{scissor variations}

what i didn't take pictures of...

 

• the amazing beef rolls at the Peaceful Restaurant. iphones outnumbered chopsticks. sometimes dining out can feel like a collective piece of performance art.

 

• the exuberant blossoms e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. i kept thinking i should take a photo every time i stepped out the door. i decided just to take it all in anew each time as if i hadn't seen it 5 minutes, an hour, a day ago.

 

•  Daiso. i was too busy getting lost in the mundane usefullness + uselessness of it all. this is not to say i won't share photos of what captured my toonies during this visit. i have been many times but i still enjoy rediscovering this Japanese dollar store every year.

 

• Beautiful bread. a wonderful neighborhood bakery. sometimes smell is the best memory.

 

 sometimes i want to be in the moment while it is happening.

not looking back at a photo later to 'observe' it

not every time.

but yes, this time.

whipping up a pizza in 18 hours

Disclaimer: This is NOT a food blog! NEW craft projects are on the horizon. i've been tackling a major craft room makeover/do-over/switcheroo . 'til then we still gotta eat. and for me cooking is creative. so it all fits in here somewhere.

 

i am a fan of Jim Lahey's no knead bread and now his pizza dough has captured my attention.

last month's Bon Appetit magazine had a feature article on his pizza dough-so of course i had to try it.

this was my 3rd time making up a batch of the dough-and every time i have been pleased at how it has turned out.

and 'yes' the dough has an 18 hour 'waiting' period. and then a smidge more time added onto that.

i think the end result is totally worth the wait.

 

we've been freezing the pizzas and have found that they do freeze well. the recipe makes 6--- 10" pizzas, which is a lot for our small household, so freezing works for us.

 

pie shaping has never been my strength. luckily this does not affect the taste.

 

i suggest you tackle this with another person in the kitchen if you are baking all 6 pies in one 'session'. it can be challenging prepping, getting one pizza in the oven, taking a pizza out, waiting 5 minutes in between baking each pie so the oven can heat up again and maneuvering around 6 pizzas that have just come out of a 500 degree oven----no matter the size of your kitchen a second pair of hands is extremely helpful in this case. and given that each pie only bakes for 5-7 minutes this happens fairly quickly--so sign up a sous chef to help!

 

favorites: small + medium

 

 

tiny sewing case + moth, found in the bottom of a dusty old box.

a dictionary or thesaurus with thumb notches. irresistable.

(re)newed old favorites

 

Birthday Silhouette Labels (these are a terrific size + fun to frame for a celebration) + what is a birthday without a beautifully wrapped gift? We love adding these delicate wired stem glass flowers as the topper on a gift box.

Kraft Border Labels + Vintage 'Freezer Fresh' Ice Cream Pails (i love these for packaging gifts)

 

Pharmacy Label Mega Packet--gather up some bottles in interesting shapes and add some of these fun labels for an instant collection. also entertaining just to read the directions on many of these.

Vintage Ice Cream Boxes--fun wrapping for a special gift. add some beautiful ribbon and a special tag for a 'delicious' presentation.

Vintage Cardboard Yo-Yo Label + wrapping string--this vintage packaging card has retro graphics on the reverse showing all the "cool" yo-yo moves.

Spring Rabbits are perfect embellishments for baby showers + tea parties. Our popular Cream Ticket Bundles (100!) are back in stock for only $2.25 each! And our love affair continues with these gorgeous Fluted French Sequins in the palest of pinks.

 

Check out the What's New page for all of the restocked products

www.papiervalise.com

 

favorite things to organize

 

i am a list-maker.

i make different kinds of lists in different kinds of notebooks. 

this little notebook is where i organize my perpetual lists--i just keep adding things to it and crossing them off as they are done. if something needs to be done again, i jot it down again and cross it off again.

since i started doing this i get more things done. not sure why that is exactly. i have completed 1 of these books since i started jotting down my more mundane lists this way.

alphabet sorting---sorting leads to a lot of rediscovering

sorting through little boxes of number trim--i never tire of looking at these. they just make me happy. hopefully they will make our customers happy too (soon these will be available in their original boxes)

sorting through vintage velvet flora + fauna---one of my favorite things to sort + package. the workmanship of these is amazing-circa 1946.

