Amber & The Storm Before The Calm

1.  Go to Schaubhut to pick up more meds for Pickles.  Check.

2.  Go to Whiskers to get calm drops for travel and gut-pills for barfy Woody.  Check.

3.  Get, but do not eat, a chocolate croissant for Nick's Birthday Breakfast treat.  Check on the getting...

...and we'll see about the eating.

4.  Work.  (In Progress)

5.  Pack up work laptop, stuff at office, including books to read and bike helmet.

6.  Whole Foods for last minute purchases: sunblock, citronella spray, face scrub and shampoo.

7.  Stop by Spoiled Brats to place order to pick up tomorrow on way out of town.  (Rather than lug two cases of food, 35 lbs of litter, and other supplies up the stairs and then back down tomorrow.)

8.  Buy $5 gypsy skirt on the street.

9.  Laundry.

10.  Pack and clean apartment.

11.  Go to River House.

 Breathe.

Amber & What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I took a vacation from blogging this weekend to rest my creative word energies for all of the exciting posts to come when we arrive at the River next weekend.  (Cats!  Cocktails!  Friends!  Happy times in lawn furniture!)  Instead, I used my creative hands energies to sew a bunch of stuff.

First, I made this swell dress/top modeled on Le Sac, which you may remember if you visited me on bed rest.

A few notes about this photo.  First, notice how I match the small decorator pillows on the couch?  Next, have you any idea how hard it is to auto-time a photo of your whole body from your laptop?  A little behind the blog secret?  Sometimes, it doesn't work quite right and quite a few photos are left on the cutting room floor.

(Do you feel closer to me now that I have shared the secrets behind my art?)

And, I made this bolster pillow out of the leg of a pajama that spit at the seams.

I am demonstrating one possible usage to Nick.  Mostly, though, I intend to use it behind my knees.  But, that would have required an even more complicated photography session.  But, you get the general idea.

I also made a bunch of little sacks of cat nip.  But those had to be hidden away as soon as they were made lest they be eaten.

Sew much sewing!  (Get it?  Sew!  Homonyms!)

Amber & Vetiver

I know it's been the Plant of the Week before, but vetiver is totally my B.P.F.  (Best Plant Forever).

It's in the same family as my other close grass friends, palmarosa and lemongrass, but vetiver and I are so perfectly matched that it earns a special place in my pantheon of plants that yield essential oils.  It's cedary, musky, earthy smell is calming and grounding when mixed with oil and applied to my pulse points-- making it a wonderful match for my issue-laden first chakra.

To quote the folks over at Ananda Apothecary...

Vetiver essential oil is used for emotional grounding and stabilizing the emotions. It is considered relaxing to an overheated, hyperactive mind an nurturing to an insecure self-identity. The oil may then be suited to the type of individual who constantly strives for perfection, but who loses touch with the ability to absorb and replenish, not letting things just be.

I sure let things be on my walk to the 168th Street station this morning.  A normal 10 minute walk mysteriously took me about a half hour.  Oh well, that's just the way it is.  Sigh.

Amber & Tiggy Oddities

Tiggy faces some challenges in her life.  Being the only girl (besides me) in a house with three boys can be tough.  I would never begrudge her any of her coping mechanisms, no matter how strange they are.

(Photo from the geniuses over at CuteOverload.com)

Tiggy has a shoe thing.  She likes to rub her face in a loving way on the outsides of suede shoes.  She also likes to rub her face on the insides of any shoes.  I'm not sure if it's about drowning out the smell of my feet with her cheek scent or maybe the opposite-- putting my feet smell on her face?  I do use a foot cream that has St. John'swort in it which does treat depression.  (Look an internal possessive, CRD!)

Amber & Masks

I love facial masks. And, my problematic skin benefits from doing them on a regular basis. The above one, photographed by James on a visit to Madison, Wisconsin, is a the classic Kiehl's Rare Earth Facial Mask. It works well as a general mask, but also as a spot treatment. It doesn't smell great, but it is really helps control oily skin.

My favorite store bought mask is Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Clay Mask.

It's a clay mask which comes dry and then you add water to make it into a paste. I usually do this one after steaming my face under a towel with a bit of lavender and chamomile in the water. Its pretty amazing. After it dries, it gets little wet spots again which I think is it sucking the gook out of my pores. It's a little cost-prohibitive, though, as is its sister product, the Rejuvenating Mask. I use that one for colder weather or when my face feels "hot." I first discovered it when Amy and I had anthroposophic Spa Day at Area in Brooklyn.

But, my all-time favorite mask is not at all expensive, even though it is Dr. Hauschka-related in that I got the recipe out of this book. To make it, you mix honey, goldenseal powder, and raw wheat germ. It doesn't taste as good as you might be tempted to think, but it sure does wonders for my difficult skin. And I look so pretty doing it whether I do it in Madison, Wisconsin...

Or right here in New York!

It sure is hard to maintain my beauty.

Amber & Farm Share Week 2

Cucumbers, broccoli, baby Japanese turnips, strawberries, romaine
lettuce, basil plant, radishes, red chard, scallions and scapes. Plus,
flowers, eggs, tortillas, foccaccia, lavash crackers, and a loaf of
bread. Plus, extras: sheep milk yogurt, honey, maple syrup, and
granola. Oh my f'ing stomach!

Amber & Fenugreek

Mysterious Manhattan Maple Syrup Smell? Solved.


Or is it?

Amber & Second Birthdays

Last night, CRD, who was in Germany for my real anniversary of being born, took me to Birthday Fancy Feast at Red Cat. CRD chose the establishment because he likes the color red and he likes cats, and they had fancy red plates on the table when we came in that we never actually ate on. They were part of the decor.

It was sure a yummy meal. We had Lindy cocktails (which were really just Whiskey Smash! by another name but smelled and tasted as sweet) and tomatoes and lambs and couscous and herbed french fries and rocky road bread pudding. It was super fun, and then we watched Bones.

Thank you, CRD. And thanks to the Red Cat.

Amber & Continuing Education

I woke up this morning and decided to pursue a certificate in Ethnobotany from The New York Botanical Garden's School of Continuing Education. The Botany program has three different tracks: Field Botany, Plant Systematics, or Ethnobotany. I was trying to decide between Field Botany and Ethnobotany, and finally decided on the latter on account of the fact that Herb Identification and Cultural Importance is being taught at the beginning of August. I want that. Add to Cart.

Now, I just need to convince Diana to be my classmate. She doesn't get tuition remission, so it might be a tougher sell.

Amber & Marjoram

I love marjoram. I think it's a vastly underrated herb. I was first introduced to it in a New Recipies from the Moosewood Restaurant feature called Zucchini Ankara. It's a simple dish, with zucchini, onions, chickpeas and feta and one of my favorite things to eat. I love it served over couscous. It makes it into my menu at least once per month--sometimes more often.

I find marjoram goes well in any tangy, acidic recipe. I like to use it in pasta sauces or vegetable soups. I love the smell when it's frying with onions, and I've often wondered if it would be nice in a black tea blend. I'm going to Google marjoram-scented lotion and see what comes up.