Daisy Janie

getting squared away.

 

In life as in art, I am getting squared away, trying to connect the dots, making circles fit into squares and creating new patterns. [aka organization.]

It's that time of year - the last few days before school starts. It'll be a mad scramble in Daisy Janieland moreso than on the homefront so I can hit the ground running on Monday morning. Mega deadlines, lotsa admin and tonza studio straightening!

I'll be able to get down to business with Geo Grand - springboarding into the many projects swirling in my head and finishing those draping off my cutting table from my previous fits & starts. This blog and I are going to become very uni-dimensional, but one of the positives outcomes will be more project show-n-tell, a free pattern or two and maybe some sneak peeks of what's around the bend on other fronts.

Are your kids back at it? Are you happy / sad? Are you getting things done?

 

quote | cause means seeds.

Another day. Another friend. Another quote.

From a passage called "A Memorandum to God*" from the book "The Greatest Miracle in the World."

*This reference is neither suggesting my affiliation with any religion, church or spiritual guide nor is it intended to infringe on your beliefs in any, way, shape or form. I believe in positivity no matter where it comes from. Period. And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I resonated with and took away from this passage.

My favorite section: Go another mile. In business, in life, in love, what would happen if you went another mile?

"The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be. This is a habit followed by all successful people since the beginning of time. Therefore I say the surest way to doom yourself to mediocrity is to perform only the work for which you are paid.

Don't think you are being cheated if you deliver more than the silver you receive. For there is a pendulum to all life and the sweat you deliver, if not rewarded today, will swing back tomorrow, tenfold. The mediocre never goes another mile, for why should he cheat himself, he thinks. But you are not mediocre. To go another mile is a privilege you must appropriate by your own initiative. You cannot, you must not avoid it. Neglect it, do only as little as the others, and the responsibility for your failure is yours alone.

You can no more render service without receiving just compensation than you can withhold the rendering of it without suffering the loss of reward. Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, these cannot be separated. The effect already blooms in the cause, the end pre-exists in the means, and the fruit is always in the seed.

Go another mile."

bird brain thoughts.

Not my bird brain thoughts, of which I have plenty (as if), this little guy's bird brain thoughts. He was definitely thinking something as he met my gaze! Any ideas? Scroll down...down...down...

"____________________________________________________!" (fill in the blank)

"I'm coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs!"
"You have a huge piece of spinach in your teeth!"
"Watch out for the quicksand!"
"Insurgents! Sound the alarm!"
"Why is everyone yelling?!"

press | real simple: simply stated

Feature on simply stated.
Thank you to Holly Becker (decor8) for her thorough & generous feature about Geo Grand on the Real Simple blog yesterday. I have always loved Holly's authentic and passionate approach to her work. 'Twas nice to see my fabrics through her writing lens!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The only thing better than good press for your hard work is good press first thing on a Monday morning. After feeling very out-of-the-blue swallowed-up last week, this was a much-needed boost. Although I don't like my mental well-being to ride on external influences, I have to admit letting the outside in too far can take you way up or way down...

A friend of mine reminded me of this great quote recently - stuffed it deep into my heart's pocket:
"You can have what you want, or the reasons why not."

recipe | oat-free, grain-free trail bar.

Okay sweet tweet followers, you asked for it and my husband has delivered. Between the smoothies I mentioned last week and his newly perfected oat-free, grain-free trail bars, Fred (aka Peanutman) and I have been truly enjoying M's kitchen busy-ness this summer. Without further ado, here's his recipe for these delicious high-energy, low carb bars.

Oat-Free, Grain-Free Trail Bars

Ingredients
12 oz almonds
8 oz pecans
6 oz sunflower seeds (unsalted)
6 oz pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
8 - 10oz shredded coconut (preferably unsweetened)
4 T grape seed oil
4 - 6 T honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 325.

Pulse almonds & pecans in food processor until you produce a flour. Pieces of nut are okay. Should take about 4-5 pulses over about 30 seconds. Don't get carried away or else you'll have a butter on your hands.

In large bowl, mix together seeds & coconut. Add nut flour and stir. Add grape seed oil and honey to dry mixture. Stir until everything is lightly coated. It will not be a solid mass; it will fall apart.

Pour mixture into jellyroll pan (ours is 12" x 19") or other rectangular baking dish (if using glass, coat with cooking spray). Press and pack down hard - if you don't do this well, you'll end up with crumbles not bars. Should be no more than ¾-inch thick. If it's thicker, set some of the mixture aside or bake it in a 2nd dish when the 1st one is done.

