Marmalade!

This past fall I made my first foray into canning. I made: pumpkin butter, pear ginger butter, crabapple jelly, pomengrante jelly, pickeled beets, pickeled carrots... and probably some other things that I can't even remember anymore. I loved it. I loved being able to reach into my cupboard for xmas gifts. So I haven't done any canning since the fall. Last week, my friend, Arjun, mailed me the most beautiful cookbook: The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook.

Arjun and I used to see the author selling her jam at the local farmer's market in Oakland. It was pretty great to see she had made a book. Receiving this book got me back on the canning kick. This book is lovely because it's organized to what is seasonally available. Although, as I'm not living in the Bay Area anymore, a lot of the fruit she uses will be harder to find here. Today I decided to try to make Blood Orange, Strawberry, and Rosemary Marmalade. I know it's not strawberry season here, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get blood oranges when the strawberries are in season here. I'm also not sure how much of a fan of marmalade I am. I can't remember the last time I had it. I remember wanting to try it as a kid because it was Paddington Bear's favourite food, but I remember not being too impressed with it. I make a lot of things because I like the process and aesthetic more than the food itself. Hence, making the jellies. I'd much rather have jam, but jellies are just so pretty to make. I'm sure this marmalade will be delicious. I'm not a big orange eater, but during blood orange season I eat them voraciously. Marmalade in this book is a two or three day process. This marmalade will be done tomorrow. If all goes well, I will attempt Lemon Pink Grapefruit Marmalade next weekend, as it is grapefruit season. I'm looking forward to the fall to try Cranberry Pomengranate Marmalade.

09 Sept 2009

Joan Miro. Painting. 1933.

This is probably one of the first cards I got from Taina after I moved from the East Bay, California to Hamilton, Ontario.
This card reminds me of the summer I spent in Spain in 2000. I spent most of my time in Barcelona taking Spanish classes and exploring the city. I remember going to a different art museum almost everyday. There was an incredible Miro museum in Montjuic. I have a fabulous summer. I loved the art, the shopping, the food... I would go back to Barcelona in a second anyday.


See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Love.

I'm currently in love with this tattoo artist.

Incredible.

28 June 2009

Fabric Cabinet.

I love this card because I love fabric. It makes me think of sewing and the piles of fabric I own. Taina liked the card for the same reason.


See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Pyrex collection

Pyrex collection
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

Taina asked me to show her a photo of my pyrex collection. I took a quick picture with my phone. I'll have to take a better photo soon. I have other pieces in use as fruit bowls and such or just in the cupboard because I don't have any more room here. I've been collecting pyrex for over ten years, I'd say. I've always been pretty fussy about only buying perfect pieces. I'm pretty sure one of the mixing bowl sets I inherited from my grandmother. The big red mixing bowl on the top I inherited from my Oma. I'm trying to narrow my collection to just the snowflake design. Otherwise, I'd have WAY too many pieces.

24 July 2010

Lois Conner. Lhasa, Tibet, 2005.

I like this card because of it's odd shape. The background is also fascinating. It also came from the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. I don't think Taina had ever sent me a postcard from there before. She said it's a small gallery that focuses on Himalayan Art.
What do you think?


See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

20 July 2010

Henri Cartier-Bressson. Sayan, Bali, Indonesia. 1949.

Another great photograph. I love old photos from different countries.


See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Hound family.

Hound family.
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

The hound family is growing. Two new hounds recently!

09 October 2008

Brian J. Watson. Fly the Tube. 1977.

Even though this isn't exactly about air travel, it still reminds me of my growing up and my family. I think it's just the style of the advertisements. We always had tonnes of Air Canada paraphernalia at home.

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Ninety-nine

Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I found this gem at Safeway yesterday. I'm perplexed. What does hockey have to do with tea? How can this company afford to have Gretzky endorse their tea? Does it actually increase sales? It's not like when he endorsed ProStars cereal, which every kid in the 1908s wanted. This is green tea. Weird.

04 May 2009

Berenice Abbott. Snuff Shop, 113 Division Street, New York. 1938.

Happy New Year!
This card reminds me of going antique/second hand store shopping. I also love the lettering on the window. I love seeing old shops that still have kept the old lettering. It's incredible.

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

22 July 2010

R.Y. Young. The New Woman - Wash Day. 1901.

Enough with the holiday themed postcard posts! I'm usually sick of the holidays by October anyways... Another great photograph. This card is just fun!

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Xmas Tree

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Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I wasn't planning on getting a tree this year. When I lived in San Francisco, I had a great glitter pink tree, but I left it there for my sister. I had to get a tire fixed at Canadian Tire yesterday. While waiting, I browsed around Micheal's. There had these great 'icicle' trees on sale for $20 (regular $60). I bought the minty green one. I may go back and get the pink one!

16 December 2008

Maurice Sendak.

I love Maurice Sendak. Although I was a little disappointed with the Wild Things movie. It was good, just not as good as I thought it would be. I was also disappointed because I moved from San Francisco a month before there was a Maurice Sendak show at the Jewish Museum. I also like that this isn't a real postcard. Taina just cut the front off a Christmas card when she messed up the message inside. I've been known to do this myself.

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

New App

HIP_314679102.982663
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I know I'm a little late on the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone. I downloaded it tonight and I love it! Tonnes of fun.

09 June 2009

Robert Doisneau. Picasso. 1952.

I always like seeing what artists actually look like. It's fascinating. Picasso always looks so cute. This card reminds me of my summer in Spain. I still remember visiting the Picasso museum.

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

New Stuff

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IMG_2436
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I finally got some new bags in the shop. I had cut these out ages ago, but had been procrastinating actually sewing them. Today, Jessica and I braved the cold for some outdoor photos.

Etsy Front Page!

16 December 2010
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I made the front page tonight. Woohoo! Not sure what I think about having my face on the front page, though!

11 January 2010

Tim Burton. Untitled. 1997.

Another great postcard for December. I love any card with a dog, even if it's a dog breed I'm not too fond of. This card is just too cute.

See original blog post about my postcard posting project.

Moleskin cover

Moleskin cover
Originally uploaded by theseawithin

I'm thinking of things to make to expand my line on Etsy. I tried out this moleskin cover. I think I like it!