes it so convenient when cooking and also to weed and maintain. I have been making a lot of Tabbouleh lately, since I love it and I used to make it and enjoy it with my Nanny. I need to have parsley on hand, as well as mint. I have been buying tomatoes since mine are still growing.

Chives, thyme and rosemary will come back each year. Sometimes if the the winter is hard, rosemary may not return, but in a protected area, it usually will. The other herbs I plant each year are parsley, basil (love pesto!), cilantro (I love it for the coriander seeds it produces), dill and stevia.  I also grow lemon verbena in pots and bring them in every fall before the frost. they will look dead by late winter, but as spring approaches, you will see growth and they will get their fragrant leaves once again. The leaves are the truest lemon fragrance I have ever found in a plant, including lemon balm.

I hope you are enjoying some herbs this time of year!

 

Today is the first day of June and the sun is gloriously shining!  May was a month full of rain. I sure do hope June continues to bring some sunshine and low humidity days to PA!

I had a hysterectomy in early May and I am doing very well at this point. Robotic, laparoscopic surgery is the way to go, my friends! I am 4 weeks post surgery and am back at work and feeling pretty good. I really think the rain is God’s way of making me stay inside and not be weeding (which needs to be done!) or pushing myself. I am looking forward to getting back out in the yard, for sure. I am preparing my craft room for making how-to videos of some of my favorite craft projects. I think it will be a fun way to share the many years of crafting that I have enjoyed.

I have been crafting all of my life. I would love to earn a living by creating, so over the years I have learned to do many things, hoping that I would discover what it is I should be concentrating on. Well, at this stage of my life, I am discovering that being able to do a lot of things is OK! I think it has prepared me to inspire and teach others how to find their inner crafter.  Everything has led me to this journey and I LOVE when my granddaughters know that we will be creative when they are with Grammy and the craft room holds all the possibilities their imaginations can dream up! I hope to grow this site with all things creative!  I am feeling better and hope to have some pictures and how-to’s up soon. I’d love any feedback you have to offer.