KOTOA

sleep tank dress

2012-03-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

i have been working on some sewing projects to get ready for spring/summer weather. i made some lazy pants for adam from this pattern book, and just finished a few summer night gowns from this pattern. next up- pj's for suki!

hyvaa yota!

pj party

2012-03-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

"i've got it"

"we're acrobats"

"tell me a story, beedle"

little snuggle

face

kiss

miss

2012-03-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

kauniita unia

2012-03-04T19:14:00.001-08:00

suki is finally sleeping through the night! however, she used to be much better about falling asleep, and now she seems to be afraid of the dark. she says things like "hello, is anyone out there?"- it breaks my heart. i now just wait with her until she falls asleep, but that is sometimes a long time. do you have any tips? were you afraid of the dark as a child, if so what helped comfort you?

p.s. suki sleeps with many soft friends, pillow cases made by me, little auggie sheets and duvet, a rebe blanket, and a roberta roller rabbit blanket. she has three night lights.

aamu aika

2012-03-04T11:47:00.000-08:00

playmobiling

daughter mother

spinach smoothie

band-aid

aarteita!

2012-02-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

1. it chooses you by miranda july

2. maine perfume oil by MCMC fragrances

3. odette ny standing fox ring

4. needle point loafers

5. rabbits leggings

nice!

seven dinners

2012-02-22T18:27:00.001-08:00

ethiopian purple potatoes and peas with split pea puree

nachos with beans, veggies, and cashew queso

eggplant and black eyed pea curry

winter vegetable and tofu korma with brown rice

black eyed pea hummus, taboule, and pita

roasted carrots, blistered almonds, garlic kale with miso sauce, and sesame crusted tofu

buckwheat soba with cucumber, sprouts, and garlic ginger dressing

:(

2012-02-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

people who know me understand that i am a huge fan of winter weather, the kind with a lot of snow. i love how magical it makes everything seem, and the light. this winter has been extremely disappointing. we have not yet had any of the snow falls that keep pilling up day after day. the snow has only stayed on the ground a few times and it disappeared after a day or two. one of the few times we had icicles, suki said, as they were melting away, "the icicles are crying". the things kids say- spot on! now that march is nearing i have given up hope on the weather. i guess it is time to start planning for the garden.

tomorrow

2012-02-19T18:02:00.000-08:00

more information here.

potlucking our way pt.2

2012-02-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

our inspired vegan potluck club completed the menu celebration: chisholm.

this menu was part of the autumn chapter of the book, but the spice on the jerk tempeh was just the heat we needed on this cold winter evening. another incredible meal- bryant terry does not disappoint!

meal break down:

(juan and laura made)

fiery ginger beer/black star lime

purple slaw with toasted pecans

(susan made)

creamy chard soup with tostones

(kolin made)

jerk tempeh with cilantro sauce

(adam made)

double garlic rice

citrus-hibiscus sorbet

tomorrow night

2012-02-14T15:48:00.000-08:00

party hour!

2012-02-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

this is most likely my favorite day of the year. heart-shaped foods, cards, flowers, parties, heart-shaped food. what more could anyone want.

we had a few friends over for a celebratory brunch and play time.

our menu consisted of many sweets and hearts:

heart shaped breakfast cookies

heart fruit salad

raspberry sunshine muffins

popcorn

strawberry lemon juice

coffee

tea

after sharing cards and treats we attempted a pre-nap story time in suki's room, but once the kids spotted the bed they wanted to have a toddler version of a pillow fight instead. maybe next year?

i hope your day was full of love and joy!

xoxo

i made suki's party dress from a japanese pattern book, and was happy when we tried it on and it fit- it is always a guessing game for me with those.

i will always love you

2012-02-11T17:58:00.002-08:00

video valentines

2012-02-11T17:58:00.001-08:00

to one i love

2012-02-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

are you looking for a box of something sweet for your sweetie?

does someone special in your life love coffee?

order a box of rowster coffee confections today!

all handmade by the oven mitt bakery in grand rapids, michigan.

each box includes:

3 heart shaped sandwich cookies

4 macadamia nut and saffron sea salt candies

2 coffee crunch truffles with cinnamon and cardamom

$18 for nine piece box.

email orders to kotoamade(at)gmail(dot)com before 4pm, friday february 10, 2012.

otherwise, stop in to rowster before friday to order in person.

boxes will be available to pick up beginning at 8am on valentine's day.

while you are there, pick up a bag of beans to go along with your chocolate declaration of love.

xoxo

aamu aika

2012-02-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

SUNDAY MORNING

dog walk.

pancake breakfast.

pancake eating face and little dance.

bleached 7"s friend kolin brought from his trip to chicago.

beautiful gift from adam.

with coffee.

imagination games.

bleached

2012-02-05T07:53:00.001-08:00

neighbors

2012-02-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

our neighbor friends, carrie and coco, came over this morning to play and make playdough.

