Let the Fabulous B-day Gifts Be Posted, Two...

I know I know, but let's face it, time gets away from us and before you know it 2 weeks have gone by without another blog post. So before the complaints start filing in here it is, Oh man and is it a good one.

I know that by now you all know the Very Creative Sabrina of Pink Coffee Beans fame. If you haven't checked out her blog lately you really MUST go there and see what she is up to. To my utter giddy delight I recieved a great handmade knitted mug cozy from her. I LOVE green and you all know by now my nickname is Bean. How great is this mug cozy?

Her and I are both HUGE Starbucks addicts. We truly are. So she even included a package of their brand new Via instant coffee so that I could instantly enjoy my mug cozy! Soo very thoughtful of her. She truly is the greatest.

If you don't remember, Sabrina is married to my very musically talented cousin Adam James Hall. He recently took a month long sebatical from his day job to work on yet another album. I had put in my order for a copy as soon as I heard it was going to be coming. What great glee to find that arrived in time for me to enjoy it for my favorite all time season of the year. PLEEEASE support my "Little Bro" and go buy his CD at cdbaby.com

I am so very very blessed to have such drippingly creative people in my family. There are so many ways to be creative that I try to sing loud and proud about any and every bit of creativity I see in people.

Sabrina and Adam, thank you so much for sharing such wonderful treasures with me. I just can't say "I love you" enough.

Let the Fabulous B-day Gifts Be Posted, One...

I have to say that if you put great handmade vibes out there into the world they will return to you ten fold. If you follow this blog even a little, you know just how much I love to send out handmade mail, little sketches, recipe postcards etc. It gives me great joy to let the ones that are near and dear to my heart know that I care and that I'm thinking about them throughout the year.

Well, this year I was the VERY greatful and oh so surprised recipient of some extranary gifts for my birthday this year. I will be taking some time here on my blog to showcase them.

Fabulous handmade gift #1. I returned home one afternoon to find a package leaning against my front door. My birthday being some days away I was left wondering, what is this, who is it from?

Well here she is, my dear readers, in all of her handmade glory... Some of you may remember the post "And the Mystery Gift is..." on Sept 4th where my very talented cousin Noelle made me a purse. Well she surprised me with a new tote! Isn't it just gorgeous? And guess what?

It's reversable! Yep that's right. And it also has a pocket as well. I am so in love. It is my new Library bag and I can't wait to use it. I always take a bag with me to the Library but the problem is, the bag I usually take is WAY too big and I end up bring home WAY too many books. So many that I never actually get through them all before they are due back. So with this great new bag on my arm I'm sure to bring home just right number of book home in style!

Jealous? I know you are. Well, Noelle is really a sewing fool and if you ask nicely and send her a piece of loverly mail I'm sure you too can get something hew and handmade in the mail.

Thank you soooooooo very much my loverly little sis for the special gift.

Be on the lookout for other posts of even more handmade Bday gifts, cause there's more to come!

Adventures with Nathan...

Our nephew Nathan (man I hate saying Nephew, since that makes me Aunt and that's just weeeeeiiiiird) came for a wonderful week long visit. We has so much fun. We went to the Home Goods store and found some fun things that made us giggle.

Really? A pepper grinder bigger than a toddler? It too can be yours for the one time price of One Hundred Big ones. Um, let's just take a picture instead!

We had festive Octobery beers just about anywhere we ate. Tis the season you know *wink*.

Nathan got to ride the metro for the first time. "Man, this isn't so bad." That was Nathan's observation while we rode into DC around 2pm with only 20 other people. His view changed completely once we rode back with ALL the commutors at the end of the day. When he saw all the drones stepping off the metro train only to line up again to catch a bus his comment was this, "They they get home and open a vein".

And that my dear readers is why we work for ourselves! Nuff said.

While in DC, Nathan and I went to the Air and Space Museum. Air Panes! Wee!!!

And here's our bad selves on the National Mall. It's a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, and oh yeah, it was my Birthday! Sweet!

After the Air and Space Museum we walked over to the Capitol for a look see.

Gotta do the shadow wave, right?

Here in the Nation's Capitol we have what I like to call "The Dork Tours". There's nothing that will bring a warm satisfying chuckle to my lips like a group of these aimless wanderers crossing my path. Come on, you know you wanna laugh too!

Talk about a beautiful day.