Bake at 325. Check at 20 minutes, press & pack again with back of spatula. Let cook another 10 mins...keep checking at this point. The edges will get brown, but the middle might still be gooey. Remove at lightly brown for “chewy granola” consistency (the honey might still be runny and it all just falls apart). Let cook past “golden brown” for crunchier consistency. Let pan cool on wire rack, allowing the cooked bar to set-up. When almost room temp, cut into squares with sharp knife (it’s not always pretty, things fall apart). 
 
Notes: M says he was shooting from the hip when perfecting this idea - 3rd time was a charm! Oven temp, type of pan, type of honey, humidity, temp of bar when cutting all play a role in how this turns out. Even if your first batch falls apart, you can still use it as you would any granola crumbles!

Why no grains? The answer is multi-layered, but here's the gist. We work hard and workout harder - we live life fully and need foods that keep us feeling light and spry. Through experimenting with our diet, we observed that grain foods tend to make us feel full, bloated (sometimes painfully) and lethargic. Although we've always eaten healthfully, we still felt like there was something else - something we weren't getting right - that would allow us to harness and maintain regular energy levels rather than sapping them. In addition, I have an intolerance to grains, esp oats, that had worsened markedly this past year (right after I posted this basic granola recipe in fact!). I cut out all grains to see if my symptoms were alleviated, and wow - what a difference! Symptoms gone and tons of energy to boot! We don't miss it at all!

If you'd to learn more about grains and how they affect your bodily systems, start with this article: 10 Reasons to Give-Up Grains You can also google grainless diets, paleo diets, anti-inflammatory diets.

opinion | how would you connect these cubes?

I would like to turn this box 'o cubes into one big wall art piece. I am pondering options for connecting them, and nothing really "yeah-that's-the-ticket!" has hit me yet. Silcone glue, liquid nails, hardware of some sort??

{The cubes are CD holders from Container Store, circa 2005. I used them to build-up table displays at art shows.}

Do you have any ideas? Would love to hear them!

Here's what I know:

• The piece needs to hang flush on the wall so something protruding out the back won't work.
• I would consider something visible from the front, if it adds to the look.
• The cubes are about 6" deep from front-to-back.
• The thickness of 2 cubes together, where the side of one cube meets the side of another, is 1/2".
• The material is a hard plastic laminate over particleboard.

a young boy's life. in pillowcases.

I was putting sheets away today and shuffling around old linens in the closet to create some semblance of organization. As I started pulling out items no longer used and piling them up, I was suddenly struck by a super sentimental moment evoked by this stack of Peanutman's old pillowcases.

They have seen and represent so many rich memories of bonding and loving around bedtime and naptime - such vulnerable and critical transition times for young'uns. M and I savored every one - we had/have a happy, secure, good sleeper which made these times of day so precious. There was snuggling, revisiting the events of the day, rocking, book reading, storytelling, shushing back to sleep, comforting a sicky-wicket, asking too many questions, tucking in, singing songs (Lawrence Welk good night song anyone?) ... and there was watching him sleep, sniffing his head, pulling the covers back up, turning off the night light, and reflecting on how lucky, lucky, lucky we all are to have one another.

Above:
His first pillow was covered by this super-soft flannel pillowcase, leftover from a sheet set when we were first married. It wore thinner and softer as time went on - and he'd tuck his little arms inside the little rips when he was sleeping - which would then become big tears. It was repaired so many times that it became very amoeba-shaped - I think this would have been his version of a 'blankie' b/c he was so attached to it.

Above:
Sticking with the flannel he loved so, he picked out this construction vehicle fabric at Jo-Ann's. I would let him choose what he liked, then I'd let him sew it. He'd sit on my lap and hold the machine's pedal in his hands and squeeze. He'd be having a giggle fit by the time we were done from all the stopping and going at warp speeds!! (If your kiddos like flannel beneath their sleepy heads, check out the adorable organic Forest Friends Flannel from my friends Michelle and Gina at Cloud9 Fabrics.)

Above:
Credit for this vibrant toothfairy pillowcase goes to my Mom. She made each of us a case like this growing up, so she kept the tradition going by making one for each of her grandchildren, too! Very sweet. The little applique fish is the pocket where your tooth would go.

