special and strange: It's for the birds..

special and strange: It's for the birds..: Actually it's not really for the birds..though I have nothing against the birds. In fact one summer I found one that just was getting it's...

It's for the birds..

Actually it's not really for the birds..though I have nothing against the birds. In fact one summer I found one that just was getting it's feathers that had apparently fallen out of it's nest. I fed it mushed up birdfeed out of a syringe multiple times a day and made a bed for it from a shoebox placed over a heating pad. I still really miss that little guy. I named him Gilbert and still think of him now and then and hope that he made it against all odds.

I obviously digress. So, much like the Portlandia skit, I often prefer to "put a bird on it" when given even a remote opportunity. I never really had the chance after she was born to complete Sadie's room. I have some great handmade tiles I need to mount and hang from an artist in Chicago that depict scenes from Beatrix Potter and Alice in Wonderland. I have some fun paintings by her Great Grammy Evelyn (which is how she got her middle name) and one I did of a babushka doll. I'm not going to bore you today (unlike my last blog) and wanted instead to share some fun photos of a couple little baby room projects.

I bought these cute little unpainted birdhouses that I painted and decorated with various things and that I'm going to hang up in the corner of her room.  I also got the letters of her name that I decorated with pearl beads, birds traditionally used in flower arrangements, as well as paper and crocheted flowers.
Kind of fanciful and charming...just the sort of thing I love!

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If you expect perfection..

New Glo Apothecary Charm Necklace

New Glo Apothecary Cowboy Earrings

Glo Apothecary Earrings

..from others you will always be "perfectly" disappointed. If you expect perfection from yourself you will break your own heart. Striving for perfection is now, in my mind, akin to self abuse. I think that when I was younger I really thought I should strive to be perfect..whatever that is. Perfect grades, perfect job, perfect work ethic, etc. Because I never quite pull it off I didn't feel as thought I could really love myself or embrace who I was. I don't think this is an all-too-unusual occurrence, especially for women (and even more so for Mothers!) in our present-day society. The truth I've come to find, and have to remind myself off over and over again, is that you'll never have lasting relationships if you're constantly trying to pick out flaws in others. And frankly shouldn't it be a relief that nobody is anymore perfect, underneath it all, than you are? Friends, mates, and family aren't perfect and either are you..so maybe it's okay to let everyone off the hook and embrace yourself and others eccentricities and neurosis, as long as they aren't hurting anyone. Maybe aiming for happiness, rather than perfection, is a more valuable pursuit.

New Glo Apothecary Leaf Earrings

In that vein I've been playing with this whole concept of imperfection and how it sometimes makes people and things more beautiful to me. I've been having fun making jewelry (since my love of sewing is now a near impossibility with a three-month-old), and I like making things that are intentionally just a little "off." An old and weathered-looking trinket or an irregular, one-of-a-kind bead.. Maybe we can all get a little better at embracing the flawed and appreciating it's unique "charm."

New Glo Apothecary Charm Necklace

New obsessions..

Lavendar Dream Pillows

Be Happy Citrus Brown Sugar Scrub and Be Clear Detoxifying Salt Scrub

Be Happy Bath Fizzies. Cupcake shaped with Calendula sprinkles!

..are fun! I've been busy, busy, busy making all matter of..

Be Happy Bath Green Tea Bath Teas and Bath Fizzies

..spa-related curiousities to get gals gorgeous at Glo. I'm elbow deep in organic sugars, salts, essential oils and my dining room table is suffering the aftermath. Pretty soon I'll be relaunching my online store with all the Glo Skin Spa organic skin care as well as our full new line of body products as well as our new Glo Apothecary line of accesories including jewelry, gifts and more. Stay tuned for further exploits from the slave to skin care that never gets any damn sleep. haha..
xo- Farah

Easter in the Raw?

Hey gorgeous people! I can't take credit for this one but if you want to show off with a pretty, DETOXIFYING and EASY dish this Easter weekend, this is just the thing! Provided by the master chef from Pure Market Express (see yesterday's post for link.)



Passionate Pansy Salad
  
Ingredients: 
4 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup fresh sprigs of dill 
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 
4 large basil leaves, rolled up and thinly sliced crosswise 
1 large lemon, halved 
Pinch of salt 
Fresh ground black pepper to taste 
1 cup chopped raw walnuts
1 heaping tablespoon pine nut parmesan
1 cup fresh pansy flowers 

Directions: 
Toss salad greens and herbs in a large bowl. Squeeze lemon juice (without the seeds) over the greens and season with salt and pepper. Toss again. Add walnuts and pine nut parmesan and toss well. Divide salad and pansies among four serving plates and serve. 

** BONUS:  Pine nut parmesan is super easy and before you know it, you'll be sprinkling it on EVERY thing!  Whiz 1/4 c pine nuts, 1 large clove of garlic and one heaping tablespoon of nutritional yeast in a Magic bullet or food processor until you have the texture of parmesan cheese and sprinkle to your hearts delight.  ;0) 
 

I love this dish warm.  Put it in your oven or in a sauce pan at low heat until it is warm to the touch.  Warm your stomach and your heart! 
Radiantly yours,
 
Rebecca Irey
Executive Chef
Pure Market Express

How to keep crafting when you have a newborn..

Easy! Don't sleep! Works for me anyhow..I have a couple golden hours between baby's bedtime at 9 and her 1 a.m. feeding to frantically appease my creative needs. So here are a couple of recent things.. I'm not really a talent at making jewelry necessarily but I went to the Beadhive and inspiration struck. Speaking of the Beedhive I ran into former on-air talent and buddy Robin Robinson while I was there and if you haven't checked out her jewelry line, it's a must. The website is www.roxmpls.com.

Also wanted to give you all a sneak peek at the swatches for the new Glo Apothecary Spring/Summer stuff (see left.) I got these gorgeous threads at Crafty Planet and will be using them to make Lavendar Eye Pillows, Sleep Masks and other sundry Spa-cessories for sale at Glo Skin Spa. Speaking of which we have a fab new massage therapist offering 50% OFF FOR FIRST TIMERS! I know, ridiculous! Book online at www.gloskinspa.com.


And finally on a side note, I usually do a "raw detox" for about two weeks in the spring and fall. This time I've got a little added pregnancy "cushion" to get rid of and I swear, other than making you feel fabulous, this really does the trick. I found an amazing company, Pure Market Express (www.puremarketexpress.com), that pre makes, raw/vegan dishes and sends them to you. And I'm all for being healthy but if it doesn't taste good- I'm not eating it! This definitely does and is such a life saver when you really don't have time to cook. I inhaled the chocolate macaroons already..

Hope you're all having a great intro to Summer! xoxo-Farah

Hey there handsome stranger..

It's been ages since I blogged! Moving your business, buying a new (to us) house, getting pregnant and having a baby has a way of doing that to you though. Do not despair the same OCD crafty heart beats in my sleep-deprived body, and now that I am just focusing on running Glo and taking care of my Sadie, MAYBE I can get a in an occasional creative moment. That said I, of course, have to include a pic of our newest member. Also here is a little mini project I did today as I'm trying to learn how to make beads by recycling old newspaper, magazines, etc. Haven't perfected it but it's fast, which is a real necessity when you have a newborn and "tres amusant!" I'm a complete Francophile since going to Europe on our Baby Moon. I'll have to post those pics as well. Or maybe somebody else's travel pics sounds like the worst thing in the world!
Au Revoir!
xxoo-Farah