DIY: Homemade Buttons

I have a fascination with making basic necessities that a normal person would just buy: deodorant, crackers, ketchup, paper, pickles, butter, lip balm, yogurt, soap... you get the idea. It makes me feel all Laura Ingalls Wilder-esque, like I could survive out on the prairie or through peak oil. So I thought I'd start highlighting some of these DIY projects for building a handmade life -- just in case you ever end up living on the prairie and then run out of crackers.

I'm interested to know what you think: What basic necessities are you making? What would you like to make but haven't tried yet?

How to: Make Wooden Buttons
Thanks to my man for being the hand model/saw operator and inspiration. Note to all the single ladies: do try to marry a man with calloused hands, it'll make your life so much easier and more interesting!

1. Gather your tools and supplies. You'll need: a drill, a saw (I used a skill saw but a hand saw would work at least as well), sandpaper (100 grit and 220 grit), a wooden block, and oil (I used sesame, but olive or mineral will work too.)



2. Choose a nice branch for your button. A few things to keep in mind:

• The branch's diameter without bark will be the size of your button
• Use a hardwood such as oak
• Avoid rotten wood
• Using downed branches that have already "cured" while they were lying on the forest floor will prevent your buttons from cracking and make it easier to remove the bark.
  

3. Cut rounds from the end of the branch. They should be between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch in width.


4. Remove bark from the button rounds.


5. Drill 2 or 4 holes in each button, using your wooden block to drill on so that you don't damage your work surface. It's not important to get the holes perfectly spaced as the buttons are meant to look rustic and homemade.


6. Sand your buttons. Start out using 100 grit sandpaper and then finish with 220 grit.


7. Rub the buttons with a little bit of oil and then polish with a clean cloth. All done!



Now take some photos of those buttons in action.  Congratulations, you're one step closer to self-sufficiency and that homestead on the prairie!

A Boy and His Dog

I have a Norman Rockwellian vision of their future: a barefoot boy with a homemade fishing rod walking down a country lane with his trusty red sidekick. Oh Motherhood, why do you make me so sentimental?

A is for Acorns and Autumn

This past winter, way back when I was still pregnant and had no idea what sleep deprivation was like, I knitted baby clothes to relax. Not having any babies around to measure or fit, I guessed on size a little bit. So I now have a collection of adorable baby knits in preemie sizes. The hats in particular are tiny (wishful thinking?) and useless for a baby born in July. I recently pulled out one I knitted way back in January with the idea of dressing up my babe as an acorn this Halloween. Unfortunately, it's a bit too small for my (admittedly huge) son.



And it doesn't suit Humphrey. Besides, whoever heard of a furry acorn...



Maybe I'll rework the pattern for pleasantly plump babies. In the meantime, I'll stick to simpler crafty projects, activities that an be completed during the 15 minutes Finn sleeps. Here's a quick project to bring autumn indoors:

I started by separating the acorns from their caps and then drilling two holes in each cap.



Next I threaded a piece of cotton yarn through the holes.



And glued the cap back onto the acorn.



I'll use them as hangers on presents. A gift tag of an oak leaf cut out of paper or felted wool from an old sweater is a sweet addition.



Or they could be tied to a piece of ribbon as a napkin ring.



For more acorn goodness, here's a collection of craft ideas. I hope you get some inspiration and find your autumn spirit too!


Printable Acorn Garland by Amy Atlas


Acorn Wreath at Scribbit


Felt Acorns by Betz White


Velvet Acorns by Heather Donohue


Acorn Napkin Rings at Martha Stewart

And there's this post at www.ehow.com about drying acorns properly to get rid of any insects that may have made your acorns their home.

Buttermilk Sherbet

Rumor has it that it's fall. The maple trees are turning yellow and the poison oak is bright red, acorns are dropping on our roof with loud bangs, and the light is a beautiful golden color. So why is it in the nineties today? Why am I sweating? Why do I feel like taking off all my clothes? (Don't answer that last question...)

It must be fall in northern California, otherwise known as Indian Summer. And the best way to beat the heat -- besides stripping naked and going for a swim -- is a cold frozen treat, preferably something fruity and not too heavy with a nice balance of sweet and tart. This is where sherbet comes in, in all its creamy fruitiness. Now, I had a long-standing aversion to sherbet based on childhood memories of the Baskin Robbins version: fake fruit flavors and a disappointing lack of richness as compared to ice cream. But it turns out that homemade sherbets are a whole different animal, combining the best of sorbet and ice cream.



I've been playing with ice cream recipes, replacing milk and cream with lighter buttermilk, and I'm loving the way it plays off of fruit and the tangy flavor. So break out your ice cream maker (what? You don't have one? Buy one now, it's the best $40 you'll spend this week and an easy way to make show-stopping desserts. Be forewarned, it will ruin you for store-bought "fro-yo" -- but I promise you won't miss it.)

So whip up some tasty low fat ice cream and stay cool while autumn rages on. And while you're at it, try these free printable ice cream gift tags, courtesy of Eat Drink Chic. Enjoy!



Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet
adapted from David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop." And have you checked out his blog? It's an ice cream fanatic's dream come true.
makes about 1 quart

1/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

1) Combine the water, sugar and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let stand until the syrup reaches room temperature, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
2) Whisk the buttermilk into the syrup, then whisk in the lemon juice.
3) Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (or place in a container in your freezer and stir with a fork, breaking up clumps, every 15 minutes.)

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Nectarine and Ginger Buttermilk Sherbet
adapted from Martha Stewart
makes about 1 quart

3/4 pound ripe nectarines (I used very sweet white nectarines)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons agave syrup (you can omit and replace with honey or sugar if you don't have this on hand)
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1) Quarter nectarines; remove and discard pits, but do not peel. Place in a food processor and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.
2) Add sugar, agave syrup, lemon juice, and ginger. Pulse to combine.
3) Transfer to a medium bowl, add buttermilk and chill the mixture.
4) Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (or place in a container in your freezer and stir with a fork, breaking up clumps, every 15 minutes.)

Happy Hour

Being a new mama, I'm struggling with trying to find balance in my life. There is plenty of time spent with baby, some time for Papa, and a bit of time spent housekeeping, leaving very little Me-Time. I'm finding that building just a few moments into my day for myself is essential to maintaining my sanity and sense of myself as a functioning, independent person. And I really only need a few moments for a shower or reading a few pages, maybe I'll even do some yoga one of these days. The crucial thing is to ritualize these moments a little so they feel significant -- this serves to distract from their unfortunate brevity.

To build a ritual, it helps to have a few accessories; today mine are a chair with a view, my current knitting project and a delicious and pretty drink.



Some dappled sunlight and listening to This American Life on my ipod help too.

That gorgeous rosy drink, it's made from hibiscus flowers. And who wouldn't want to sip a frosty, ruby-colored, fruity-flavored tea made from flower petals? I'm enjoying mine with nothing but ice and a squeeze of lime, but it would be even tastier and more relaxing (for the non-breastfeeding set) with a pour of alcohol. So for happy hour five minutes this weekend, I'll be sipping a Hibiscus Cooler. Cheers!



Hibiscus Cooler
Hibiscus flowers can be purchased at most Latin American markets. Ask for Jamaica (pronounced huh-MIKE-uh.) You may also find it at health food stores or locally at Andy's Produce in the bulk herb section.

2 cups hibiscus flowers
3/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
Optional flavorings: 6 slices of ginger root, 2 cinnamon sticks, juice of 1 orange (choose one)
1 1/2 quarts boiling water

1) Put hibiscus flowers, sugar, and optional flavorings into a large heatproof pitcher or container.
2) Pour boiling water into container and steep for 20 minutes. Strain. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
3) Serve over ice with a sparkling water floater and a wedge of lime or use in the cocktails below.



Jamaican Ruby

1 ounce rum
6 ounces Hibiscus Cooler
Ice

Pour rum over ice in lowball glass. Add Hibiscus Cooler and garnish with a lime wedge.

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Hibiscus Margarita
adapted from this recipe.

2 ounces tequila
4 ounces Hibiscus Cooler
juice from half a lime
1 ounce simple syrup
Ice

Mix all ingredients in a glass, or alternatively, blend in a blender. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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Hibiscus Cosmo
adapted from this recipe.

2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce Fresh squeezed lime juice
1 ounce Hibiscus Cooler
3/4 ounce simple syrup

Pour all ingredients into a chilled cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Basil Pesto

As summer fades into fall, I'm thinking a lot about savoring these last few days of warm weather. The weekend promises to be hot here; it's already in the high eighties. So in the cool of morning, before it gets hot enough that all we can do is swim and sip icy drinks, I made pesto -- a big batch so that when winter comes and those long, cold days set in, I'll be able to pull a few jars out of the freezer and be reminded of the heat and the peppery basil scent of summer.





Basil Pesto
I don't follow a recipe when I make this but today I tried to pay attention so that I could pass some concrete measurements along. So use this as a guideline and adjust to your taste, adding or subtracting garlic and salt or making substitutions for the nuts and basil. Makes about 3 cups.

3/4 cup toasted pine nuts*
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
12 cups basil leaves**
1/2 cup olive oil

1) Grind pine nuts, garlic and salt together in a food processor or blender until relatively smooth -- you should have a paste with a consistency a bit like peanut butter.
2) Add basil a handful or two at a time, pulse to chop finely after each addition.
3) With the motor running, gradually pour in olive oil and blend until the pesto is creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

You can freeze your pesto in small canning jars, ziploc bags or other containers. I like to freeze some in ice cube trays for those times when you just want to add a tablespoon or two to flavor a soup or other dish. If you plan to use the pesto fresh, float a tablespoon or two of olive oil over the top of your pesto to keep it from discoloring and store in the fridge.

*Pine nuts are traditional but you can substitute all or a portion for cashews, walnuts, or pepitas.
**Try making pesto with other greens or herbs: arugula, spinach, chard, cilantro, parsley or carrot, radish or beet greens. Bear in mind that beet greens will turn your pasta a bit pink, however; kids may like this or they may think it's disgusting -- you've been warned.

Watch out world

Because our little genius has learned how to grab ahold of things...



and bring them...



to his mouth!



Humphrey better hold on to his tail.