edesse designs blog

Love

Lovely soaps from Sun Basil Garden--just in time for Valentine's Day.

Fahrenheit Goods

An appropriate post for an extremely cold day. It's around -10 degrees out and I literally froze while walking to class today. Unacceptable.

On a positive note, Check out these yummy gummies from Fahrenheit. These hand cut gum drops are available in Lemon-Ginger, Lime, and my personal favorite Raspberry! They are made with all natural ingredients, and are completely VEGAN! Wow. I can't wait to order a box!

In the meantime, Stay warm.

Journal Adoption Agency

Hi Guys and Gals! I'm popping in for a brief moment to mention a great deal going on right HERE. The Journal Adoption Agency is a new home placement program for the many books I have made and abandoned over the years. See, a few years ago, I purchased an awesome book press. As a result, I  have made far too many journals to count and have, as a result, accumulated a pile waiting to be loved and used. The picture above shows a few of the books currently up for adoption.

This adoption agency gives you the opportunity to stake claim on one of these handmade beauties for an unbelievable price--5 Buckaroos + 2.50 for shipping. The only catch is that I choose the book. Trust me, the available options are so SWEET therefore I don't think you will be disappointed!

Michael Naples

Nathalie's Cupcake

A yummy final hurrah before the sun rises. Of course, no celebration is a real celebration without a cakey confection to finish it off. I love this painting by Michael Naples, who is one of my favorite food painters. I just puts me in a mood!

Le Sigh. The vacation is almost over and this semester is, perhaps, my most busiest yet. In the meantime, I have been cramming in stuff I will never get to do for the next few months...like rewatching old seasons of The Real World, looking for vintage belts on etsy, and rereading my favorite books.

I'm also enjoying the snow--it makes me feel as if I am in a snow globe. Cozy!

Up

 

I'm procrastinating AND going through old photos AND trying to remember what motivated me to take them. I remember this day clearly. I had lunch in Chinatown with a dear friend and we ended up having dessert--macaroons of course--at BINA. Good times, I tell ya, good times.

It was raining that kind of rain--the kind that gets you wet whether or not you come prepared. It's futile to fight it and it's better that you just sit inside where it's warm and toasty, grab a cup of coffe, and watch the show.

That's just what we did. You know, rain speaks to you. If you have the capacity to listen, you can have a pretty wonderful conversation. On this day, the rain and I talked about peaks and valleys. It told me that the worst was over and tomorrow there would be sunny skies. I took this photo because I believe in before and after.

As a result, I no longer live in the shade--under gray skies. I continue to move into warmth and reach towards the light.

Bridges

 

If you know me, you know that I like bridges--a lot. I guess it's because I like the idea of connecting and spanning and transferring.  As the new semester approaches, I think a lot about what's next as this is my last semester at my current school. Above is a picture of one of my favorite bridges, the one that connects Vermont and New Hampshire and spans the ever so beautiful  Connecticut River.

Snack Cakes

Despite growing up in the worst kind of poverty imaginable, sometimes we found ourselves rich enough to afford snack cakes. And boy, did we take advantage of that opportunity. In those days, a dollar went so far. Little Debbie and Hostess pastries were 10 cents each. We'd buy them and take them to the big magnolia tree right outside the kitchen window and eat them under the shade. We made ourselves sick but we felt rich.

Looking back on those times makes it crystal clear why I find myself, today, obsessed with food. We were poor but we had food on the table. My dear mom fought tooth and nail to make that a reality. I'd be lying if I said it was not a constant worry. However, when I came home from school there was always something waiting for me at the table. Sure, it may have only been a slice of bread or a piece of welfare cheese, but it was something and I felt human.

Since money was out of the question the majority of the time, food became the currency by which I obtained my relevance. Perhaps I could not talk about the latest movie or that show on cable television, but I could discuss, in great detail, what I had for dinner the night before. And, those special times when my mom had enough to give me a dollar, I could go to the neighborhood corner store and purchase a snack like these--with my friends. AND, by some miracle, I would always have enough to share with those friends who had it even worse than myself. Although poverty rendered me insignificant to those who did not care to see me beyond my socioeconomic status, food allowed me to cultivate a sense meaningfulness to those who did.

Through food, I learned a value system, which included generosity and sacrifice, security and vulnerability, fullness and emptiness, and an ability to believe that things can happen despite you not knowing how or when.  These lessons I carry with me to this day and thank these damn snack cakes for each and every one of them.

I did not mean to go off on a tangent, but these snack cakes created by Milk Fly just did something to me in a way that makes me keenly appreciative for the tough times I've experienced so far. These past few weeks, I've been doing some soul searching and know no bad experience encountered has remained in that state. It always manages to teach me some really important lesson and further transforms me into a much better version of myself. I feel quite blessed for this and have no complaints.

It also makes me less afraid of the trials I know still rest ahead. I look forward to the subsequent transformations that will result as a consequence. I do know this--what always falls out is an increased capacity to love others and myself.

Art on the Menu

I've blogged about this artist before and her newest work is simply mouth-watering. Art on the Menu keeps on doing it, and doing it BIG! Yummy stuff.

Happy Friday, er'body.

Just One of THOSE days

Leelu and Piggy deliver with this awesome painting entitled Strong. I love the detail in the bubbles. You know, I hate those corny motivational corporate posters with those pseudo deep messages of teamwork, persistence, and courage. Then again, I hate most things corporate so that should come as no surprise. However, if ever I had to do corporate (or if I had a legit office somewhere) this painting would be hanging over my desk.

I was supposed to make apple pies today but got lazy. Tomorrow?

It's the Season of Love, Y'all!

Wooha! And, I just LOVE this At-Home Macaroon Maker. I just can't decide if it is pure brilliance or pure diaster. Anybody remember those Easy-Bake ovens?

Oh well, since they are sold out, I'll just have to wait and see.

For all of you Bostonians, did anyone see the sunrise this morning? It was incredible. These sunrises, I tell ya, they keep you humble.