Seedy Spring

It's finally springtime, and all the Bees have been very, very busy getting our gardens ready. We love getting our hands dirty at the Beehive.

Towards the end of last summer, I dug out the ornamental garden in my backyard to make more room to grow my own food. And with two newly built raised beds this year, I'll have more room than I know what to do with. I'm growing some of my favourites from previous years (tomatoes, rhubarb, arugula) and lots of new things too. Beans! Watermelon! Cucumbers! Sunflowers! Kale! Collard Greens! Beets! Radishes! A full bounty.  

I attended Seedy Saturday in Hamilton in February, and picked up some organic seeds from Hawthorn Farm and Tree and Twig.

The garlic that I planted last fall is poking through, and this is the crop that I am most looking forward to. Every good dish starts with good garlic.

Meg and her husband Kevin bought a new house last year, and Meg is looking forward to start their new garden in their new downtown backyard. They made a trip to William Dam Seeds in Waterdown to get all the essentials to do so.

With the help of their housemate Joanna, Meg has already started seeds for lettuce, kale, peppers, onions, basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary and lots of lavender. They have plans to do some direct seeding, and to purchase some plants, mostly tomatoes. I'm excited at the prospect of trading some crops with my new neighbours!

Last year I recieved some beautiful cut flowers from Jen's peony bushes as a gift, and I told her that she had a real knack for flower arrangement. She confided in me that she had always been interested in the art of doing so. This year, Jen is planting her first cut flower garden, and I'm so excited to see the beautiful bouquets that she will undoubtedly fill her home with.  She loves floral arrangements but can't splurge on them all of the time, so she is very excited to have these blooming in the back garden ready for picking and experimenting with different combinations all summer long.  Such an easy and affordable way to bring cheer into your own home!

Jen's husband Mike is a real tobacco aficionado (and expert gardener), and for the first time this year he is trying his hand at growing his own tobacco! As a pipe smoker for the past 10 years he has become more and more serious about tobacco blends, experimenting with his own using a variety of cured tobaccos.  He even has a diary rating each of the hundreds of tinned tobaccos he has tried.  This year he is growing a Virginia and an Oriental, which he is planting at the farm that the Bees help out at.

Speaking of diaries, Kate's mom gifted her a 10 year gardener's journal this year, and she has been putting it to good use already. Logging your exploits in gardening is such a good organizational and planning tool, and is often overlooked.

I ran into Kate and her husband Erick at Seedy Saturday and they were there picking up some organic seed from Hawthorn Farms as well.

For now Kate has only started kale and lettuce. She plans to direct seed more once it's warm enough, and is planning a trip to Tree and Twig's Tomato Days to pick up some of her great tomato plants! Kate and Erick built their own raised bed last summer, so they have lots of space to grow delicious food for themselves.

When I need help with a gardening question, I often to look to Thea. She is a wealth of knowledge, and has a delicate, intrinsic way with the natural world. I only hope to one day have half the green thumb that this lady possesses.

Eggplant, tomatoes, radishes and greens, including baby kale mix. Thea grows lots of different varieties, and likes to plant heirloom seed whenever she can.

Thea not only plants her own food, but being a textile artist that specializes in natural dyeing, she grows her own dye plants as well to harvest for their spectacular colour. Her mother grew cotton last year, and got Thea interested in growing some of her own this year! I can't wait to see how this turns out for her.

So there you have it! Hopefully you all have been busy bees in your gardens as well. We'd love to hear about your green plans, too - whether it be food or flora. We love it all!

Heart Attacks of the Cute Persuasion

Blam! You've been attacked with love!

This is what Valentine's Day should be all about. Recognizing the people you love, and finding ways to show it to them. Doesn't matter if you're single, dating, married - whatever...I'll bet my bottom dollar you can find at least one person you love! It's just a regular day where we show some extra-ordinary love, and that's okay in my books. Maybe you write a letter. Cook breakfast. Sing a song. Pick out a necklace. Give a compliment. Or maybe it's just an extra long hug. See what I'm getting at here? Anything goes!

Last night we snuck out with scissors, string, and tape and attacked our two favorite shops with homemade Valentine's love. White Elephant and Needlework are both owned by members of the Beehive, and they are both places deserving of so many x's and o's. We wanted to let them know, especially in the midst of all this casino hullabaloo, that their contribution to our local economy is so incredibly appreciated.

White Elephant is a place that makes me feel so proud of Hamilton. Whenever I have friends visiting the city for Art Crawl, Hollie and Jane’s shop is at the top of the list. They’ve crafted a space that is aesthetically beautiful, with a perfect selection of handmade and vintage goodness. Watching their journey has honed in me an understanding of design that is well-made, long-lasting and timeless. A store like White Elephant shows us how to put meaning into the everyday objects we surround ourselves, and search out things that we really love, that could essentially last forever. It’s the perfect place to find a gift, as they literally carry something for everyone. White Elephant is also one of the best examples I’ve seen of a small local business practicing civic engagement. They’re all cute and kittens and crafts, but when shit gets real, they put that aside to promote their real inspiration, the good of our city. Thanks Hollie and Jane, for all you do. It really makes a difference in this city. We love White Elephant! Oh, and you guys are babes!