i like our neighborhood for many reasons- we are close to two great parks, it is quiet and safe, we are not far from downtown, but today i realized these neighbor friends are the number one reason i love where we live. the morning goes by so much faster and is a lot more fun when we have an activity or friends to be with. i often wait until the last minute to try and arrange play time with friends and about seventy percent of the time it ends up not working out. i just discovered how wonderful it is to have friends around the corner with the same nap schedule, parenting style, eating habits, and interests who are home weekday mornings. do you have lovely neighbors like this that make your life much happier? i hope so!

p.s. we used blueberries and turmeric to dye our playdough. the one dyed with blueberry turned out very dry. i am wondering if this happened because of the acidity in the fruit or if my measurements for the oil were off? has anyone else noticed this? the color turned out beautifully, but it feels very different than the others i have made.

aamu aika

2012-02-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

fun in an adult shirt.

feeding cats/loving cats.

potlucking our way

2012-02-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

we picked up a copy of the inspired vegan at wake up weekend. i can't wait to try everything, and i will soon. along with a group of friends, we are potlucking our way through the book. we have a few other cookbooks that also have full menu formats, but for some reason this makes them a bit overwhelming. when i make food from them i end up not completing the full menu, and will just use a single recipe here and there. thanks to my good friend susan we now have a solution to these books! we have decided to gather together for one meal a week until we have completed the book. each family will make one recipe from the menu, and we will take turns hosting the meal. each of the individual recipes are fairly simple and stress free, but when they all come together it makes a multi course meal that feels very special.

the first menu we used was "farm fresh" the recipes included:

cinnamon-tamarind agua fresca

smoky tomatoes, roasted plantains, and crumbled tempeh

coconut quinoa

tortillas stuffed this swiss chard, currants, and spicy guacamole

mexican chocolate pudding and agave-coated pepitas

so good!

nap hour

2012-02-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

we are adjusting to adam's new work schedule and trying to establish our new routine. monday and wednesdays, i will be using suki's nap hour to make dinner. this way i am not tempted to distract her with the tv babysitter. today, while dinner is simmering, i am enjoying computer time and mika miko. what is your favorite dinner making music?

seven snacks

2012-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

honey toast sticks

adam's sauerkraut with sourdough rye crispbread, vegan cream cheese, saffron salt, and pepper

almond yogurt with chia seeds and apricots

bear toast (sourdough toast with earth balance, sheese, dried papaya, and raisins)

peanut butter pita and turkish apricots

ants on a boat (apple slices with peanut butter and raisins)

popcorn

paikat kotoa

2012-01-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

sushi night

2012-01-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

we eat deconstructed sushi almost every week, but we rarely take the time to make maki. when this does happen, it feels like such a treat- a celebration. the other night we had nothing specific to celebrate just spending time with GREAT friends.

we rolled up:

carrots

avocado

cucumber

pear

spicy tempeh

blistered almonds

homemade sauerkraut

sweet potato tempura

sesame seeds

it was lovely!

storytelling

2012-01-29T16:03:00.000-08:00

i love listening to suki talk when she draws- she likes to tell me all the details of the elaborate stories she makes up, as she moves her markers around the paper. lately though, she has been more interested in watching other people create the visual narrative- she likes to guide you by telling you what to draw. it is quite fun, yet often difficult to keep up. this is a drawing made with her caregiver sara. i love that sara's solution to drawing a list of about five people was to make a house- they are all in the house together! it is important to be creative in situations like that, and sara is the best.

standing by the house is suki, corduroy, and koji (our dog).

aarteita pinterest

2012-01-26T06:08:00.000-08:00

on spaces via petit poulou

on tote bags via field guided

on home via petit poulou

on suki style via nonchalantmom

on music + books + movies via wolpa

POP!

2012-01-25T19:01:00.000-08:00

one of our favorite snacks is popcorn. we usually make a big batch once or twice a week and keep it in a bag in the cupboard for snacking. we rarely buy chips because this is a much healthier and tastier treat. here are a few different variations we make, created by adam.

all are made with:

2 T coconut oil

1/2 C organic popcorn

once popped add:

1/4 C nutritional yeast flakes

1 T salt

then add any of the variations:

A) 1 T granulated garlic, 1 T thyme

B) 3 T sesame seeds, 1 t. ginger powder

C) 1 T chili powder, 1 t oregano

D) 1 T basil, 2 T lemon zest

enjoy!

wake up weekend photographed

2012-01-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

michael newsted, one of grand rapids most gifted photographers, captured most of wake up weekend on film. see more on his blog, here!

i spy suki

2012-01-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

ROWSTER intro from ROWSTER on Vimeo.

check out the new promotional video for rowster coffee. can you catch suki with her steamed soy milk mustache? stop in to rowster today for a cup of coffee and a vegan sweet. the current oven mitt menu includes chocolate chili cherry cookies and almond anise biscotti. enjoy!

cabin time #1

2012-01-24T18:22:00.000-08:00

Cabin-Time: Porkies (part one) from Colin McCarthy on Vimeo

Cabin-Time: Porkies (part two) from Colin McCarthy on Vimeo.
.

