Posted by Kelly Smith on March 14, 2010
For the past week or so you may have seen the Lovely Blog Award logo here on my blog. My friend Ami Hendrickson awarded it to me last week. Someone awarded it to her and in researching it, she came up with a variety of ways this award is supposed to be granted, but could not locate the origin of the award itself. According to Ami, when you get this award, you are supposed to:
1.) Post it on your blog and include the name of the person (and a link to his or her blog) who bestowed it upon you.
2.) Pass the award on to 15 other blogs you have recently enjoyed. [This one changes, depending upon the blog you check. Some say "10 other blogs." Some say "another blog." It's a sort of chain-letter approach to alerting the world to blogs you like.]
3.) Contact the awarded bloggers and let them know that you have awarded their work.
So with this in mind, I am hereby bestowing The Lovely Blog Award to several blogs I read regularly. There really aren’t that many, as I don’t have time to read a lot of blogs. I’ll read a post here and there, and if I see an interesting link I’ll click it, but there are very few blogs I read every day (and even fewer that warrant an RSS feed at the top of my browser where they have to vie for space with Monster, CareerBuilder, MIJobs and others).
I like a blog that tells me something new – news and analysis (like you get on Feministing, Jezebel, and Pharyngula), information that is helpful to my daily life, (like you get on Consumerist and Daily Writing Tips), or posts that are just plain fun to read (like on Awful Library Books).
As Ami pointed out, many of these people or organizations probably don’t even know that I read or follow their blogs. Some (ok, likely all of them) probably won’t care that I’m giving them an award of any kind, but I’m a stickler for following directions, (most of the time), so here goes. Some blogs I love, in alphabetical order just to be objective about things:
- Awful Library Books: “This site is a collection of public library holdings that we find amusing and maybe questionable for public libraries trying to maintain a current and relevant collection.”
- Daily Writing Tips: “Every day we’ll send you a grammar, spelling, punctuation or vocabulary tip.”
- Feminsting: “Young women are rarely given the opportunity to speak on their own behalf on issues that affect their lives and futures. Feministing provides a platform for us to comment, analyze, influence and connect.”
- Jezebel: “Celebrity, Sex, Fashion for women.” [Although it's a lot more than that and is populated with witty, intelligent women and men.]
- PZ Myers blog, Pharyngula: “Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal. PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.”
- The Consumerist: “The Consumerist empowers consumers by informing and entertaining them about the top consumer issues of the day. We are a leading online resource for consumer-driven advice about dealing with everything from non-existent customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products.”
You’ll notice that none of my friend’s blogs are listed here. There are two reasons for that – one, Ami already gave them the award (and she already has one herself), so giving it twice would be silly, and two, you can find them listed in the sidebar under Blogs & Sites I Like. Consider them all awarded as well.
Posted by Kelly Smith on March 1, 2010
Goal Posts update for February
Last month I blew my writing goal out of the water! My goal was 16,000 words. I actually wrote 20,078. Sponsors! Do your thing and donate to First Book!
I have taken on some new writing assignments, so here is how it all breaks down:
- 5516 on my historical novel
- 6883 on quilt patterns
- 7679 on a new non-fiction book
Quilt Patterns
The quilt patterns are for QuiltingWeekly.com. They are a series of twelve block of the month / mystery patterns. Each pattern will have a pieced block, an appliqué block, and a bonus pattern showing you how to use the block in a small project if you don’t want to wait until the end of the year to assemble the final big quilt. You can do both, of course, and I hope you do! So far the bonus patterns include a table runner, two styles of wall hanging, a pillow, and a set of place mats. Upcoming bonus patterns will include a tote bag, apron, clutch purse, and whatever else I can think up. The first pattern will go up for sale on the Quilting Weekly site at the end of March.
New Book
The non-fiction book is called How to Build, Maintain and Use a Compost System. The deadline for the book is near the end of April so you won’t see many posts from me for a while. I need to get that beast written so I have some sort of income. If you are a composter (amateur or pro) please contact me. I would love to interview you for the book.
Guest Blog
In other news, our Tuesday night writing practicum has been working on queries. None of us are at the stage to actually *make* queries yet, but we are fine tuning them and critiquing each others work. As part of the exercise, I read through nearly three years worth of queries on Query Shark, the blog of literary agent Janet Reid. I gleaned from there (and from other sources) a general list of dos and don’ts for authors writing queries. I shared it with the practicum last week and after a little editing, sent it to Ami to post on her MuseInks blog. If you’re planning to query an agent, go take a look. I hope it’s helpful!
Posted by Kelly Smith on February 22, 2010
Last week I signed on to write another book – this one on composting. It will be titled: How to Build, Maintain and Use a Compost System: Secrets and Techniques You Need to Know to Grow the Best Vegetables.
My husband and I have been composting for a few years and it’s a very interesting subject, so I’m looking forward to writing this book.
I am looking for composting experts, so – if you know anyone in that field, please have them contact me! If I can interview them for the book they’ll get a free copy and be able to promote their business in it.
And if they are not a professional composter, that’s ok too. I am also looking to talk to people who keep their own compost bins, piles, whatevers. Please send them my way!
How to Build, Maintain and Use a Compost System: Secrets and Techniques You Need to Know to Grow the Best Vegetables
Posted by Kelly Smith on February 15, 2010
I’m preparing a new class for Quilting Weekly that should be starting near the end of March/beginning of April.
This will be a combination block-of-the-month / mystery quilt and I’m really looking forward to sharing it with you all.
Check out my teacher’s page over there for more information and keep an eye out for clues here as they become available.
Posted by Kelly Smith on February 6, 2010
I invented this soup in January 2009 and posted it on my Facebook page. Since then I’ve made it again and again, refining the recipe as I go. It’s delicious every time no matter how I tweak it. It would be great with crusty bread and sprinkled with cheese.