Above:
Pokemon, oh, Pokemon. Again, he picked it out and helped me sew it up. A long love affair got underway when J discovered Pokemon. Long. Love. Affair. You can see his Squirtle costume for Halloween here. I remember hand-stitching the coils on the tail like it was yesterday! It was right after 9/11, and I recall the footage airing on TV as I sewed. Sad.

Above:
Star Wars. When he picked out this fabric, I recall thinking that our singular world as father-mother-son was officially beginning to separate into 2 different camps with unique likes/dislikes, activities and conversations. Father & son and Mother & son. It was hard to pretend I liked it, and it was the first time I gave myself permission to not become immersed in 'the boy stuff' he liked, as I had with construction, dinosaurs, Pokemon, etc. Turned out to be a good thing b/c there was more for him to genuinely share with me.

Above:
Camouflage. In 4th grade, he bet another classmate he would wear something with camouflage on it every single day for the entire year. He was successful! The dude was obsessed, and the camo fabric was fitting. It was also the last one I made for him b/c 5th grade brought about a more mature personality that wasn't as focused on any one pastime anymore ... and so it goes.

What I wouldn't give to go back to these sweet and simple days for a few hours.

if i were going to print 1 more collection of organic sateen...

Image, design, artwork (c) Daisy Janie/Jan DiCintio. All rights reserved.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

...this is what I would probably print: the sketch collection. I know! Where did that playful pink come from, right? Ya got me. Just following instincts I suppose.

I tweeted for input today regarding whether or not I should go forth with one more collection of organic sateen for retail (in my etsy shop) or if should stay more focused on the wholesale side with Geo Grand and the upcoming Shades of Grey. I don't want to confuse buyers regarding my mission or what my brand is all about (printed organic fabric for wholesale), but I would like to use up the 80+ yards of organic sateen I have in stock with my printer.

The organic sateen (and organic canvas) in my etsy shop are both digitally printed at great expense and cannot be wholesaled - which is the whole reason I changed my mode of printing in the first place. It would be unwise to go backward with a new collection of digitally printed fabric at this point. Thanks for letting me talk that through - and if you tweeted me today with your input, thank you!!! Meant a lot to me to get a few different perspectives.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Sketch Collection is available for licensing to established businesses for eco-friendly applications. Please send a note if you're interested in working with this group for your next project - I would love to hear your ideas!

Image, design, artwork (c) Daisy Janie/Jan DiCintio. All rights reserved.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Some of these designs might look familiar as I have posted some of them in the past 2 years. Others were created earlier this year.

I'm digging the mix of geometrics with simple floral motifs as well as the abundant vs. sparce use of color amongst the group.

Image, design, artwork (c) Daisy Janie/Jan DiCintio. All rights reserved.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Each design came from a sketch in my sketchbooks - clever and obvious naming never escapes me!

seeing | picture of health.

Today's concoction: 
spinach, raw milk, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes & frozen peaches. Heavier on the fruit side than usual - but who's complaining? Not me, not me.

A few months ago, M blended up a smoothie to use up some fruit that was on its way out - pretty typical around here. Only on this occasion he added swiss chard to his melange. It looked hideous, but after one sip, Peanutman and I were singing his praises and trying to prop him up on a pedestal! It was THAT good!

Now he makes them just about everyday - when he gets out the blender, we start drooling and chasing our tails in anticipation! (Scout and George aren't sure what to make of this yet.) We're not allowed to see what he adds tho b/c part of the enjoyment is trying to guess the ingredients.

Other mix-ins might include:
plain Greek yogurt
chard
sun tea
fresh bananas, peaches, strawberries & other fresh fruit
carrots
flax seeds
chia seeds
any other frozen fruit
(no peanutbutter b/c we're not friends)

random things listed. last of cotton/linen remnants.

 

The last of my cotton/linen fabric remnants have been listed in my etsy shop.

There are 18 random pieces from my Damsel collection (Spring '08), in a variety of styles and sizes that would be perfect for small projects or could be pieced with other fabrics to make something more substantial.

Prices range from $1.75 to $5.10. Found in the remnants section of my etsy shop.

vintage find - hanging scissor holder

Isn't this the coolest hanging scissor-holder-canister-thingamabob? Found it at an antique shop a few weeks back. I'm guessing it's more of the garage sale variety (maybe even old Pier 1?) you sometimes find amidst the truly vintage items, but that didn't deter me. A foxy chartreuse ceramic flowerpot covered in a cutout, brass-esque, Moroccan-esque, flower-esque design that hangs without being rigged and doesn't give a rip about college football - yep, we eloped on the spot! I saw no sense in going steady when I knew our love-at-first-sight would keep us together long into our twilight years.