How fitting that when Needlework opened, they had a giant Valentine in their window! As cheesy as this is going to sound, a lot of people have fallen in love here - with sewing! For real though…I’ve heard so many people proclaim their thankfulness for this shop, as it has provided them the know-how, supplies, environment and encouragement to learn new skills. Needlework has a comforting and welcoming vibe and THE most amazing selection of fabrics. Kate and Liz are full of knowledge, and so quick to help with whatever you might be working on. Every customer is the friendliest person ever, they have a shop dog, they bake cookies…should I go on? It’s the kind of place you just want to hunker down in and spend the day. Thank you, Liz and Kate, for inspiring us. As you continue to come up with amazing new ideas, you are greatly contributing to a culture of creativity in this city, which is something that will take us a long way. We love Needlework!

Do you have Valentines cuteness to share? Post a link in the comments below!

Happy Valentines Day!

xoxo

Loving Local: Hamilton Arts Awards

One of the things I love about being a member of the Beehive is how all of us have satellite practices/businesses/projects/lives that intersect with various aspects of Hamilton’s arts and cultural community outside of the collective.  This keeps me informed about stuff happening around town, and no doubt informs the stuff we do as a group as well.

Right now one of the projects I am working on (via my job with Tourism and Culture at the City of Hamilton) is the Hamilton Arts Awards.  The nomination deadline is coming up on February 22nd, and I wanted to give y’all a heads up about this opportunity to not only receive civic recognition for your work, but also to potentially receive an award of $2,500 (or 1,000 for emerging artists)!  Definitely worth the effort to apply or nominate someone you feel deserves the award in their field.  The awards are open to those working in a wide array of creative disciplines.

Some Hot Tips

• There are generally not many nominees in the Fine Craft category, so Hamilton makers reading this should definitely consider getting themselves nominated or nominating their favourite local craftsperson.
• Past winners overwhelmingly attended the nomination information sessions before applying. The final public session is this coming Saturday from 1-3pm at the Tourism Hamilton Visitors Centre (1st floor of the Lister Block, 28 James St N.) Come on by and I’ll give you the scoop!  I will also be at Needlework (174 James St N.) on February 8 from 7-10pm for Art Crawl and we can chat then. 

Arts Awards Myths, Busted

• You must be nominated in order to be in the running for an award, but all that is required of the nominator is their signature.  Otherwise, the nominee can complete the Nomination Package on their own or by working with the nominator.
• You cannot be nominated directly as an Emerging Artist (someone practicing for fewer than five years, among other criteria).  Established Artists, when nominated, indicate who their Emerging Artist of choice is, and if their nomination is successful, their Emerging buddy of choice is automatically awarded.

Interested?     

You can access the Arts Awards page with all info and nomination materials here.  You can also contact me,  Jen Anisef, at Jen.Anisef@Hamilton.ca or 905.554.2424 x 7612.

Hope to see some of you Saturday or on Art Crawl!

The Bees at Home: Christmas Edition

It's Christmas Day and we've got a very special post for you! We love showing you what we've been working on at home, and have a chance to hear what you've been up to! These are just some of the handmade Christmas gifts the Bees have put together this year. There's lots of variety, and hopefully some inspiration for you, as we head into a new year full of new crafting opportunities!

First off, Hollie is so very sweet, and made these pin cushions for all her lady friends. They're not your average tomato pin cushions, though - these are heirloom tomatoes. Big difference. They're just so awesome! She found the tutorial in her Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts.

She's also taking care of a Christmas wish this year. Her brother-in-law has dreams of knit pants, and Hollie (in typical Hollie style) made it happen. Who knew these were even possible?! But I guess with Hollie as Santa, and with the help of a knitting machine...anything is possible.

Mel, one of our dear Scout Bees, was a busy baker this Christmas. She made button cookies and teabag cookies for her mom, and adorable Christmas cookie packs for her neighbors!

 

Jen had all kinds of holiday parties to attend on the weekend, and put together these amazing gifts for the hosts - she picked up mini potted cypress trees (available from i fiori on James North), and sewed little fabric containers for them. I got to help her decide on fabrics, and with all the amazing options at Needlework, it was a very difficult process of elimination. They turned out so nice, Jen! 

Also...coasters! These are an amazing option for a little handmade gift. You can use your extra scraps, or pick up that awesome fabric you've had your eye on, and just whip them up! Below are the beautiful coaster sets that Kate made!

This Christmas something dawned on me. It hit me that my husband and I get stockings full of treats every year, but his parents don't get stockings! And what's more fun than a stocking!? Kevin's dad loves the Seattle Seahawks, so I used some fabric and Steam-a-Seam to make a little team logo. Who thought my craft adventures would ever turn sporty? Anyways, they turned out really cute and it was so much fun to pick out the fabrics, and to fill them up with goodies from some of our favorite local shops.