if in the grand rapids area, don't miss the showing of work made on this trip. mark your calendars today for february 17th at the 106 gallery. see more of this project here.

seven breakfasts

2012-01-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

oatmeal with maple syrup, almonds, and almond milk

spice muffins and coffee

tofu scramble with homemade gingerade

chia seed pudding

puffy pillow pancakes

miso soup

savory oats

aamu aika

2012-01-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

first hair cut

this is not happening by radiator hospital

2012-01-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

friend joe kolean made this music video. so good!
THIS IS NOT HAPPENING from JK/JVW on Vimeo.

aamu aika

2012-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

pile of toothpicks and an altered spice tin = enough time to make breakfast

moonrise kingdom

2012-01-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

can't wait!

seven dinners

2012-01-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

warm chickpea salad with grandpa's avocado and rice crackers.

ethiopian feast at juan, and laura's apartment.

hummus with pita, papaya, cucumber, carrot sticks, and olives.

pasta with french lentil sauce, and sheese.

sushi rice with baked tofu, blistered almonds, roasted carrots, and kale.

taco night with spanish rice, beans, tempeh, mushrooms, avocado, olives, and soy yogurt.

garlic seitan ramen with vegan egg.

moth and squirrel sweater vest

2012-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

suki's aunt debby just gifted her this sweet sweater vest- debby always finds the best things. it was made by an artist living in bellingham, washington. her craft line is called moth and squirrel. i looked up her blog and found she often repurposes sweaters to make a variety of things- such a great idea! suki's sweater has a cluster of little flowers and a turtle appliqued on to it. it is very soft and well constructed. i did not find an online shop selling these goods, but she seems to be busy on the craft fair scene. follow the moth and squirrel blog for updates on where she is showing. thank you, debby!

SALE at nonchalantmom

2012-01-16T11:38:00.000-08:00

today is the last day of the blow out sale at NONCHALANTMOM! hurry, all inventory is 30% off- including items already marked on sale!!!

GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

i first found these gauze produce bags at a wonderful little festival my friend marlee created called sassfest. they were my favorite thing that night, and i was delighted to learn they were made by a blogger friend i had not before met in person. her name is emily helmus, she is a fiber artist, homemaker, blog writer, and a sweet person.

i recently picked up a stack of these lovely produce bags, and would love to share a set with one lucky reader! emily hand dyes the bags with natural dyes made from blueberries, onion skin, avocado skin, and turmeric. they are not only beautiful, but they feel nice, and fold down small to fit in your bag. if you would like to order produce bags for your self email emilyhelmus(at)gmail(dot)com

enter to win a set of produce bags by:

1. signing up to be a follower of KOTOA

2. leave a comment with the veggie you eat the most of during winter months

good luck, and don't forget to visit emily!

giveaway closes monday, january 23.

CONGRATULATIONS, NRG! you won this giveaway!

help from the village

2012-01-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

starting a few days before christmas suki came down with a cold and a horrible cough. she was miserable- she did not even have interest in opening presents christmas day! soon after i was sick with a cold, then adam came down with an awful stomach bug that lasted over a week. we were feeling so down in the dumps. adam's sickness caused him to miss the cabin time experience, and he was sad sad sad. since adam, and i were sick and looking after each other we were not much fun for suki after she was feeling better. she was constantly talking about how all of her stuffed animals were "having a hard time", "needing a docor", or just "sick". it was a sad few weeks, but thankfully we learned during that dark time how wonderful our community is. we had family, friends, and people from our church family offering to walk koji (our dog), make us meals, and spend time with suki. it was incredible to see the difference in suki after she had spent time over at a friends house, or after a friend came to take her exploring outside, or a friend came to play, and have dance party time.

thank you to everyone who helped us through that hard time- i am not sure we would have survived with out you.

some of these ideas came in handy during the moments we were on our own and feeling under the weather.

hot cocoa time!

2012-01-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

we finally have some real snow. everything is going to be alright.

enjoy hot cocoa with vegan marshmallows!

making milk

2012-01-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

i was super happy when i was shopping yesterday at our local health food store and found they started selling plain amande yogurt. we were buying wildwood soy, but i am happy to make the switch. it is easy to over consume soy products, especially if you are vegan (and love tofu as much as my family does). we try to vary the kind of milk we buy as much as we can- there are many great milk choices other than soy such as almond, hemp, rice, oat, coconut, hazelnut. unfortunately, even with all of these great choices, we somehow got in a rut and started buying soy milk every time we were in need of milk. i have finally decided to put an end to that today. from now on we are only buying one of the non-soy varieties of milk for drinking and i will make soy or almond milk for our baking needs. although it is easy and feels nice to make milk at home i sadly prefer the taste of the store bought milk. perhaps i will figure out a few tricks to make the homemade varieties taste as good as the store bought. any tips?