{hanging from window moulding}

press | re-nest and true up.

Feature on re-nest.
Thank you to Editor Cambria Bold for highlighting Geo Grand on re-nest! She featured my chair re-upholstery not too long ago, and this generous follow-up post about Geo Grand is much, much appreciated! Re-nest is in the Apartment Therapy family and is one of my fave eco blogs to read!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Q & A on True Up.
If you'd like to learn more about my fabric-printing journey or some insider details about Geo Grand fabrics and designs, please read my interview with Kim Kight on True Up. Thank you, Kim, for your dedication and enthusiasm for all-things-fabric and for your support of my work from the beginning!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thank *you* for your kind words about my acceptance to Quilt Market! I feel like I've been missing one big who's who fabric party lo these many years, and it will be exhilarating to finally be a part of it!

sorting fabric, priorities & quilt market (i'm in!)

As I was getting some fabric sorting juju going earlier today, I was thinking about how I need to sort out my priorities MAJOR LEAGUE this week! You know that life analogy about filling a jar with your big rocks first, then your pebbles and sand b/c they fill in the spaces between your big rocks, blah, blah, blah? Seems I've been hitting the little stuff nonstop lately b/c it's so very present, insidious and unignorable, which leaves few opps to tackle some bigger things that I'm excited about! Not complaining, just making a mental note to take back control. Release the kraken! (Okay, that was just in my head from Clash of the Titans...had to say it.)

Hold on a sec...

Well whadiya know - as I'm typing this - I rec'd my acceptance note from the Screening Committee for the International Quilt Market! Houston, here I come!

That's a boulder that just smashed my rock jar to bitsies. (Clean-up, Aisle 9, Merv.) Nice, nice, nice!!! I can't wait to plan, meet my online friends, sell some fabric, debut Shades of Grey and more!! Better get to it.

free printable | rosie, rest & weary laurels.

I created these 2 digital collages for my office today, and they're available to you to download for your own personal use. Nothing like a pair of they-mean-business posters looking down on you while you work.

Download 8.5" x 11" pdfs here ~ Rosie / weary or Rosie / laurels

I don't know about you, but I don't care for or have time for meek & sweet - gimme strong & snarky any day over the saccharin! And Rosie? Get outta town - you can't even touch the toughness and confidence she projects.

sewing with Geo Grand | bags by pansy maiden.

I heart, heart, heart the internet - big time! It's truly a glorious thing to be able to meet & connect with talented women on a daily basis, let alone those who can make such wondrous things with fabric - like Lesley from smidgebox and now, Laura Collins of Pansy Maiden, who recently made these smokin' bags with my Geo Grand fabrics.

Laura used Ogee and Caravan to create two of her original bag designs: a Weekender and a Hard-headed Woman (gotta love that name).

She had this to say about working with Geo Grand organic fabrics:
"...this fabric has been a dream to work with. I normally work with >8 oz cotton, so I was a bit worried about using a 4.5 oz fabric. My worries were unfounded. This fabric is beefy and of the highest quality. And the colors are just as fun and vibrant as they appear to be on my computer screen. Just beautiful!

The quality of your fabric is evident. When washed, the colors do not fade and it barely wrinkles. Usually when I work with quilting weight cotton, it comes out of the dryer really wrinkled, and I have to spend more time with the iron; this is not true with your fabric. Probably because it's beefier than most quilting weight cotton."

above & below: The Weekender by Pansy Maiden in Ogee and Caravan.
The double-row of top-stitching makes me weak in the knees. A sure sign of quality workmanship that will ensure the bag lasts and lasts, plus it just looks excellent.

Laura's mission with Pansy Maiden is to "create attractive, sustainable, cruelty-free bags in a socially responsible manner" b/c she wants her bags to be a reflection of her personal values. Hear, hear! In her bag collections, she uses only GOTS and SLA certified eco-friendly fabrics sourced from Fair Trade Certified mills. Your efforts are admirable, Laura, and your craftsmanship is beyond the beyond - thank you!

above: A Hard-headed woman handbag by Pansy Maiden in Caravan and Ogee.