Wren's Nest

Dinner Challenge: Rigatoni

Here is my first (which is strange since I do usually menu plan and cook during the week and this week it just hasn't worked that way) dinner in Carrie's dinner challenge. I think I'll continue into next week since this week was sort of a bust. OK, this is a really simple meal, but my kids will eat it, add a salad and some bread and there you have it. One of my friends brought this to us after Collin was born and I asked her for the recipe.

(Not a great picture, but you get the idea)

White Bean and Sausage Rigatoni

1 package dried rigatoni
2 - 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I use about 1.5 cans)
2 14.5 oz cans Italians style stewed tomatoes (I only had organic diced tomatoes, so I just added dried oregano and dried basil and it seemed fine)
6 oz. cooked smoked turkey sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup snipped fresh basil
1/4 cup shaved or finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions

In a large sauce pan combine beans, tomatoes and sausage. Heat through, drain cooked pasta and add bean mixture and basil. Toss gently to combine. Serve sprinkled with parmesan. Enjoy!

For tonight - we'll see...I have all the makings for Butternut Squash soup, but I'm really just dying for a burger!

Birds

Obviously I love birds - I love to watch them outside, I love pictures of them, I love making them, I love making eggs in nests, all that. So when John and I went to the the little town of Benicia last Sunday, and I found these sweeties, I  knew they'd go great in the studio (which is going to get too crowded if I don't watch it, since I'm always finding cute stuff to put in it - I should probably leave some room to work). I think they're old vintage postcards blown up with some glitter glued on them.

More cute hanging birds - this is a magnet board with little bird magnets - how fun is that ?(I've had this awhile - I may have shown you already).

Here's another fun thing - I've joined Carrie's Dinner Challenge (she also has a flickr group going here)- I haven't done it the last couple of night - we had pancakes one night (made by my oldest son) and salad and little flatbread pizzas last night, but tonight I'm making a dish someone brought to me when I had Collin. It's rigatoni with tomatoes and sausage, so I'll post the pic and recipe tomorrow.

A Little Field Trip

We are enjoying the long weekend here (even though it's pouring rain today) - the weather has been beautiful otherwise!  On Saturday I went with two friends, Joanna and Denise to this fun place - and found some great things! (I also found a few things I didn't buy and now I'm really sorry about it since they won't be open again until next month). But here are the two things I did get:

I love this vintage green ironing board. So Cute! It's sort of a work in progress as far a what to do with it, but it's under the window (for now) in the studio and I think I 'll have lots of fun decorating it and changing things around on it. It's really wonderful!

I also got this great old birdcage - I've been looking for one and this is so sweet. Eventually I'd like a bigger one to sit underneath the table I took this picture on (which is where this one is for now), but this one could go pretty much anywhere in the house.

Enjoy your day!

Auctions and Bags and Fabric, oh my!

What a fun day!! I sort of took the day off from PTA stuff - I am co-chairing our school auction which is coming up March 8, so things have been hectic to say the least! I do have great people to work with on it, though, so that makes it pretty fun! But today I hung out in the morning (ok and did  talk on the phone about the auction, but it was with the decorations gal, so that was fun! The theme is An Evening in Venice, so it's going to be really pretty).

Anyway, enough of the rambling. I headed out to Thimblecreek to met Bari (of Bari J. Handbag fame) to pick up my NEW bag from her (I have 6 now - I counted). Here it is...isn't it pretty?

I can even fit my laptop in it - and a binder! My friend Janis (who also works at TC) had one at a meeting we were at and I loved it - now I know why - it matches my living room! I should just leave it out on my couch!

At TC I also ran into Pam and Elizabeth buying loads of pretty stuff. Then I saw my friend Debbie who has a son my oldest son's age. So fun to see so many great people all at one time!

I treated myself to this beautiful fabric - which I came home and threw on my table and it landed on this brown wool and now I have to do something with them together. (sadly the colors don't show very well).

Then there was this cool Anna Griffin fabric - don't know what I'll do with it yet, but I really love it!

So tonight, it's time to finish the jammie pants for the auction - my husband's in  Chicago so I'll be up late sewing. My friend Teresa and I made the sleep-over basket last year and we're doing it again this year. I think some little girls will really love this fabric!

Have a great night!

Still raining!

We had a little break this morning, but it's back to grayness and wetness now. I really don't mind - I know we need the rain - I do worry some about damage and flooding. Our backyard is completely mud since we haven't landscaped yet and we do have to turn the sump pump on under our bedroom, but so far so good.  Here's the view out the bedroom window - very gray!

Here's the new patio - hmmm, better drainage might have helped

But here's one thing I finished yesterday since we didn't really go out - it's for Meg, who picked the yarn color and all and it's from a pattern I got at Knit/Purl in Portland when we were there two summers ago. I LOVE this pattern and am on my 4th scarf from it - so easy (even I can make them). I'm starting a green one for me now. They have a keyhole that you put the end of the scarf through so it stays on really well - Winne was kind enough to model it for you on his owner's unmade bed (Meg....).

And last, but not least, I know I'm the last person in the whole world to own this book, but I just got it last night (UPS delivers at like 8pm - what's up with that?) and looked through it this morning and WOW!! I'm so excited by it and glad I ordered it. Very inspiring, simple projects and I'd like to make all of them! Now I know what all the excitement was about.

So I'll be perusing that more today and working on some other stuff and reading and all those rainy day things that are good to do. I may even take another try at that no-knead bread. I've tried it twice, but can't get the bottom cooked enough - it's not as crunchy as the top (which looks really nice). Anyone out there had any success with it? I'm using the book on my sidebar - Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day.  I'd love any suggestions since I do love me my bread and would love to be able to make it more often and not have it be a big production (though I also love the old fashioned way of making it - I just don't usually have the time). Have a great weekend!!

Well, a big storm's a comin'...

so, I went to Trader Joe's this morning to load up on stuff so I can avoid going out later today or tomorrow. It's the first really big storm here in Northern Cal in 2 years, so batten the hatches! I'm so excited, since it'll be short lived and I love stormy weather! We just need to storm-proof the rabbit and we'll be fine.

So, here's my studio room. Looking messy - I have LOTS to work on and finish (really, I even have a deadline!). Here's my IKEA table that I love - which you can't see the top of currently, but still. And on it is one thing I'm working on (but it's a secret for now...)

I'm pretty happy with my fabric choices on this - a mix of velvet, wool, cotton and (possibly) a crocheted lace piece somewhere.

And here's the messed up sewing table - I kind of do everything here - sew, stuff, draw - I need to move some of the operation over to the other table (like there's room). I'm sort of used to working in a really crowded space, since you'll recall that ALL this used to be on my dining room table. Anyway, I do love the room and since there are a lot of windows in it, today I'll work and watch the rain and wind...very cozy!  (provided I can keep those kids occupied for any length of time - when I close the glass door from the family room to the studio, within like 5 minutes, Collin is at it, pressing his face against the glass and yelling for me - nice!) I 'd imagine production will increase next week when they're all back in school!