The T-Cozy

The Earth is Art

I'm not into bumper stickers. But I came across one recently that was different. It spoke to me so much that I purchased it and, for the first time, placed one on my little Prius. (After all this snow, I really need a car wash.)

Just like art, the meaning of this sticker is open to interpretation. To me, it says that the Earth is Art; just as we wouldn't think of defacing a precious work of art, we should think of our planet in the same terms and treat it with the same respect. What does this bumper sticker mean to you?

Simple and striking, the EARTH sticker was created by painter and sculptor Philip Krohn. All net proceeds go to nonprofit organizations working to protect biodiversity and wilderness. If you're like me and this sticker hit home, go to earthsticker.com to purchase one. They're only $2.50 each (with a 4 sticker minimum).

So now that I've joined the ranks of the bumper stickered, I'm glad that mine offers a gentle reminder to those drivers who happen to be tailing me. For if we all do what we can to preserve our planet's riches, our combined efforts will truly have an impact.

Here's what the inspiring book 365 Ways to Save the Earth has to say on this topic . . .

Act to preserve the environment without waiting for someone else to do it first.
It is easy to think that one small, damaging act does not endanger the Earth's future. In practice, however, such actions are never isolated events! It is the repetition and accumulation of all these small acts that take on dramatic proportions. In the same way, a small, isolated gesture to preserve the environment will not improve matters on its own. It is all the simples gestures, repeated every day by millions of people, that will have a significant effect when added together. If the majority adopts them as a new way of life, they will contribute to preserving the planet and its riches for future generations.
Do not wait for your neighbor to act. Make the first move.

Well said! (I really like that book.)

So now, my bumper talks to people. It says, "Our planet EARTH is precious ART. We should hold it in the highest regard." What does your bumper say?

Susan

Reclaiming My Waistline . . . or How I Lost 7 Pounds in 9 Days

I never thought I'd be writing a post about dieting. That's because I've never actually been on a weight-loss diet before. But something strange (though typical, I'm told) began to happen once I turned fifty last May. I started noticing extra "padding" in my midsection.

Most people who know me wouldn't think I need to worry about a few extra pounds. And I have been fortunate; being 5-feet 10-inches tall and small boned has kept me on the thin side. But at my annual check-up a couple of weeks ago, I found out I had gained three pounds since this time last year. That may not sound like much, but it was enough to put me between clothing sizes so that most of my jeans no longer fit comfortably. I didn't want to give into this and buy new clothes. I like the ones I have and would like them to fit once again.

My doctor and I discussed the changes that occur after fifty; like how weight seems to redistribute and collect in new places (ugh!). And he told me that even if I eat as I always have (health consciously with no red meat, soda or coffee and lots of fruits and vegetables), I can still look forward to possibly gaining one pound per year. So I decided it was time for my first real diet.

I chose a program two friends of mine recommended that has worked for them. It's a cleansing system that incorporates vitamin-packed shakes as meal replacements along with exercise. I figured it was worth a try. I already exercise, walking a mile and a half every day. So for nine days, I proceeded to do just that, along with drinking the program's healthy products and eating one sensible 400-600 calorie meal per day. If nothing else, I figured I would benefit from the boost in energy the B-vitamin packed products supplied.

I surprised myself at how diligently I followed the program. I had to forgo eating out with my family and I was even able to turn down the "Sno Caps" (my favorite flick nosh) offered to me while out at the movies with friends on Saturday night. Pretty impressive given my love of chocolate. But I kept telling myself that I only had to get through nine days. So with a definite end in sight, I stuck to it.

Now it's nine days later; I'm down seven pounds and my jeans fit again! This mini diet has definitely jump-started my weight loss and I hope to lose three more pounds by sticking to healthier foods and cutting out some of my higher-calorie favorites.

So goodbye to chocolate milk, Double Stuff Oreos and Sno Caps; hello to a thinner waistline.

Susan

This Teapot's a Keeper

Look what I found yesterday!

I stopped at a consignment shop to drop off a box of items to sell. And somehow I just couldn't resist buying this sweet stacking teapot. It is so perfectly 1940's, my favorite era for kitchenalia.

Here are the components that make up this clever piece . . .

The teapot's lid does double duty. When you brew your tea, the lid keeps your tea warm in the pot. When you stack the elements, it tops off the sugar bowl. There's a creamer and a trivet, too.