susan- i plan to be making milk weekly. let me know if you would like any- it's just as easy to make a double batch.

treats

2012-01-08T04:45:00.000-08:00

yesterday, for no reason at all, i gave suki a small bowl of adam's homemade vegan ice cream. she was thrilled! she commented after every bite about the bowl being only for her. although the portion size was small (the amount shown in the picture was about as much as i gave her), and as happy as she was to have it, she did not finish it! it seems she is sensitive to sweet tastes even though she can eat a lot of very flavorful foods. she loves spices, garlic, pickles, etc. but i have noticed that when she eats sweet things, she takes a LONG time and usually does not finish it. michael pollen claims sweetness to be a basic human desire. hmmmm.... really?

these are some of suki's favorite (no processed sugar) snacks-

dried fruit

rice cakes

pickles

olives with vegan cheese and crackers

toast with pb

toast with earth balance

YOGURT (soy or almond)

peanut butter and apple slices

fresh fruit

cucumbers and carrots with hummus

baked apples with vegan yogurt

frozen berries

i am excited to be making this special treat for her this week- can't wait!

do you have a favorite simple & healthy kid friendly snack?

cabin-time + radiator hospital

2012-01-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

cabin time x porkies from Colin McCarthy on Vimeo.

aarteita pinterest

2012-01-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

via karis medina

via heartbreak homestead

via petit poulou

via zita choarro hand made

via cat bird

WAKE UP WEEKEND 2012

2012-01-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

get ready for the most anticipated event of the winter. WAKE UP WEEKEND is drawing near. check out the new website, and fill in your calendars with the details of this year's event. this is a very exciting annual conference for veganism/animal rights held in grand rapids, michigan. the website shows bits and pieces from past wuw events, but WAKE UP WEEKEND 2012 is going to be the best yet! don't miss it!

bryant terry

2012-01-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

rebe pre-SALE

2012-01-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

rebe is having a pre-SALE of the new collection before it is posted to the specks and keepings shop. the sale lasts for ONLY TWO WEEKS, so contact debby with your orders soon to get in on this great deal. her email address is myrebe(at)gmail(dot)com

to see more details of the collection visit hillery's facebook page.

this is one of my favorite lines yet! not only does debby's work look awesome, it feels great to wear as well- she makes her clothing with the most lovely fabrics. the necklaces featured were made by debby, and are included in the pre-sale.

i also wanted to mention the great props in the photo shoot. debby made the macrame wall hanging while she was in college in the 70's. she made the braided rug recently out of a collection of scarves, and the afghan was made by her mother, eveline. a couple of hillery's mobiles are featured in addition to debby's fabric drawing series. malaika (debby's youngest daughter) did a beautiful job modeling. what an incredible family! i love seeing how they have worked together to make this very special line.

pre-sale prices:

tops $45

pants $140

knit dresses $150

woven dresses $160

recycled fiber coats $85/$150

emmaline coat $200

raincoats $250

necklaces $285

time to bundle

2012-01-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

our first semi-real snowfall finally came. we have been waiting for this day for months now. i hope the snow continues to pile up; we really need it. suki was happy to get out all of her winter gear, and bundle up for her first ride on the new sled her nana and papa gave her for her birthday. adam and suki walked over to the nearby park to meet up with friends dave and cohen, where they made snow angels, a mini snowman, and ran around together. we then celebrated the snow with a cup of hot cocoa and marshmallows.

winter is our favorite season,and we are so happy it has finally arrived.

p.s. today suki kept warm while out in the snow wearing: two layers of tights by zutano and mp, rebe thermal top, florence eiseman sweater dress, knit scarf made by her UB, sorel boots, patagonia hat, mittens, and jacket. toasty!

white weather

2012-01-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

we are enjoying this day full of snow with jens in the background.

chalk

2012-01-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

i just rediscovered a can of chalkboard paint my friend natalie gave me, so we painted the inside of our pantry doors with it. we have been trying to cut down our monthly food cost for awhile, but we seem to have difficulty sticking to a meal plan- mostly because i did not have it written out where it could be easily referenced. i have a feeling this new system will helps us. i found the idea on pinterest.

we painted a spot on our back entryway door as well- we can now write notes to our friends who visit. i hope not to go over the top with the chalkboard paint, but it is so fun! next i plan to paint a spot on the inside of suki's closet.

KIPPIS!

