paints and pastels

Lately, I've been trying to get more into "art" type creativity. I took a couple art classes in high school (over 10 years ago!), but since then, I haven't spent much time with paints or anything. It's surprisingly hard to get back into it -- I always struggle with deciding what to draw or paint, I spin my wheels thinking about finding my artistic "voice" or "style" -- But I'm working really hard at just relaxing about it. There's this Ira Glass quote about creative work where he says his best advice is basically to just create a huge body of work, and I'm trying to keep that advice in mind as motivation to keep going.

spring washi tape cards

Have you read The Happiness Project? If not (spoiler alert), one of the goals she talks about is sending actual birthday cards instead of just a quick online message. It's a goal I often think about, and while I haven't actually started doing it, I hope that building a stash of homemade notecards will help.

Washi card stripe notecards are probably my current favorites. They're so easy, and if you're like me and have a huge washi stash, you can get really creative with the color and pattern combinations. For these ones, I went with pink and peach solid tape to add a spring feel, then used black and white patterned tape to make them look a little bolder and not too Easter-dressy. I'm completely smitten and now the challenge is going to be letting them go.

In case you're curious, these are the supplies I used (although you can use any card stock, envelopes, and washi tape you happen to have):

- rose pink tape from the Oh Happy Day Shop
- salmon pink tape from the Oh Happy Day Shop
- black and white tape from Paper Source
- envelopes from Paper Source
- card stock from Paper Source

asiago bagels

If you're looking for a way to up your weekend breakfast game, I strongly suggest trying homemade bagels. Boiling them makes the crust chewy while keeping the insides soft, and since you use a food processor, there isn't much fussing with the dough initially. Plus, you can change the toppings up however you want (I'll share my favorite everything bagel topping eventually). So good.

ASIAGO BAGELS

ingredients

for dough: 

530 grams bread flour
1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 c hot water (120 to 130 degrees)

for boiling: 

1 pot water 

2 tbsp sugar 

for topping: 

1 egg
1 tsp water

about 1/2 c shredded asiago cheese

directions 

To make the dough, combine the dry dough ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until just combined. With the processor running, slowly add the water. Continue to run until dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled (about an hour).

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

After the dough has risen, begin boiling water combined with sugar. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While the water heats, transfer dough to a lightly floured counter. Cut into 10 to 12 evenly-sized pieces. To shape, roll each piece into a long, thin log. Then roll each log around 3 fingers to make a ring. Press the ends together, using a bit of water if necessary to make the dough stick to itself. Roll the seam gently to smooth. Transfer shaped bagels to the baking sheets.

After all bagels are shaped and water is boiling, place 2 bagels at a time in the water. Let boil for 30 seconds, then flip with a slotted spoon. Boil for another 30 seconds, then remove from water and place on a kitchen towel to dry. After all bagels are boiled, pat the tops dry and transfer back to the baking sheets.

Combine egg and water. Brush each bagel with egg wash, then generously sprinkle with cheese.

Bake about 20 minutes, rotating the pans (from front to back and top to bottom) halfway through. Remove and flip the bagels over. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool completely before eating.

(source: slightly adapted from Serious Eats)

Welcome to tangents and whims!

Hello! I'd like to use this first post as a sort of introduction, both to myself and to what I hope this space will become. Setting an intention, as it were.

So first, about me: My name is Heather. I am in my late 20s and currently live in Washington, DC, with my boyfriend and our two cats. I have a 9:00 to 5:30 type day job, but I spend most of my days dreaming of being either at home and creating or being in the mountains and wandering/wondering. I am a big fan of hot tea, Burt's Bees classic lip balm, washi tape, lambs, Andy Warhol, and peanut butter cookies.

Now, about the blog: I am very much a hobby generalist. Some people find one thing - embroidery, traveling, decorating cakes - and fall in love and run with it. I am not one of those people. Every time I tell myself I'm going to focus on one specific thing - crocheting, quilting, baking - I get bored thinking of the repetition. I'm usually very much a creature of habit, but the thought of spending every day redoing the same project is maddening. Most blogs about blogging will tell you that to be "successful," you have to pick a niche. You have to visualize a target audience and research their interests and cater very specifically to their needs. And maybe that's true. But some of my favorite blogs - A Cup of Jo, Elise Joy, A Beautiful Mess - keep their content broad and, to me, that's much more engaging. My life isn't only about crocheting scarves; I find it deeply satisfying to explore different media, to go outside and walk slowly down the sidewalk taking pictures of flowers, to listen to the Planet Money podcast. To me, blogging only about sewing or only about baking seems to be omitting so much more about life that I'd like to capture and remember. So, I say, let's just forget the current conventional wisdom about what makes a successful blog. Maybe it's selfish to not be focused on how to cater to an audience, but what I'd like to offer you is this: I am going to give myself permission to buck conventional wisdom, and I want to encourage you to do the same. By being (and I realize this word is completely overused, but I suspect it's for a good reason) authentic to my own interests, I hope you, the reader, will also feel emboldened to just do the project you've been dreaming of without worrying so much about how it might fit into some bigger "self-branding" story.

I'm sure I'll stumble and struggle with always blogging openly and consistently, but I'm looking forward to the challenge nonetheless. As long as I keep going, I think I'll be satisfied. I hope you'll join me.