I love how the creamer's design only has stripes. When stacked, it helps to break up the patterns. Brilliant!

I'll have to find a spot for this new addition in my kitchen's glass-fronted pie safe. I try not to overwhelm my kitchen (or my family) with my collectibles as I have a weakness for vintage kitchenware. My pies safe keeps everything in one central place and close at hand.

My new teapot will be a perfect compliment to the items on the middle shelf, below. Same colors, same make, same era.

I've been wanting to rearrange the contents of my pie safe, and now, my new stacking teapot has inspired me to do so. The forecast is for snow and sleet tomorrow; may be the perfect day for my pie safe's face lift. I'll be sure to share the redo with you.

Susan

My Most Viewed Photo

What is it about this picture?

I was doing a little exploring on Flickr this afternoon and was pleased to discover that it has wonderfully detailed account data. You can easily see what photos get the most views, which ones have the most comments, site referrer listings, and more. And out of the 2,048 photos I have amassed on Flickr thus far from my two years of blogging, the photo of my living room, above, has the most views.

And another shot of my living room, below, is a close second! These two pictures have almost twice the number of views compared to all of the others.

Sure, our living room is nice and cozy, but it's kind of dated and hasn't changed much since we bought the furnishings back around 1992. (For more views of this room, click here.) So quite frankly, I'm thoroughly baffled! Why these photos? 

Check your Flickr stats. They may surprise you, too.

Susan

Sombreros Miniatura Revealed

I had a good chuckle reading your comments about what these darling little knitted sombreros are for.

Here's what some of you thought they might be: Kass said bottle hats; Suzy said place card holders; Natalie Jo said soft boiled egg hats; Cathy said mouse couture; Jeannie said a pincushion; Lila said thimble covers (close!); Jan said a tape measure holder; Carrie said hot sauce bottle hats; Tammy said Coca-Cola bottle tops; Teena said coin pockets; Helene said a teapot spout cover; and Black Eyed Susan said she'd use them for a finger puppet hat dance!

But it was Patrice that nailed it. These hand knitted teeny sombreros are vintage needle cases. They have a double layer of felt neatly sewn to the underside where you can store a few needles. The crown of the hat holds a thimble so you'll be all ready to sew on a button or make a quick repair. Pretty handy, right?

Thank you for the fun comments about these little hats. And I also really appreciated your input on my "keep or sell dilemma" in my last post. So, since I have so many of these charming needle cases, I do plan on parting with a few of them. For those of you who are interested, I hope to have three of them listed in my Etsy shop and another three on Kitsch Encounter sometime this weekend.

Adiós para ahora,

Susan

The Keep or Sell Dilemma

In my travels recently, I found this boxed set of 1950's greeting cards embellished with charming illustrations, flocking, and plenty of glitter. Complete with envelopes, each is in perfect, unused condition. Aren't they sweet?

I love the pretty script typeface and the rather kitschy artwork on these cards. But I have a dilemma, one I think a lot of us that both collect and sell vintage treasures often have. I can't decide if I should keep these cards or sell them. What would you do?

Susan

Change is Good

As I'm sure you know, last Saturday, Barack Obama traveled by train on a whistle stop tour from Philadelphia to Washington. Along the way, the President-elect stopped at several stations packed with cheering supporters. This 2009 inaugural train to DC followed the same route that Abraham Lincoln took nearly a century and a half ago. And as luck would have it, this was also the same route my daughter took back to her college in Baltimore on that same Saturday. Her Amtrak train was just behind Obama's and it added an extra two hours to her journey. But she finally made it to her destination.

And after several years of hard work and diligent campaigning, Barack Obama's journey to the White House is over, as well. I'm so glad he made it!

John is happy, too.

Susan

A Snowy Sunday Morning in My Studio

As I sit at the drawing table in my studio, snow is gently falling outside my window.

I love this corner of my studio because it overlooks my back garden. In the warm weather, the windows are usually open wide and I can sit here and daydream while watching the birds go in and out of our birdhouse. But on this January morning, the view is quite different but equally as beautiful.

I'm doing some odds and ends while I wait for John to finish up his work-out in our garage. Then we'll be heading out into this winter wonderland for a morning walk together.

No one will mind if we go out for a while. Hannah went back to college yesterday and boy, do I miss her already. Jacob is fast asleep and won't even realize we're gone. We'll be back in plenty of time to make him some breakfast once he rouses his weary self. Those teenagers sure can sleep!

