A Late Birthday Present

Earlier this week I received the first of three gifts from my sister, Sophie. She signed me up for the Umba box , which means I will be receiving a parcel of two to three hand-crafted items in the mail for three months.

This is what I found inside my first parcel:

I got a pair of handmade earrings by Elizabeth Ashlie Jewellery and this world map cutting board by Richwood Creations, which I think is made of maple.

 

I think the concept of the umbra box is not only a delightful experience for the customer, because who doesn't love receiving presents in the mail? but this also provides great exposure and support for self-employed artists. It's things like this that make me consider quitting my job to become self employed. However, my idea of being self employed is watching movies all day and casually knitting pieces to sell. I don't think that kind of work mentality will pay the rent.

In Preparation

This morning I plan to check out some garage sales and take a trip to the farmer's market. I hope to get some fresh beets from the market to make this “rawvioli” recipe and get myself a nice treat for a picnic at the beach later.

I figured such a day requires a hearty meal to keep me going until lunch. A sausage roll from the artisanal bakery down the road should do the trick.

Sick Day

I have been feeling under the weather lately and so I wanted to take time to rest and let my body repair. Of all days, today was the most idyllic one to chose for a day of rest. I awoke to an autumnal scene of fog and crisp air that just begged to be a day spent inside knitting and watching movies. How could I say no? I think my cat, Elsie, agreed.

To make the day more lovely, I received a parcel from Demetria. It was a sweetly curated assortment of finds from the east coast along with two letters. One for myself and two for my sister. 

Time spent reading a letter from a dear friend, with the accompaniment of a fresh bakery treat and a hot mug of nettle tea, beautifully completed my day of restoration.

Crochet and Coffee

This is how I spent my morning.

I often savour early morning cups of coffee while listening to the radio, but today I spent some time curled up in bed reading and honing my crochet skills.

Today is my day off so, after some much needed down time, I made tackling my chore list a priority. I tended to some very sad house plants and completed a few other household chores. After a trip to the grocery store, I made these burgers. At first I was unsure if the patties would hold together, but the burgers turned out to be just delicious. I think the next time I make these I'll garnish the patties with a yoghurt dill sauce and serve with sesame yam fries. The earthiness of the beets in these patties would even taste great over a bed of mixed bitter greens with a poached egg on top.

This is just a test