2012-01-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2012!

last night we revisited a drink we made up on new year's eve two years ago.

it is so delicious, i thought i should pass on the recipe.

you will need:

chocolate chips

sea salt

light rum

fresh grapefruit juice

coconut la croix

first, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. dip the rims of the glasses in the chocolate. then, sprinkle the chocolate with salt and put the glasses in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.

add ice and one shot of rum per glass. add equal parts grapefruit juice and sparkling water. mix and enjoy! KIPPIS!

p.s. i had mine without the rum and it was just as delicious. this version would make a fun drink for a kids party.

seven dinners

2011-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:00

cold ginger scallion noodles

susan's famous lasagna, spinach salad, and garlic bread

lentil loaf sandwich

soba noodles with ginger dressing, scallions, pumpkin seeds, sunflower sprouts, and mock ham

chickpea salad

white bean, quinoa, and greens stew with cornbread

baked potato bar with sheese, broccoli, soy yogurt, and bbq tempeh and greens

2011-12-25T10:51:00.000-08:00

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

christmas eve

2011-12-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

adam and i have had a busy night gathering, wrapping, and finalizing all of our gifts. i can't believe we finished! we are looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow opening presents with suki and sharing a meal with dear friends. we are also excited to be hosting our family christmas party on monday evening! we missed church tonight, because suki has a bad cold and a cough. i remember being sick on christmas as a child, such a sad time. i hope she wakes up less miserable and is able to have a fun special day. wishing you all sweet dreams of sugar plum fairies!

menorakkah

2011-12-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

we celebrated at home last night, the first night of hanukkah, the festival of lights. it has been fun to watch suki experience the holiday traditions now that she is older. her imagination is so rich and everything is magical through her eyes. i love hearing her version of the stories we tell her.

here a kitchen napkin first played the role of a baby that was tucked under her shirt. after it was "born" and coddled in her arms for a while, she transformed it in to a superhero cape.

the suki superhero stayed for the rest of the evening- lit the first candle of the menorah, listened to the prayer, sang along to this song, and played with her wooden hanukkah set juan and laura gave her last year.

p.s. yes, she did pick out her outfit.

santas love cookies

2011-12-21T19:19:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite traditions came today- cookie making with my mom. this year was extra fun, because suki was able to help a little more. she was so happy that we were all wearing aprons, she exclaimed, "mommy blue, granny flowers, and suki man with gold tooth"!

we were not quite as ambitious as last year, and we only made one cut out style- the ooh la las from vegan cookies invade your cookie jar. however, they were a little extra fun thanks to the fluorescent food coloring adam brought home and the pink sprinkles i had on hand. after they were all packaged up, we had a blast delivering them to our friends in the neighborhood. knock knock! ding dong!

pecan snowballs

choklaboll

ooh la las!

aamu aika

2011-12-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

two breakfasts:

saffron bun and hot tea

coconut almond yogurt and raisin bowl

a suki sticker found on library book.

oh no!

p.s. suki loves this monster suit we found at target. she always sleeps in when she wears it. it's like magic!

santa lucia day little feast

2011-12-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

last year, the december days got away from us, and we failed to celebrate for santa lucia day. this year, we once again did not prepare in advance. yet, we could not let another santa lucia day pass without the joy of saffron buns. since i had a haircut scheduled at 8 am, and adam had to leave for work immediately following, we were not able to enjoy our lussekatter with rowster coffee. so we decided to make them late in the day and enjoy with a simple lentil soup.

suki patiently colored in her winter wonderland coloring book while i quickly made the soup.

simple french lentil soup

2 cups of french lentils cooked in 2 cups of water and 2 cups of veggie broth (i used a pressure cooker)

1 onion

2 tsp. olive oil

5 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoons of dried tarragon

1 cup veggie broth

1/4 cup white wine

juice from half a lemon

2 cups of chopped greens

salt and pepper to taste

cook the onion in the olive oil until they start to brown. then add the garlic, and stir for a few more minutes. add the white wine and tarragon. simmer for a couple minutes, then add the cup of veggie broth. once the lentils are cooked add them to the pot with their broth. bring to a simmer, and add the greens. once the greens have wilted, add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

all of suki's playdough time has paid off! she was surprisingly good at shaping the lussekatter. she was so proud and had a great time helping with this special baking project. i am looking forward to our cookie making day next week.

our dinner was completely delicious and full of light.

may you all have a blessed holiday season.

p.s. suki's apron was made by sarah s. scott.

sculpture exchange

2011-12-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

adam often has his sculpture class make an exchange project similar to a print portfolio exchange. every student has to create an edition of sculptures that follow a list of rules, which were drawn out of a hat. for the most recent project the rules were:

there must be antlers

they must be wearable

there must be a wheel

the sculpture must include a phone call

they must not be yellow

color and texture must not be altered

sculptures must use usps

must be collaborative

must be made by alter-ego

must be made out of recycled material

part must be invisible

must be deceiving

looking at this list of rules i was afraid to see what the outcome would be, but adam made these brooches and they are wonderful. i was very happy he let me have his! i have not yet seen all twelve sculptures.

royl space survivalist

2011-12-12T19:33:00.000-08:00

royl space is working on a new tape! check out the first three tracks here.

paikat kotoa

2011-12-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

NEW bartertown milkshake

2011-12-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

hello, grand rapids folks! if you are in the mood for a special, deluxe dessert head on down to bartertown for the cupcake milkshake. adam, suki, and i stopped in to try one yesterday, and it knocked our socks right off. bartertown came up with this as a way to utilize the day old cupcakes and wow did they ever- this was by far the best milkshake i have ever tried. they are using adam's famous cardamom ice cream. so if you have been missing the rowster affogato this season, stop in to bartertown.