Some of you may have hear us talk about the new Capitol Visitor Center that was built under ground in front of the Capitol. I had yet to actually go there. Last I saw it it was a gigantic pit under construction when Brian and I were working night shift surveying inside the Capitol building 5 or 6 years ago.

This picture above is of the scale model of the Statue of Freedom that is located on the top of the Capitol Dome. She's pretty cool don't you think?

Since the Visitor Center is below ground they put in cool sky lights that let you view the Capitol Dome from under ground. Also pretty cool.

Back on our side of the river in Virginia, this is the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located next to Dulles International Airport. While Nathan and I were at the other location in DC we realized that the plane he really wanted to see what actually at this location. So, another roadtrip was born! Neither The Bear nor I had ever been here yet!

This place is HUGE inside! Seriously, they even have the Space Shuttle "Enterprise", no not from Star Trek. ( I know that was what you were thinkin cause that's what I was hopin for, hee hee. Who doesn't love Jean Luc Picard?)

This was the bad boy that Nathan wanted to see. Pretty impressive eh?

I think this pic speaks for itself!

Now this pic sure is a good one! I can't decide wether The Bear's face is one of surprise at me whipping out my camera or if he's gaurding his prize "Americone Dream" ice cream. If you are a fan of Stephen Colbert, and I KNOW that you are, you'll know how hard it is to find this dairy delight!

It doesn't take much to amuze these boys. You take them to dinner out at the Eden Center for some seafood Pho and a bright red shiny table with sparkley stars on it and they are instantly teenage boys giggling and asking for their picture to be taken!

All I have to say is that I really and truly LOVE these boys. Thank you sooo very much Nathan for helping to make my Birthday Week a very very special one. Including the sneaky way you put my Card out when I wasn't looking!

Mmmm, Maple Roasted Chicken...

First I feel that I must address my month long absence. I'm so very sorry. It seems like it's either feast (hee hee) or famine around here. For that I'm sorry, if you are one of the few readers I have left, I thank you from the bottom of my blogger heart.

Okay, let's do this thang!

You must know by now how I just LOVE making new recipes. Recently when I was flipping through a magazine (I think Real Simple?) I found the most easy and yummy sounding recipe. It looked so simple and delish that I went straight to store and grabbed the ingredients. Oh it really smelled wonderful. Too bad we don't yet have Smell-O-Blog.

This recipe for Maple Syrup Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potato and Onion is one that I feel EVERYONE of you should make. Any recipe that is Bear approved I immediately make some of my famous Recipe PostCards and mail them to family and friends. If you did not recieve one and would like me to pop one in the mail to you, PLEASE let me know!

As I was pulling the gorgeous dinner out of the oven I heard a little pitter patter coming to get a better sniff. Aw, I thought, how sweet.

Well stupid me, she was just taking the opportunity to bring me a present, that she wanted me to give right back of course. Indian Giver!

Surveyors and a Bowl of Clam Chowder...

What could these two things have in common you are asking? How does one lead to the other? Well my dear reader come on a little journey with me will you? May just give you a little insight into how things come about sometimes here at Casa Bean.

My other half The Bear is a Professional Land Surveyor who through out his days when working from home logs onto a Land Surveyor Messege Board and follows the conversations of the day. Now, this is a group of Surveyors but trust me, by NO means does that mean the topics of discussion are only about boreing old work. I periodically hear him burst out into fits of laughter which usually means a "Hey come and look at this" will be shouted my way soon there after. And sometimes, just to make it feel like a real office we'll send eachother Instant Messeges or Emails from accross the room!

The other day, I recieve an Email from The Bear with a recipe for Clam Chowder attached and the subject reads "Yummy". Apparently there had been a debate on the Messege Board about which is better, New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder. Somewhere during this debate a recipe was posted that peaked Brian's interest and taste buds.

So, the ingredients were purchased and the Chowder was assembled to our great delight, it was soooo very good. I mean you can't go wrong with Bacon drippings, Half and Half, and clams right?

So to keep with the interactiveness of this blog, if you are interested in the recipe, just leave me a comment and I'll send you one of my famous Recipe/PostCards in the mail.

Mmmm, don't forget the oyster crackers!

Kindred Pen Spirits and My Beloved...

Some of you may know about my pen addiction. Yes that's right, I LOVE pens, all shapes, sizes, colors, ball points, gel, fountain, it doesn't matter. If it has ink and it's used for writing then I need it. I have a problem I know. The Bear actually has been known to break out into huge fits of laughter when an unsuspecting person innocently asks Do you have a pen? Why yes I do. What kind would you like?