Lastly, it's not done until it's ready to put under the tree! Jenna, another one of our dear Scout Bees, hand-carved some stamps and created her own gift wrap with kraft paper and white ink. So simple and pretty!

Making Christmas gifts is such a satisfying experience. You spend a lot of time working on them (at the sewing machine, in the kitchen, wherever) which means you can literally pour so much love into the gift you're giving, and as you make it, you begin to feel more and more grateful for the person you're giving it to. At the same time, receiving a gift that someone has made by hand is such an honor. The idea that someone has chosen fabric, cut, sewn, or mixed ingredients and waited patiently for the oven to finish - all with you in mind, is very humbling. Not to mention, handmade gifts can be completely personalized, and often very cost-efficient. It's just rewarding all around!

If you've posted about your handmade gifts, we'd love to see them! Just post the link in the comments below. Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

Just in Time for Christmas...

Christmas is only five sleeps away! Or if you're on track with your Advent calendar, it's only five chocolates away! If you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special, there's really nothing better than a beautifully wrapped package of handmade treats. This is the perfect gift idea for a neighbor, a co-worker, or your favorite barista!

We got together a few weeks ago and made an absolutely amazing Christmas treat - holiday brittle! This is not your average peanut brittle. It's flavored with cardamom, which is the same spice used in chai tea. In other words, the taste reminds you of cozy, warm holiday deliciousness. And instead of peanuts, we used pepitas which are hulled pumpkin seeds (and it's just a really fun word to say). This brittle is super yum, and we promise it will be a huge hit with your gift recipients!

We used this recipe, and have no fear - we found the whole process very simple.

Ingredients needed:
2 cups of sugar
4 oz. of unsalted butter
1/3 cup of light corn syrup
1 cup + 2 tablespoons water
Have the following items ready and close by:
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1 1/2 cups of raw, unroasted pepitas (we got these from the Hamilton Farmers Market)
(mix these last two ingredients together)

Have two baking sheets ready, lined with silicon mats. Just mix the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and water over medium-heat until it thickens and becomes "medium-golden-amber". Now, I'd say the trickiest part of this recipe is knowing what "medium-golden-amber" is, but go with your gut. The recipe said it takes 10-15 minutes, but I'd say it took more like 25 minutes before we could confidently say it was the right color.

Take a swig of your warm apple cider - this is the part where things get real. Remove from heat, then immediately stir in baking soda, followed by sea salt (beware of crazy bubbles!), followed by the cardamom/pepita mixture. Quickly pour the mixture on your baking sheets, and try to spread it evenly. Hurry hurry, as it will start to harden immediately! As you can see, we had all hands on deck for this part...

Do some crafts while you let it cool - it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to fully cool. Then go ahead and break it up into pieces! You can store for two weeks in an airtight container, and its very helpful to use parchment paper between the pieces to keep them from sticking. And don't forget about the pretty packaging!

Oh, last thing - Kate really loves cats, and apparently, while we were making brittle, I really liked taking pictures of Kate with cats. I contemplated writing a post specifically about Kate and her love of cats, but I thought I'd spare you...

Merry Christmas, friends!

Wreath Making

Making my own fresh wreath is a project that I've been thinking about attempting for the last couple of years, and I'm so grateful to be a part of the Beehive because I know that they are down for any crafty endeavour! It's always more fun trying new things with friends.

We set a date and ordered all of the greenery in advance from I Fiori on James Street North. Owner Beverly was enthusiastic about helping us and sourced us absolutely beautiful boxwood and rosehip from Ontario and white pine, black cedar and seeded eucalyptus from British Columbia. She provided us with wreath frames and floral wire, and most importantly, a little advice in wreath-making.

Around the holidays I Fiori is usually bursting with fresh greens and would most likely have enough if you're looking to make one for yourself, but if you're looking for something specific or need a little more than what she has in stock, Beverly is always willing to help. It's such a gorgeous, well-curated shop.

We settled around my harvest table one evening with pruning shears, red wine and our task at hand. The process was much easier and satisfying than any of us had expected. We cut our greens into smaller pieces, bunched them together in pleasing arrangements and secured them with wire. We then secured all the smaller bunches in the same direction to the wreath frame with wire until we had covered the circular shapes.

With such an assortment of fresh materials, all of us ended up with completely unique wreaths. We couldn't stop oohing and aahing over everyone's creations. It was a such a cozy holiday craft for us all to indulge in. Now that we've familiarized ourselves with it, I imagine making one every year, maybe even making enough for gifts because a fresh wreath is so lovely and so festive. Next year, perhaps we'll attempt to make our own frames from willow branches, even!

I used only boxwood, rosehip and seeded eucalyptus in mine, and was surprised to discover that my front door had a nail in it that was perfectly placed for hanging a wreath. I attatched some twine, and voila! I'm ready for the holidays.