Hey, have a peek at what's on my table . . .

These tiny little sombreros were hand knitted by Ethel's mother and are part of the lot of vintage goodies I purchased from her. I had no clue what these little hats are for until I asked Ethel. Do you have a guess as to what they are used for? I'll let you in on their handy purpose in another post.

John's done, so it's time to bundle up for our walk.

Enjoy your Sunday,

Susan

A Baker's Dozen

My new apron lot is all washed and pressed. And somehow I convinced my daughter and her friends (after a bit of eye-rolling) to model them for you.

Okay, so maybe I got my son into the act in that last photo. But isn't he a good sport?

Susan

Ethel's Generosity . . . Aprons and More

One of the perks of having had a shop is that every now and then a kind patron remembers me when they want to part with some vintage items. This wonderful lot was offered to me for purchase by Ethel, a nice lady who plans to downsize soon.

What a treasure; over a dozen pretty aprons along with a couple of 1950's tablecloths, guest towels and two beautiful feedsack quilt blocks! All they need is a good long soak in my laundry sink.

Old aprons and tablecloths like these have the usual food stains along with discoloration at the creases. My secret weapon is Biz detergent. First I fill up my laundry sink with very hot water and a healthy dose of Biz. I soak the dark, bright colored items separately from the light ones as they may run. After a while, the water becomes less bubbly and will turn yellow, which means the detergent is removing the stains. I then drain the sink and refill with more Biz and hot water for additional soaking.

Sometimes I’ll soak for a few hours, sometimes all day; it depends on how stubborn the stains are. Then into the washing machine (with regular laundry detergent), the clothes dryer, and soon they’ll be ready to iron. Good as new, only better.

Thank you Ethel!

Susan

Straight-From-the-Oven Goodness at Milk & Cookies Bakery

Yesterday found Hannah and me back in New York City for a day together before she returns to college for her spring semester. My niece and nephew joined us for lunch in Midtown and then we headed to a very special little place in Greenwich Village for dessert.

Milk & Cookies Bakery, on oh-so-quaint Commerce Street, is comfort food at its most scrumptious. Though the place is itty-bitty, the aromas wafting from their ovens are super-colossal. The friendly bakery staff makes small batches of cookies throughout the day to ensure their cookies, in more than a dozen flavors, will be fresh.

You can also indulge your creative side. Design Your Own Dozen enables you to choose a base cookie dough and add your choice of 25 mix-ins. Then they will bake them for you while you wait or you can take your Dough to Go and bake them yourself at home.

Along with cookies, this sweet little place offers brownies, bars, cupcakes, ice cream cookie sandwiches, milk and other beverages. You can even book an in-store party where you and your guests can design, bake and decorate your own cookies or cupcakes. More party options are an ice cream sandwich social or even a tea party with a variety of bite size pastries and tea service.

Milk & Cookies will deliver within Manhattan in their Smart Car, which is almost as cute as their bakery. And they ship their baked goods throughout the U.S. Plus, we got a bit of the inside scoop from their staff. A few of the popular cookie flavors have been picked up by Whole Foods Market. So there is a good chance you'll soon be able to sample these yummy tidbits at a Whole Foods near you.

Hannah and I enjoyed our treats at the bakery and made sure to bring a few home for John and Jacob. The unanimous favorite was the Milk & Cookies Bakery's version of an Oreo. It's about four times the size, and it's soft, chewy and extra-gooey.

To sum up our visit to Milk & Cookies Bakery; simply delicious, delectable and delightful!

Susan

My Winter Walk . . . Brrr

It was crazy cold on my walk this morning. The weather man said the wind chill was around eleven degrees, and I swear it felt even colder. But I'd still prefer to get out there every day. The fresh air is invigorating and as long as I pile on the layers and keep moving, I'm really not cold. Today, I passed so many lovely snow-covered sights, but every time I removed my gloves to snap a photo, my hands froze. (And shivering makes it hard to hold the camera still!) So here are a few shots from my walk in winter . . .

Makes you long for a hot cup of tea (or a beach in the Caribbean). Stay warm!

Susan

Vintage Goodness

Here's a little peek at some of the fun stuff coming up on The T-Cozy's sweet little sister blog, Kitsch Encounter . . .