When I was little, I'm talking before I even knew what letters were, I would fill whole notebooks with scribbles pretending I was writing the Great American Novel just so I could use a pen. Yeah, It's that bad. Hello, I'm Rachel and I'm a pen addict.

Oh get on with it already. Yeah yeah. Well while the Moleskiners were here visiting me, we found a shop called "The Pen Haven". How could we NOT go. That is where I found THE Pen. This is Burton or Bert as he likes to be called. We are kindred pen spirits. He totally gets me. We were having a great time, chatting about all kinds of things. Like for example, did you know that Bert used to be an Architect? No, of course you didn't, but now you do! Well when I walked into his shop I think I heard angels singing. As I stepped up to the case a ray of light came down from above and there she was.

Here's Barb testing her out. See Barb, doesn't she write so smoothly?

We all lined up as Bert was letting us play with some of his lovely pens. He showed me a couple other ones just to make sure that it was true love.

Nope, my mind was made up. "I wouldn't dream of trying to suggest another pen" Bert lovingly said "I can see this is the only one for you". I think the giddy smile on my face says it all!

Bert said that it needed a new ink bladder and that he would put in himself and also give it a good shine then mail it to me. So sadly I had to leave the shop without it that day but I do think that anticipation is half the fun so I patiently awaited my beloved's arrival by post.

On time and as promised she arrived safely to my door. Isn't she beautiful?

No really take a good look! She's gorgeous, no?

Outdoor photo shoot in the setting sun. I'm sure by now my neighbors think I'm totally nuts but who the heck cares when you're this excited about stuff, right?

Some lucky person will be recieving my hand designed postcard pictured here. I thought it made for a loverly backdrop.

So folks, what kinds of "office supply" addictions do you have? Is it also pens? Or perhaps post-its, mechanical pencils, funky colored staples perhaps? Let's have it, what gets you all giddy like a school girl?

And The Mystery Gift Is...

Let me start off by saying I LOVE MAIL. I love ALL kinds of mail that people send me. I get little notes, personal made creative calanders and even postcards sent while a loved one is on vacation to let me know where they are. It all adds up to a wonderful mail day!

A little while ago my loverly cousin Noelle (aka, No No, or Noi) told me of a project that she was working on that I thought sounded like great fun! I'm ALWAYS interested to hear about what fun things my crafty creative lovelies are up to. She said that she had found some great fabric and she was making a fun purse. Turns out she was making one for ME! She's just like me and has a hard time keeping a secret so occasionally she would send me a picture of a tiny little piece of the project just to tease me. A little time had gone by and I hadn't heard any more about the project...till I opened my door yesterday to find this. What? A package for moi? Oh I was sooo giddy with excitement! I of course grabbed it, held it to my chest and immediately did the Pee Pee Dance of Happy Happy Joy Joy! And what was inside you ask?

How utterly devine! A purse made JUST FOR ME! The fabric, I was informed, was picked out just for me! Oh yeah, on the money!

I am in LOVE with every inch of this wonderful creation, right down to the round handles!

I love this so much I walked out down by the street, while the whole neighborhood watched, hung it on the tree to get the dappled afternoon light and took a photo of it! I am THAT proud of it!

Check out the detail. So much love, sooooo much love.

I was so excited when I got it that I ran into the bathroom to snap a quick (crappy quality) photo of us together in the mirror!

There is NOTHING that makes someone feel more loved than a special gift. I am not ashamed to admit I cried tears of joy, I really did. Noelle, you are a remarkable, fabulous, creative woman. Words can not express.

Moleskine Trip, Photos by Linda...

I thought I'd share a few photos that my mother took during her time here with the Moleskiners. I hope you enjoy them. The group (minus my mother behind the camera of course) at the Union Street Pub.

Looking down the sidewalk on King Street in Olde Towne Alexandria.

The Capitol by night.

Where's Barb you ask? Well she's in the dark behind us finishing up her sketch in her moleskine. The camera waits for no man!

Getting ready to wander around the Antique Village.

Proof that yes I do sketch in my Moleskine even if I never actually finish a whole sketchbook!

This picture pretty much sums up the sense of happiness one gets when they find a bag's worth of treasures!

Gotta LOVE the quality of the pictures from my mother's DSLR and also her out of this world great sense of composition. Wonderful photos mom! Keep that shutter a flutter!