bartertown is also the place to get the some of the healthiest dessert in town. the raw pecan bar is a healthier dessert option every kid will love.

pjb

2011-12-09T19:27:00.000-08:00

DIRECTOR REEL from Peter J Brant on Vimeo.

way to go peter!

oven mitt granola

2011-12-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

adam found this while looking for breakfast ideas.

photo by denise.

made with joy by NFC

2011-12-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

my wonderful friend, nicole, is raising money to take an herbalism class this spring in ann arbor, michigan. she is very gifted at making clothing for women and children as well as things for the home and for parties. i ordered an oven mitt and pot holder set for our kitchen, one for suki's kitchenette, and a set of small napkins. nicole is such a perfectionist; everything she makes is very well crafted, and she uses such lovely fabrics. contact nicole if you have been wanting something for your home or for yourself but do not have the time or know how to make it. this is for a great cause, nicole is one of the most kind, loving people i know and has great potential to help a lot of people in the future with the knowledge she gathers from this herbalism class.

contact nicoleprovidence@gmail.com

p.s. she made the colored pencil case for suki on her birthday- so nice!

happy noodle day!

2011-12-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti with Lentil Sauce

½ lb Spaghetti Noodles

½ c. Red Lentils

1T Olive Oil

8oz. Crushed Tomato

6 Cloves of Garlic

½ lb Chopped Spinach

1T Tomato Paste

1T Yeast Flakes

Salt and Pepper

Cook noodles according to directions on package, but when you begin boiling the water start the lentils.

Combine ½ cup of red lentils with 1 cup of filtered water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover for about 25 minutes- until the lentils are cooked.

Press garlic or add minced garlic into the olive oil on medium heat. As the garlic begins to turn golden, add the spinach and tomato paste. Sautee for another minute; then add the crushed tomato and the cooked lentils. Season with cracked pepper, salt, and mix in the flakes.

Simple and super tasty!

something out of nothing

2011-12-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

suki and adam spent time together at the library, on a walk at the calvin college ecosystem preserve, reading, and playing with new hillery toys while i worked in my studio. i recently cleaned out my closet and put aside four pairs of too well worn leggings that i am making into pants for suki. i was feeling inspired by this book and the dress sarah wore to thanksgiving that she had made out of a bed sheet.

aamu aika

2011-12-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

hide and seek.

hot cereal.

nature walk.

a home.

morning hair.

stockings

2011-12-05T19:15:00.000-08:00

hillery made the most beautiful stocking for suki last year. i have been looking forward to decorating for the holidays for the past six months if only to see that stocking again! this year, hillery sent us two more lovely stockings that complement the original perfectly. she has two more stockings available for sale. if you are interested contact her at info@specksandkeepings.com

aarteita!

2011-12-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

4. this event

some little treasures!

for suki's dance party

2011-12-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

via kolin

our first christmas tree

2011-12-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

this morning, after we woke up and enjoyed some coffee and the vegan cinnamon rolls adam made, we went out on a christmas tree search.

we were hoping for a snowy day but got rain instead. we all wore a lot of layers to keep dry and warm underneath. beedle wore protective head wear just in case a tree came down in his direction.

we usually decorate our house plants and call it good, but we are feeling extra festive this year. we even got a wreath, and i love it! i am realizing the best reason to have a christmas tree is because of how it makes the house smell. it looks nice, but that smell is fantastic!

suki must take after adam with how particular she is. she had strong opinions on where each ornament should hang. it was funny watching her and adam communicate about these decisions.

after the tree was finished we had friends over for a two soup meal.

susan made tempeh wings and hot slaw salad, and her famous onion bread. we made roasted lemon chutney to join the onion bread, and white bean shitake soup. kolin made chickpea rice soup with cabbage- it is my new favorite, and i might make it tomorrow. adam made banana toffee pudding with whipped coconut cream for dessert.

suki was in funny style mode here.

good night!

adam's special mug

2011-12-03T19:27:00.000-08:00

last summer, adam received a peter shire mug for his birthday from his aunt debby. now, it is the only cup he drinks his coffee out of. we did not know anything about the cup other than how great it looks and feels. i was happy to find this post from hillery on specks and keepings and learn more about him. his work is inspirational! i have been wanting to take a ceramics class for a few years now. i plan to do some research and hopefully figure out a way to take a class next fall during adam's sabbatical.

bottom image from here.

john cale paris 1919

2011-12-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

the other night our friend kolin shared this album with us. he listens to it on every first snow fall. what a lovely tradition to bring in the snow.

aarteita pinterest

2011-12-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

way to go adam

2011-11-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

well, i am sad to say we did not get our snow. however, it turned out to be the perfect sunny day for flying an airplane. our friend from church shared a flying lesson with adam because he was not able to use it. adam was thrilled; he is far more adventurous than i am. this is definitely not something i would enjoy since i am afraid of most things, and of course that includes flying and heights. i am glad adam was able to have this experience. he was smiling ear to ear when he returned home.