Great items infused with vintage goodness! Check them out on K.E. Monday morning. Have a great evening and I hope you'll stop by tomorrow.

Susan

Busy (Button) Bee

All done! Aren't they pretty?

 

These button bouquets will be listed on my Etsy site starting today. And I'm planning some fun surprises on Kitsch Encounter by Monday. So stayed tuned, and have a wonderful weekend.

Susan

Button Blossoms and Susan's Blend

Gloomy, rainy, windy; that sums up our weather today. So my plan is to hunker down in my studio, drink Susan's Blend tea, and finish up these button bouquets I've been working on.

How do you like them? I've been experimenting with different color combinations. I especially love the neutral ones. And the red, black and white one has a 1940's Art Deco vibe. I still have to add the leaves and wrap each stem. Then I hope to get them on Etsy soon.

Yesterday, I listed some charming vintage valentines there and I also put cute ones for sale on Kitsch Encounter. I know it seems early to be thinking about Valentine's Day, but many of you use these darling old cards for crafty projects. I want to make sure you'll have them in time to work your magic before February 14!

Now back to my button blossoms . . .

Susan

Setting Foot on the Appalachian Trail

Early last week, my family and I took a short two-day trip to the northwestern corner of Connecticut. We were looking forward to doing a little hiking and were happy to learn that we could walk a little bit of the famous Appalachian Trail.

We stayed at a cozy place with snug little cabins called the Breadloaf Mountain Lodge and Cottages in Cornwall Bridge. The lodge is conveniently located next to the Housatonic River at the base of Breadload Mountain. And once you reach its summit, there is easy access to the A.T.

We were thrilled when we finally found the trail's guidepost painted on a large rock. Hmmm . . . which way to go? North to Maine, or south to Georgia?

Once you are on the A.T., you simply follow the white 2" by 6" blazes indicating its course on the trees. Just one-tenth of a mile off the trail is the summit of Breadloaf Mountain at 1,030 feet. It's particularly scenic with the Housatonic River Valley to the east and the Taconic Range to the west. 

What a view!

John and I love taking these kind of trips with our kids. Both are teenagers with busy lives and lots of friends, so it can be difficult these days to get any time alone with them. Doing this hike together was a great experience.

We've always wanted to set foot on the Appalachian Trail and we were all thrilled to have hiked a very small part of its 2,174 miles.

Susan

Apple Tart á la Jacques Pépin's Maman

I hope you all had an enjoyable New Year's Eve. John and I got together with eight good friends for a "progressive" dinner. We started with appetizers at one couple's home, dinner at another's, and then at our house, we ended the evening with dessert and watching the ball drop. Though it was a brutally cold night, we were troopers and ventured out to enjoy wonderful food and good company.

For dessert, we served sparkling apple cider along with fresh berries, cookies, ice cream, and a decadent chocolate mousse that John made. I contributed an apple tart that is always a favorite. It's from chef Jacques Pépin's delightful memoir, The Apprentice, My Life in the Kitchen. A few years back I selected this book for my book group to read. We all chose a recipe from the book to prepare and had a feast while discussing the memoir. This recipe, called "Maman's Apple Tart" is from Jacques' mother.

Dough Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg, broken into a small bowl and beaten with a fork
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
A pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar  
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons hot milk

Filling Ingredients:
4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, broken into pieces

For the dough:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put all the dough ingredients except the hot milk into a bowl. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to combine. Add the hot milk, and stir until well mixed. Do not overwork. The dough will be very soft. Place it in a 9-inch pie plate (I use a fluted metal quiche pan) and, using your fingers and a little extra flour to keep them from sticking, press the dough into the pan until it covers the bottom and the sides.

For the filling:
Peel, core, and halve the apples. Cut each half into wedges. Arrange the wedges on the dough like the spokes of a wheel. Sprinkle with the sugar, and top with the butter, broken into pieces.

Bake the tart for approximately one hour, or until the crust is golden. (In my oven, it takes just under 45 minutes.) Serve lukewarm.

 

In the book, Mr. Pépin states, "Maman's method of making dough breaks all the rules that I learned professionally. Using hot milk? Stirring the dough with a spoon? Smearing it into the pie plate? Yet it comes out tender, crumbly, and light in texture, with a delicate taste."

This tart really is simple and delicious. I hope you'll give it a try.

Susan