(...awaiting 'to do' list designation)

these little notebooks with their sparkly covers + thick paper are a name brand that retails for $16. a bit 'dear' for a mundance to do list.

however, i scored them at the bargain shop for $2.

keep your eyes open + try perusing the stationery aisles at bargain shops for product 'seconds' or old product lines of reputable stationery companies.

 

weekend leftovers

 

raskog, kikkoman + brussel sprouts

 

(hanging some screenprints)

several years ago i got the low-down from someone that the screen printing department at the university had a sale every year where every print was the same 'set' price and in limited edition runs. a super affordable way to collect some great art.

  from the photo it is a bit difficult to see the beautiful color and details, the toothiness of the paper. but it is there i can assure you. i got some other larger pieces as well-- gorgeous saturated color, muted tones, serious subject matter. and sushi subject matter.

there is so much affordable art out there. start looking. stay alert. keep your ears open for the low-down.

 

(while out picking up brussel sprouts i got a little side tracked)

 

do you like brussel sprouts? i'm a little late to the brussel sprouts party, so i am making up for lost time. trim them up, slice them in half, place on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil. add kosher salt + pepper. roast 'til done (not too long). delicious.

 

OR. trim. par boil (again, not too long 7-8 minutes). slice in half. toss in a baking dish (single layer). pour some heavy cream half way up the dish (maybe a 1/4" high). sprinkle with some cooked bacon. dust with buttered panko crumbs. bake 'til heated through + bubbly.

 

oh yes, side-tracked.  the brussel sprouts store was right beside IKEA. the RASKOG trolley is identical to one i had seen in a magazine a few years back.

the components are fairly heavy and feel quite substantial, so i have hopes that it will be quite sturdy and not a flimsy piece of easy-to-put-together-furniture.  need to actually put it together to give a final say. but it is looking promising.

 

 

&

 

more randomness, side tracking +things i saw + liked this week:

this literally took my breath away.

i think this community is onto something. when will the rest of us catch up? (thanks for sharing Molly)

the new covet garden is available to swoon over. and over. don't forget the back issues. i just found out today that the artist whose home was featured in issue 17 , Cybele Young, has a gallery show in my city until the end of the month.  Check out the sculpture section of her website--intricate, tiny, teeny clothing. her work encompasses the minutest of details.

 

the door to my weekend opened here last night. shimmer + cupcakes. a perfect combination.

 

 

enjoy your weekend whether you spend it cooking a great meal, taking in a sunset or wielding an allen key.

 

 

flax seeds + chocolatizing

 

Do not discount the seduction of FLAXSEED! These cookies are delicious. Not too sweet, with a lovely nutty flavor. Perfect with tea.

 

Oatmeal Flax Cookies

adapted from Bonnie Stern (this recipe is not in any of her cookbooks, but appeared in one of our national newspapers about 10 years ago)

Makes approx. 50 cookies

Allow 2 hours freezing time for the dough

 

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup ground flax

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups flax seeds, whole or lightly crushed

 

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and white and brown sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer until light. Beat in eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour with ground flax and baking soda. Stir well. Add to batter. (This is a thick soft dough and my KitchenAid sometimes labors when mixing this part.)

Stir in rolled oats and flax seed (see above regarding the mixer...). At this point I sometimes dump the dough into a very large bowl and mix in the loose flour mixture that usually sits in the bottom of the mixing bowl with a large wooden spoon or by hand. It is a lot of dough, but it is not stiff.

Shape cookies into 2 logs approximately 2" x 12" and wrap tightly in parchment paper. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

Slice logs into 1/4" rounds and arrange on cookie sheets in a single layer. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on racks.

I usually can fit about 20 cookies per baking sheet. They do spread a bit while baking, so their sides will touch if putting this many on your baking sheet.

 

My Notes

A coffee grinder can easily grind the flax seeds, but you can also find pre-ground flaxseed at the grocery store. I store mine in the refrigerator.

When I make the cookie logs for freezing I just flatten the logs off on all sides--the dough is soft at this stage and I find it easier to handle and to make the "sides" of the logs flat.

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies -luckily they freeze well.

Keep the cookie logs on hand in your freezer and just slice and bake a few as needed.

 

.....and if you are so inclined

i have been baking these cookies for at least 10 years and today was the first time i decided to 'chocolatize' a dozen. i did not hear any complaints.