the colors look beautiful from up there. thanks for sharing the pictures adam!

predictions for snow

2011-11-29T21:05:00.000-08:00

the weather report shows that snow is on the way. yay, more hot cocoa time coming up! suki has been dreaming of making a snowman and a "snowboy". i can't wait to see her face when we make her first snowman (and boy). it will be adam's first snowman, too. he is from california.

p.s. what do you like to listen to on snow days? i am putting together a snow day mix, and i hope to figure out a way to share it with you. this will be on the list.

visit from a friend

2011-11-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

our dear friend nicole just came to visit us for the holiday weekend! it was such a treat to spend thanksgiving with her along with our grand rapids friends, at sarah's house (our thanksgiving tradition for the past seven years). in addition to our thanksgiving feast, we were able to spend many wonderful meals together, and since nicole has a passion for fine coffee, a highlight for me was the hour we had together drinking coffee at rowster. suki has not seen her auntie cole in over a year and was thrilled to have her here. she is still talking about about "wild rumpus" from when nicole read her where the wild things are. thankfully, nicole is the type of person who can find fun on her own when her hosts are tired and lazy. we had intended to all go to the little wings show, but by the end of the day, adam and i could not muster up the strength to make it out the door. nicole brought us back this tape! when i listen to the tape, and hear about nicole's adventures i feel like i did not miss thing. this was always our role when we were roommates. nicole has given me so many stories and souvenirs over the years of knowing her, and i am incredibly thankful. i hope someday to be less of an introvert so that i can experience one of her famous stories first hand.

now on pinterest

2011-11-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

i just started using pinterest. it seems to be a helpful way to organize inspiring images, recipes, blog material, and more. i hope it will save me time and not add to my computer time. do you use pinterest? if so, what do you think about it?

p.s. suki picked out her outfit by herself! peas and queues sweatshirt, zutano leggings, and turkish slippers.

aamu aika

2011-11-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

fresh water for plants.

fresh oj for suki.

p.s. suki is wearing a bear sweater thrifted by tracy rose, niconico pj's, and slippers hillery found in turkey.

DOGS!

2011-11-27T07:05:00.000-08:00

this is one of the best zines i have seen! you can laugh and enjoy dogs with this zine, dogs of all nations, over and over again. it can be found on emily goble's etsy page here.

holiday sale

2011-11-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

holiday sale at specks and keepings! shop from november 25th to december 2nd and receive a discount. look for the sale code here.

say no to turkey dinner

2011-11-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

please, think twice before eating a turkey.

may you all have a day full of gratitude and love tomorrow.

happy thanksgiving!

p.s. this is not our bird drawing. he was found on the internet.

cabin-time

2011-11-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

more information on cabin-time has been released! this roaming residency will be taking place in remote locations around michigan, where eight artists will work together, side by side for four days. the first location will be in the porcupine mountains, this january- the most magical time of year to be near lake superior. i was very happy to hear that adam was one of the eight artists invited! follow this project here on the cabin-time tumblr.

mommy in my pocket school bag

2011-11-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

if you haven't noticed, the blog no big dill is hosting another once upon a thread sew along. the idea is to create something inspired by a children's picture book. i decided to use the book mommy in my pocket and make suki a backpack. she likes to play 'school,' and she usually wears my backpack around while playing.

since this is one of suki's favorite books and she loves bags, i thought i found the perfect gift for her. the book is about a young girl who is nervous to go to school. she wishes on a star for her mommy to be small so that she can stay in her pocket all day.

i used the backpack pattern from the oliver + s little things to sew book. i added a small pocket to the inside pocket that holds a finger puppet mommy. on the large inside pocket i stitched an image of suki with our two cats, billy and little juanita.

on the outside of the bag i made two badges, one of our dog, koji, and the other of adam. kids usually love to draw family portraits. when suki and i draw she always asks me to draw our family (along with everyone we know).

i thought she would love this bag because of the personalizations described above. sadly, she does not care for it. she prefers the "blue" bag she usually plays with. i did not expect her to stop appreciating handmade things until she turned into a teenager. i am trying not to act too bothered by her lack of interest to this object i thought she would love, but inside i am sad. she asked me to give it to beedle, but i think i will keep it around just incase she changes her mind.

marcel the shell with shoes on, two

2011-11-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

we watched this with suki. since then she has been going around saying "treats and snoozing. snoozing and treats.".

aamu aika

2011-11-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

pumpkin muffins and coffee breakfast.

happy for sweet bites.

messy hair and fun style!

p.s. the best winter pj's can be found here, and suki's turkish socks are available at specks and keepings!

