I made this little towel for my friend Amanda. I had a really good time figuring out the colors for the cake.

I had so much fun stitching this little towel over the holidays. I thought the colors were really fun, and I finished the entire project in about one hour!

Pattern from Sublime Stitching.

I really enjoyed making this labyrinth. I like to think it was as calming to stitch as it is to trace for meditation.

Also, I love a French knot. So I had to include some in the design.

Pattern by Sublime Stitching.

So, I’m making a fresh start.  Each new year I like to think about how I’m living my life and what I want to do next. What improvements do I want to make?  What excess in my life is draining my energy?  What’s important to me and deserves my focus and attention?

When it comes to my blog, I feel like I need more freedom.  More space for creativity.  So, I’m giving myself that option.  And I’m crazy excited about it.

I love the idea of sowing seeds. Cultivating changes.  Nurturing them.  Watching them grow.

I’ll post about what’s going on in my life–crafting, cooking, style, planning this year’s garden–as well as some photos and reflections.  I may even change the name to sowing seeds. I’m not really sure how this is going to shake out, but I’m looking forward to seeing how things develop over the next year.

I hope you’ll hang with me during this change.  I’d love to hear about what’s going on with you and what you think along the way.

I hope you’ve had fantastic first week of 2012. This could be an amazing year for all of us.

So the first week of the new diet was really great!  The second week has been good, but not quite as easy. I have a little most of the menu done for the week.  Now I just have to figure out what to serve my friends who are visiting on Saturday!

Monday: Chicken Korma with Veggies. Quick, easy, yummy!

Tuesday: Turkey burgers with salad

Wednesday: Lentils con prosciutto

Thursday: Black beans and brown rice with local peppers and lots of Cajun seasoning

Friday: Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings from Eating Well.  I’ve never made chicken and dumplings before…and this looks so good!  (I didn’t make them last time it was on the menu either.) I’m looking forward to the experiment!

Saturday: Cooking for our friends Chris and Rachel.  I really need to plan this one out.

Sunday: To be honest, we’re probably going to eat leftovers.  We have a busy Sunday, and will be getting ready for Thanksgiving.  I’m hitting the grocery stores with my friend Jenn to prep for the occasion, so I’ll need all the fridge space I can get!

Hopefully this will all work out well!  What are you making for dinner this week?

So, I’m making a big effort to change my diet over the next few weeks.  Here’s what I’m doing:

1. Eat lean protein at every meal.  Three to four ounces.  This could be made up of poultry, pork, nuts, legumes, or quinoa.
2. Eat one serving of whole grains at every meal.  With “one” and “whole grains” being the key words here.  As opposed to “four” and “baguettes”.
3. Eat all of the veggies you want.  Snacks and meals.  Preferably two servings per instance.
4. Get dairy from yogurt (preferably plain, could be Greek) and small quantities of cheese.  I love cheese.  Good, fancy cheese.  A little a day can really punch up my salads without going overboard.  Mainly this rule is here so I won’t just chug Dark Chocolate Almond Milk all day.  While it is super tasty, I’m just drinking calories like there is no tomorrow.
5. Substitute fruit for chocolate, candy, and sweet treats.  I really love some frozen grapes.  This one shouldn’t be too hard.
6. Drink 80 ounces of water a day.  Drink only water.  Quit it with the almond milk, cow milk, and fruit juice.

So there’s my quick and dirty detox plan.  This week I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.

And this basically is my updated Menu Monday post for this week.  It was full of pasta and rice.  Seriously.  I made a lasagna.  Which I never make.  It was tasty and carb-tastic.  I will let my husband finish the leftovers and move on with my life.  ::deep, serene breath::

I love getting recipe ideas from friends.  This week I got some from Facebook sharing and Pinterest.  (OMG Pinterest is CRAZY FUN!!)  Here’s what I came up with.

