My mother in law is crafty in more ways than one. She sent out a list of questions a few weeks ago looking for ideas to make some homemade gifts this year. I love that idea. I thought maybe y'all would enjoy it, too. I really enjoyed imagining the answers to question #4 far more than looking through catalogs for something to put on my Christmas list. I've added a few questions of my own here, too. Hopefully this will be inspiration for other crafty gift givers out there.
1. What is your favorite recipe? (Hmm. Is a cookbook of some sort in the works?)
Here's one I picked up while working at my first job which was at a local Jewish bakery. I started to work there on my thirteen birthday. On cold mornings, Iris, the manager, would make this for our breakfast after we iced all the coffee cakes and put all the baked goods out for customers. It's so simple you can make it on a hot plate like we did. Today I like to use my fancy copper frying pan. To me this is a comfort food that evokes my childhood and the transition to being a career girl because I've been working and cooking ever since.
Eggs ala Iris
2 eggs
2 tbsp cream cheese
butter for the pan
Beat the eggs and scramble them in a frying pan. Before the eggs firm up completely add small bits of the cream cheese and combine. The eggs should be firm but not well done. The cream cheese will be molten blobs of rich goodness.
Optional add ins: a few tablespoons of sliced scallions or diced tomatoes. This is not an omelette. The eggs are the star here.
Serve with a toasted buttered poppy seed or everything bagel. Seeded rye toast works, too.
2. What is your favorite color? I'm partial to apple green, aquamarine, sky blue, dove gray, candy apple red and cherry blossom pink
3. What size regular shirt or sweatshirts do you wear? I'm kind of particular about this. I only wear zip up hoodie sweatshirts. As for shirts, if it's a T, I only like the girly cut type like the ones made by American Apparel. If it's a boxy man's cut or if it or falls lower than my waist I won't wear it. Let's just say the size rhymes with Marge.
4.
If you could have anything made for you what would it be? A scarf. I love lightweight ones I can wear in the office as well as a bulkier one for keeping warm outside.
ORA hat. Pom Poms and tassels are welcome in my wacky world.
(Please note that I am unfortunately, allergic to wool. I get all rashy and cranky
if I wear wool. Although I've had limited success with cashmere and
merino.)
ORA bag I can take my lunch to work in. I imagine it having a flat rectangular bottom . We use reusable glass dishes for our lunches, so some support or a little cushioning on the bottom would be great.
Craftapalooza provided a link to the
Sew Mama Sew blog's
November Handmade Holidays- 30 Days of Gifts to Sew. November 4th's post featured several
awesome lunch bag tutorials to choose from. I'm kind of digging this
owl fabric, or this one called
Algae paperweight by Kaffe Fassett.
ORA new handbag. Something roomy enough to hold all the gadgets I carry around with me and a few interior pockets to keep it all organized. It's got to be big enough to tuck in a magazine or a newspaper section. I'm smitten with the
Frenchy bag pattern by Amy Butler. I could imagine it made with any of these fabrics:
Nest Bark in Blossom, Joel Dewberry's
Damask Espresso,
Marine Dandy Damask or
Pistachio Dandy Damask by Michael Miller, or just about
any of the colors in Kaffe Fassett's paperweight collection would make me ecstatic, too.
5. Is there anything you want or need that you wouldn't get for yourself? A letter opener. I know it sounds like something a granny would want for a gift but that's how I roll. Mail is pouring in from my nieces/pen pals and my other important peeps. I need a fabulous letter opener like the kind a glamorous starlet in a old black and white movie would use to open all her important correspondence.
6. What color schemes are in your home? Our kitchen makes use of green, coral and cream. Drawer pulls, trivets, peppermill, etc are copper. The living room is sky blue. Deep blue and ochre complement the walls. Our bedroom is cobalt blue now but we'll be painting that soon to a sage green. Our bathroom is a classic 1930's black and white. The only color free room in the house. Towels are several shades of light green. The studio has neutral beige walls, chocolate brown shelves and accents of pale blues and greens.
7. Do you collect anything? Oh, my, yes. vintage buttons. old figural salt and pepper shakers. Bird illustrations or books. Vintage tile trivets, aprons and tablecloths. Sparkly shoes.
8. What is inspiring you right now? Acorns. Pine trees covered with snow. Fields of cotton. Seahorses. Gold glitter. Freshwater pearls. Embroidery. Marshmallows. Owls. Tea. Polaroids. The sound of crunch leaves.