hard times for koji dog

2011-11-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

koji recently broke his foot. he usually goes on three walks around the neighborhood a day, and he enjoys time outside running in our backyard or at the dog park. now with his broken foot he has no time outside running, and he still gets his walks but only to the end of our street. he already seems sad because of this; then a couple days ago he had another traumatic day. he ate a bowl of raisins! adam had to induce vomiting then take him to the doctor where he had to eat a bunch of charcoal liquid. now he seems extra down in the dumps. we bought him extra treats and toys, and we have been giving him a lot of extra love. the poor little guy still seems so anxious! please keep him in your thoughts and prayers during the next two weeks of his recovery.

notes on a reading group

2011-11-20T12:05:00.000-08:00

adam is currently participating in a visionary reading group with about a dozen of his colleagues. the group is funded by the calvin center for christian scholarship, and the group's primary goal is to explore animal issues- especially those related to food. cccs is sponsoring a talk by paul shapiro monday november 21, at 4:30 pm, and it is not to be missed. plus, the talk will be followed by a vegan potluck! read more about this event at extraVEGANza!

group reading list:

jonathan balcombe, the inner lives of animals

jonathan safran foer, eating animals

d. grumett and r. muers, theology on the menu: asceticism, meat and christian diet

matthew c. halteman, compassionate eating as care of creation

barbara kingsolver, amimal, vegetable, mineral: a year of food life

andrew linzey, animal theology

andrew linzey and tom regan, animals and christianity a book of readings

tom regan, empty cages: facing the challenge of animal rights

steve sapontzis, food for thought: the debate over eating meat

bryant terry, vegan soul kitchen: creative, healthy african-american cuisine

stephen h. webb, good eating

now you are ready to start a reading group at your place of work.

shop specks and keepings

2011-11-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

the new specks and keepings shop is now up and ready for shopping. it is stocked full of many lovely things just in time for holiday gift giving. enjoy!

p.s. don't forget to sign up to WIN a set of kotoa sweet mats.

ROWSTER

2011-11-16T19:17:00.001-08:00

New American Coffee from ROWSTER on Vimeo.

s.s. project

2011-11-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

whatever this is, i can't wait to learn more. visit SO SWEATY!

birthday brooch detail

2011-11-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

sweet mat giveaway

2011-11-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

HELLO FRIENDS! we have a few exciting giveaways this month in honor of our one year blog ANNIVERSARY, and the specks and keepings shop update. our first GIVEAWAY is a set of KOTOA sweet mats.

visit specks and keepings shop! then, enter to win a set of sweet mats by:

becoming a follower of kotoa- this blog, or

if you already are a follower, leave a comment with your favorite winter treat, or

mention @kotoamade on twitter.

cheers!

this giveaway closes sunday november 20, 2011.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

aamu aika

2011-11-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

we had a lovely slow morning today. playdough and fresh concord grape juice were the highlights, along with a nice hot breakfast, coffee, and books. now i am off for a nap- what a weekend to recover from!

sesame street

2011-11-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

tonight we were able to go see sesame street live! as soon as the show started suki wanted to join beedle in his seat so that they could cuddle closer. the seats were so big, i wish we could have purchased one seat for them to share. they had fun watching all of their favorite sesame street friends dance and sing so close to them and in person. they both favor the cookie monster. he is a lovable one!

after the intermission they both wanted to go on to the stage to dance with the monsters. when they found out that it was not possible they were both anxious to get home to dinner and games. even though they did not dance on the stage with cookie monster i think it was a special date for them.

breathe owl breathe

2011-11-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

the perfect holiday gift to share with a little one. pre order today!

admit one

2011-11-13T19:28:00.000-08:00

this weekend we had suki's puppet show birthday party. a lot of her friends came to join the fun and celebrate suki.

we made pre puppet show vegan snack foods that included soft pretzels with mustard and sheese sauce, pigs in a blanket, grapes, sheese and crackers.

after everyone arrived and received their puppet show tokens, we prepared for the show.

our friends marlee, and kate joined adam in making and performing "little silver hair and the three bears". each child could purchase a bag of popcorn for the showing with one of their tokens. then, after settling into the pillow piles in suki's room, the puppet show came to life from suki's closet.

it was by far the best reenactment of the three bears that i have heard, and the puppets were incredible.

after the show we enjoyed vanilla milkshakes and sang happy birthday to suki. awhile later beedle sang her a whisper happy birthday- the sweetest toddler love.

her friends gave her a variety of fun gifts, and we made them bags of poppycock, jars of playdough, and mini pinatas (with a little help from oh happy day).

after the kid friends went home to prepare for sleep, suki was able to spend some one on one fun style with her adult friends. kate (suki and kate have a special connection because they share a birthday!) brought her this lovely asparagus fern all the way from her home in detroit. she talked with suki about how to care for it. then, we said our goodnights. the remainder of us listened to suki sing herself to sleep with the happy birthday song.

thank you to all of our friends for making this day special for our little suki su!

p.s. suki's party dress and plush bear brooch were made by me. the warm winter striped tights were by mp.

one more reason today was great

2011-11-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

we WON the costume contest at nochalantmom!

i am still in shock.