 

I own all of Bonnie Stern's cookbooks -- she creates wonderful recipes that are FULL of flavor. She has written several Heart Smart cookbooks and they are some of the best cookbooks I own. The best. And I own a lot of cookbooks.

Bonnie Stern's website.

DIY: ReadyMade folding screen project

 
 

several years ago i tore out an article in ReadyMade Magazine  that showed how to make a folding screen. it sat for a long time in my "things to do" binder. then a few years ago i came across the article again and decided that i needed to make one (or several, as it turned out).

 

the article showed some variations on the materials used for the panels. i wanted all of the panels to be pegboard so i could "hang" various things such as craft tools and clipboards for inspiration. i decided to only cover about 3/4 of each panel (as opposed to the entire length), as i knew in some cases the hinged panels would be placed behind tables and the lower portion would not be used.

 

(reverse side of chalkboard)

 

the ease of building this project is that it uses 4 IVAR frames from IKEA as the base. you hinge them together to create the folding function of your screen.

 

then you put your "panels" (in my case pegboard) on top + fasten with screws. 

 

i purchased the pegboard at the local hardware store and had THEM cut it to the measurements i needed--totally worth it to have all of your pieces sized correctly, cut, and ready in less than 15 minutes.

 

screw the panels into place on top of the IVAR frames, screw in your hinges between the panels and you're good to go. add your pegboard hooks, also available at hardware and industrial/organizational supply stores. you can also use molding trim to create ledges to lean items.

 

we made 4 of these-- 2 panels for each screen, using a total of 8 IVAR frames.

 

(sorry, poor lighting...)

 

the screen is super sturdy, and because the IVAR panels themselves are slim it folds up neatly for storage. i move mine around depending on where i may need them. currently i use them in my office, my craft room and behind our shipping counter. these are now several years old and are as sturdy as the day we made them.

 

 

the chalkboard i made late last summer and it was made using the same technique. i had plywood cut to fit at the hardware store--this time cut a wee bit wider so it would fit exactly flush with the IVAR frame (see above). i also kept the plywood panel full length, so it would run all the way down the length of the IVAR frame leaving 2" of the legs showing. i painted the plywood with 3 coats of chalkboard paint and then screwed the painted plywood onto the IVAR frame.

 

 

i had been saving a Shanna Murray decal specifically for this project and i love how it turned out. i plan on making 2 more chalkboard "panels" to compliment this one and of course the fun part will be choosing 2 more of Shanna's decals to spiff them up. she has new decals debuting in April, so my prepped chalkboard panels will just have to be patient a wee bit longer. i like the idea of maybe getting one in the silver and maybe another in grey. i like the idea of a bit of shimmer paired with the matte of the chalkboard.

 

FULL Instructions for the ReadyMade Folding Screen project --see the other suggested materials used to build their screen project as well as directions and measurements to complete the project.

 I used the 20" x 70" IVAR shelving frames

**i am not sure when the original article was published for those of you who keep your ReadyMade magazines, as the link i found on their site did not give a date. unfortunately I can't find my "torn out" article for reference. but it was several years ago.**

 

 

missoni collection by value village

 

 i had a few Barbies growing up, but i could take them or leave them. i was more enamored of the portable cases and closets, the plastic scrolled hangers and shoes, and the tiny details on the clothing.

 

 

now when i find myself in a thrift store i quickly peruse the bagged up Barbies to see what they're wearing. and i check their hair. i search for matted, tangled hair. this can be a telltale sign that it is an older Barbie--and if you're lucky they'll be sporting a retro outfit.  

 

last fall Missoni created a collection for Target.  i remember, as a kid, that my mother had some Missoni clothing.

   

one day in the VV Boutique i did my usual Barbie scan. my eyes became fixated on the dress of one Barbie.

Matted hair? Check.

Cute dress-and pink + orange, no less? Check.

Missoni?

Indeed the dress was reminiscent of Missoni, with some chevrony-craziness going on.

 Hmmm.

Missoni in miniature? Check.

Frameable? Check.

my Missoni.

 

(this post on Blair's blog is what actually opened my eye spy eyes to Missoni again)

 

**when i find miniature clothing pieces i gently wash them in a delicate detergent, rinse and press out the excess water. you can then "block" the clothing -like you would do after washing a quilt or afghan--pinning the perimeter so it will dry flat, or simply place the piece between 2 towels to dry--a heavy book on top helps.