It's officially summer. Where did the time go? Here's a look at some of what's been keeping me busy in May and June:
Making
- Homemade pizza
This culinary experiment started as an accident when "pizza yeast" was the only type available in the grocery store. What's the difference between pizza yeast and regular yeast? Apparently, pizza yeast has additives that make rising time unnecessary and also make the dough more manageable. I'd recommend adding some herbs like oregano, garlic, or basil to flavor the dough. I also used the dough hook attachment on my mixer and that worked great. - New items in the shop
I found time to make a few new items including this tiny rainbow mountain necklace, a "sleep is good" bookmark, the "best dog ever" keychain (with lots of room for custom text), knit more, worry less earrings and I love you to the moon and back earring set in an engraved tin. I also made a larger (6-inch) size of the acrylic plant markers that I wrote about last month in 12 Fun Facts About Common Herbs. - Masks
Most of my mask-making for myself and family members took place in April, but it did linger into May. (If you haven't seen this funny video by actress Stephanie Weir, it's a good representation of what my mask crafting felt like.) Society 6 is now selling fabric masks, so you can buy some of my abstract art (and the art work of thousands of others) on a mask if you want to wear something unique. - Shopping
I shopped at a few small (mostly handmade) businesses as a way to support them. Here are a few I liked: Bright, cheerful greeting cards by Fort Collins artist Kaley Alie, goat milk lotion by Small Acre Farm (via the Fort Collins handmade shop Makerfolk), and inspirational pins (Trust Thyself, I'm the Magic) by JiJiDesignsPaperie. In the crafting area, I bought some dictionary-themed fabric from Sew What Quilt Shop in Buffalo, New York and shaped beads from Jill Wiseman Designs.
Reading
I currently have 15 holds at the library, so I think I'll be doing a lot more reading this summer than I did this spring. Here were a few books I enjoyed:
- Black Ink edited by Stephanie Stokes Oliver
A chronological book of essays by Black writers about reading and writing. I love anthologies because it gives me a way to find new-to-me authors. There's a wide range of tones and subjects in this book from Frederick Douglass writing about learning to read as a slave to Roxane Gay's modern essay on her relationship to the Sweet Valley High books. - Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon
Yes, I included this book in my best books I read in 2019. But I ended up buying my own copy (from my local independent bookstore, Old Firehouse Books) and rereading it. I love that her suggestions are so concrete. - Mudlark by Lara Maiklem
I found this book about treasuring hunting along the River Thames to be fascinating. I wish it had included photos, but the author does share photos on her Instagram account. - Sins of the Fathers by J. A. Jance
This is the latest in the author's J. P. Beaumont suspense series. The main character is now 72 years old and working as a private detective after leaving the police force. When was the last time you read a book that featured a protagonist that age?
Watching
- The Foods That Changed America
Who knew that the history of companies like Heinz or Kellogg could be so gripping? So much drama! - KIPO
This might be one of the strangest animated series I've ever watched with a pink mutant girl/jaguar as the main character. Each episode shows a bit more of her odd, apocalyptic universe and the age-old battle of good versus evil. - Spy
I had this movie featuring Melissa McCarthy as undercover spy on hold at the library just before everything closed down. It's consistently rated as one of her best (Insider ranked it as #2, while CinemaBlend rated it #1). It admittedly felt weird to see such a goofy comedy three months later when my mood was decidedly different, but I still enjoyed it. If you're looking for a silly, low-stakes movie, this could be it.
Hope your summer is full of inspiration!