If you make it, tell me how you like it! (And it goes without saying, please don’t publish this anywhere else.)
Italian Sausage Soup
1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot), sliced into 1/4″ to 1/2″ medallions
1 onion, diced
2 – 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 green pepper coarsely diced
1/2 red pepper finely diced
2 – 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup peas
salt, pepper
hot pepper flakes
oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary
32 oz beef broth
1 or 2 14-15oz cans petite diced tomatoes (with the juice)
1 14-15oz can northern beans, drained and rinsed
Slice the sausages and cook in soup pot over medium-high heat. Drain sausage on paper towels, reserve oil.
Lower heat and slowly cook onion and garlic in remaining oil, until onion is softens. Scrape up cooked bits of sausage but if some sticks, don’t worry.
Add other vegetables and season to taste.
Add broth, tomatoes and beans.
Heat to boiling then lower heat and simmer slowly for 30 minutes if you can wait that long.
Notes:
- It’s easier to slice the sausage if they are slightly frozen. The slices turn into little meatballs as they cook.
- You can use fresh or frozen veggies and fresh or dried herbs.
- I’ve often added sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, or whatever I had that would be good and I’ve never had a bad batch.
- You can use plain tomatoes or the kind with Italian seasonings already added.
- This makes a lot, but you can stretch it by adding more broth.
- This soup is much better if it simmers for a long time, or sits overnight.
Posted by Kelly Smith on February 5, 2010
My guest post “Ten tips for teaching new quilters” was just published over on Caron Mosey’s Michigan Quilts blog. Go take a look!
Posted by Kelly Smith on February 3, 2010
There are only a few days left to register for the beginning quilting class at the Box Factory in St. Joseph, MI. Check out this blog post for details.
Here are some pictures of the table runner we’ll be making.
Posted by Kelly Smith on January 31, 2010
I made my goal for January!
Those of you who have been following my blog for the past couple of weeks know that I have been trying to accomplish two goals:
- Complete the draft of my historical novel
- Make a meaningful contribution to a good cause
Happily, I can say that I have met my word-count goal for January!
I have written at least 4000 words in each of the past two weeks. (I started tracking around January 14.) If I can maintain that pace in the months between now and May I should have a manuscript of about 100,000 words ready to be edited, torn apart, re-written, and otherwise improved upon. (With the help of my amazing friends at the Tuesday Night Writer’s Practicum that is.)
I also have three sponsors now, (Hi Ami! Hi Gene! Hi Wilma!) but I would really love to have several more. The money you pledge will go to First Book, a charity that provides new books for children to help them learn to read. If I fail to make my monthly goal, then I have to make the donation instead of you, so either way, the charity wins.
By the way, First Book is given a top rating of four-stars by Charity Navigator, with more than 92% of donations going directly to their programs and less than 8% going to overhead like administrative costs etc.
Will you pledge to sponsor me and help children learn to read?
Posted by Kelly Smith on January 29, 2010
As all NaNoWriMo participants know, a great way to get motivated is to write with a bunch of other people.
The Editorial @ss has proposed Write Your @ss Off Day.You can check out her blog for more details.
I’ve chosen Saturday, Feb. 6 as my day. Pick yours and set a marker on the map so we can all see just how many of us are participating!
Posted by Kelly Smith on January 25, 2010
Beginning Quilting: table runner class
I’ll be teaching my first “official” quilting class on Wednesdays February 10 through March 3, from 6 to 8 pm at The Box Factory for The Arts in St. Joseph, MI.
I say “official” because until now I’ve only taught friends and family for free. It will be interesting (and I hope fun!) to teach strangers.
Fee: $40 for Box Factory members/ $50 for non-members
In this class students will learn cutting, machine piecing, machine appliqué, quilting and finishing techniques to create a simple table runner consisting of two pieced blocks and one appliqué block. That’s it pictured on the right.
A $20 kit may be purchased from the instructor (that’s me!) or a list of supplies is available. (See supply list below.)
The class can only accommodate up to six people, so if you have never quilted before and would like to try it, contact The Box Factory soon.
You can see the full rundown of classes on The Box Factory’s Facebook page.
Supply list
Supplies:
- Sewing machine in good working order (you’ll need to do straight and zigzag stitches)
- Rotary cutter, cutting mat and acrylic ruler
- Scissors, seam ripper, bobbins, measuring tape, masking tape, spare sewing machine needles
- Iron and ironing surface or ironing board
- Neutral thread for piecing, coordinating thread for quilting, matching or contrasting thread for appliqué
- 1 light and 1 dark fat quarter for pieced blocks
- 1 fat quarter background fabric for appliqué block
- Scraps for petals (at least 4″ x 4″)
- 1 fat quarter or large scrap for flower center (at least 5″ across)
- ½ yard fabric for inner border
- ½ yard fabric for outer border
- ½ yard fabric for the binding (may be able to cut this from the inner border fabric if you want the same color)
- 1 package Steam-a-Seam 2 for appliqué
- Batting (18″ x 37″)
- Backing fabric of your choice (18″ x 37″)
- Safety pins or quilt basting spray
- Materials to create the label will be provided (If you have fabric markers, bring them to the last class.)
- Extension cord or power strip would be helpful
- Ott light or similar would be helpful
I will provide an ironing board, 2 irons, masking tape and some spray adhesive, but if you have your own it would be best to bring it so that we don’t run out.
Supply kits
Supply kits will be available for $20 / each and will consist of the necessary fabric and a sheet of Steam-a-Seam 2. You can specify a color-scheme when you register for the class. You must provide your own thread and other supplies as listed above.
The Lovely Blog Award