1. Chipotle Pork Quesadillas with Smashed Black Beans, and Corn Salsa.  Doesn’t that sound FABULOUS?!  I’m not going to go as all-out as the original recipe, but I think it will be a nice change from tacos.  Thanks to my friend Jenn for the recommendation.
   
2. Turkey and Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups.  Found on Pinterest.  Cute and easy!
3. Dinner out with my awesome friend Jenn.  We’re going to get spicy Indian food at Lejha again.  It’s going to be awesome.  And since it’s Richmond Restaurant Week, it’s for a good cause!
4. Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings from Eating Well.  I’ve never made chicken and dumplings before…and this looks so good!  It will be nice and comforting when the weather turns super cold later this week.
5. Lentils con Prosciutto with Balsamic Pork Chops and Sautéed Beet Greens.  These lentils are totally becoming a weekly staple, and the leftovers keep really well.
6. Pizza Night!  We are big pizza fans, so we have a weekly pizza night!  This week will be Prosciutto and Mozzarella.  I’m going to finally attempt making pizza dough.  You’ll get the full scoop soon!
7. Dinner with a gang of friends.  We’ll all be hanging out.  It’s going to be awesome.

So there’s the plan!  What are you making this week?

You guys, I buy one of those lattes every year and I think they are gross.  To me they taste like bologna and Play-Doh.  And I still buy one every year.  I have a problem.

So, I was very proud of myself when I came home from the Farm to Family market with only four pumpkins.  It took me 15 minutes to decide which ones to take home.  I wanted them all!

In the end I chose three pumpkins that could be used for cooking, and only one that was purely decorative and more traditional.  That one was for T.  I pick the crazy knobby, warty, veined, weirdo ones over the traditional orange every time.

In the coming months I look forward to enjoying my pumpkins in a couple of ways.

1. Just staring at them.  It makes me happy to enjoy them sitting around my house looking pretty.
2. Cooking them. I’m excited to try some new recipes and see what kind of results I get.  You’ll get to see if I totally wreck them, or actually make something tasty!

So, yeah.  My name is Julie, and I’m obsessed with pumpkins.  At least it is a seasonal love affair.

Going to the Farm to Family Market makes planning meals a little harder. I’m working to find recipes that go with all the amazing food that I get, with just a little supplementation from the grocery store.  It’s not easy, but it’s totally worth it.

1. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili with Chili-Cheese-Corn Muffins.  I have all but 3 ingredients for this meal on-hand after my trip to the market.  That is an accomplishment!
2. Lentils con Prosciutto with Balsamic Pork Chops and Sautéed Beet Greens.  These lentils are totally becoming a weekly staple, and the leftovers keep really well.
3. Pizza Night!  We are big pizza fans, so we have a weekly pizza night!  This week will be Prosciutto and Mozzarella.  I’m going to finally attempt making pizza dough.  You’ll get the full scoop soon!
4. Taco Night!  We haven’t had tacos in a couple of weeks.  It’s time.
5. Salad with Roasted Beets and White Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Over the weekend, I made my first attempt at roasting beets.  They are going to become part of this yummy salad!
6. Marinated Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Patty Pan Squash with Basil. This is a super easy dinner that fits squarely in the “comfort food” category.  YUM.
7. Farfalle with Ground Turkey and Roasted Pepper Sauce.  Another one of our go-to meals.  I’m making a big batch for a group of friends that are coming over.  I’ll serve it with a big salad.  Quick, easy, filling, yummy.

So that’s my plan!  What are you making this week?

I’ve found these same lessons apply to my blog.  When I lose sight of why I’m writing things get stale.  I copy the same post over and over.  I don’t even want to read my blog, much less write for it.

So, I’m going back to my original intention: to write about my journey in bettering myself.  To realize my ideal self. This return feels like a breath of fresh air after months of stale recycled office funk.

My blog and my life are works in progress. Every moment of your life is a choice.  You practice living the life you want most. I hope you’ll join me in my daily practice by making meaningful choices for yourself, and maybe even sharing them with me.