365 Days of Coffee + 3 of 7

I'm a crafty, crafty girl.  I build espresso cup displays and desks, make postcards and house numbers and gallery walls.

But - third thing of the seven I'm to spill since being given a Versatile Blogger Award by Sabrina at CoffeeRocketFairyTale - I cannot sew.


You know all those extra buttons some retailers will give you with the purchase of . . . something that requires buttons [pants, blouses]?  They should give me safety pins and twine.  The pins to replace a fallen button, and twine to make a pretty bracelet out of said fallen buttons.

I never quite learned how to sew, I have no driving passion to do so [despite marathons of Project Runway], and I get the feeling I would bleed.  A lot.

But I still bought all these scraps of fabric today at a thrift store for $5.  Because you know what else I can't do [a thing 3 bonus]?  Resist a deal.

The woman behind the counter asked me what I planned to do with these samples of sheer ugly [she was quite a bit older, and by her crinkled nose, I figured even she must have discarded the thought of quilting with them long ago] and I said brightly "I don't know!  But I can assure you it will involve a glue gun."

365 Days of Coffee + 2 of 7

I feel all free and mobile having spilled that I work-work [aka make money*] outside of the creative fields.  A self-imposed weight has been lifted.  Did I imagine that everyone assumed I was independently wealthy? That I had some star-studded job? That I could fill my days with photography and housey-projects and watch the cash tumble into my lap due to my charming personality and stunning talent?

Not sure what I thought, or thought would happen.  But whatever it was/would isn't, and didn't [follow that grammatically, should you be feeling bored:)].

So here's another one of the seven things about me, info courtesy of the Versatile Blogger award, from Sabrina at CoffeeRocketFairyTale [yes, I will link that every day I do this]:

I'm a big ol' Christian.  Fan of the Bible.  Love me a hymn.  Say my prayers at night, in the morning, and give thanks all darn day - every time I don't hit my head on that cupboard, or drop that plate of food, and every time I do keep my mouth shut and smile when someone waltzes into the cafe at five til close.

[Because aren't I lucky to have a way to pay my bills, and especially one where I get to explore so many of my passions/hobbies on the clock, with understanding and appreciative coworkers.]

Don't worry, this blog project of mine isn't going to become a day in the life of waitstaff, or any sort of verse-spouting springboard.  These are just a few things that affect the non-blog me, and heck - here's a whole week to share them!

Feel free to share yours -

*why this is showing as some random link, I don't know.  I've tried to fix it to no avail.

365 Days of Coffee + 1 of 7

Awhile back, I received a Versatile Blogger Award from the ever-titillating Sabrina at CoffeeRocketFairytale [thanky +thank you+merci+gracias] and never responded with 7 things about me.  This is for a couple reasons:

1)  I like to be a secret squirrel
and
2)  I wanted to come up with photographic illustrations

So we're going to go at this piece by piece, because while neither of those issues have been resolved, I currently feel like an insult to the purpose of the award!

First day, first thing:

I work at a cafe - a coffeebar/bakery and breakfast-lunch cafe. It's a little schizophrenic, and absolutely wonderful.  Remarkably, I've thus proven myself to be a morning person.  A cheery, chipper, focused morning person.  

Bonus not-so-obvious points about this first thing:

- I eat more fruit than a bat.

- I prefer our [very dirty, apparently] monster-sized espresso machine at home to work's version.  Shhh!  Don't tell. I think it's for the bottomless portafilter.  Can't go wrong with that gorgeous pour!

365 Days of Coffee [snick-snack]

My family always used to call non-mealtime sweet treats [say, after school/work on weekdays, mid-morning Saturdays or about 4pm on Sundays] 'snick-snacks.'  I'm really not sure why, but I still call them that today - even to strangers.
I'm also not sure why I talk to strangers so often, either, but there you are.

Here was today's snick snack:

365 Days of Coffee [gifting]

Sending bright bursts of sunshine, sweetness to those battling the hurricane  . . .

[anyone else think the left side of the espresso crema looks a little stormy? I think that's a good sign - deliciousness is on the way, Northeasterners!]

365 Days of Coffee [gifted]

Now if only I could get Ps to keep the originals colors. . . . sigh.  Me and my learning curve!!

365 Days of Coffee [really!]

This is the end of a very short cup of espresso, at the end of a very long day.

Even though it looks like something . . . gross.  Like, I-don't-want-to-give-you-any-ideas gross.

But really, that's what it is :)

365 Days of Coffee [catch-up?]

Well, my last couple posts . . . didn't post?  They're stuck in some Blogger time-warp that thinks they need to publish in 2013.  Ultimately, I'm totally cool with that, because these three are outtakes, which I now like better than the other two.  So there, oh fateful Internet voodoo.

8/22/2011

8/23/2011

8/24/2011

Yes, I am an Under-Tint fan.  Superfan:)

365 Days of Coffee [ombre]

If I attempted to link all of the beautiful ombre clothing and home decor [plus hairstyles and makeup] seeping into the creative world right now, I would drain of color myself.  So Pinterest that word, and I'll leave it at this:

Ombre.  So hot for fall.

PS:  I did not miss a day - too committed to this 365 project for that!  However, I got up this morning and my screen was still on New Post . . . I never hit Publish!  So backtrack this post to about 5pm Sunday, August 21st.:)

365 Days of Coffee [undercover]

The rain has been so sporadic lately!  I've said before that I do the vast majority of my computer work outside under a leaky porch roof [I know - asking for trouble with Florida weather] and this is the sort of thing that ends up happening when a thunderburst comes up:

Protect the espresso!  That magazine is only a week old - I keep attempting to read it, despite it's daily rain ravaging.  

Stay dry, all - 

365 Days of Coffee [hot fuss]

These flowers trekked two miles home with me from the grocery store in 90+ degree heat.

I know, I know - grocery flowers.  But look how riotous they are!

Hot damn!  

Happy Friday, y'all - 

365 Days of Coffee + a sunset

This melon and I had a love affair all afternoon - straight through to this gorgeous sunset tonight:

Taken by me, from our backyard.  God just gives me good subjects and timing!

365 Days of Coffee [where you used to live]

I did absolutely no post-production on this shot - absolutely where I used to live {was listening to The Kilklers "When You Were Young"}

365 Days of Coffee [losing focus]

Does this photo say 'soft and pretty'?  Or 'out of focus'?  

Sigh.  Where is my eye going lately? I'm gravitating toward surreal and dreamy captures of the everyday, but they seem to translate incorrectly.  As though the mood is a function of the technicality of the photo, instead of 

vice-versa.

Double sigh!  But lemme tell ya, that was one delicious, big ol' peach:)

365 Days of Coffee [by candlelight]

The days seem to be getting longer around here, but that may be because the espresso keeps getting poured later and later . . .

BTW, this is a zoom lens that I have seriously never used before today, as the standard lens is now officially defunct.  Mr. Zoom is proving monstrously difficult for me to get used to, so I went simple with the shot today, until I have a better handle on using him.  Tips welcome!!

365 Days of Coffee [busted]

So Coffee Rocket Fairy Tale [girl is fab] gave me a blogger award, and I'm too swamped to respond!  See, CKP busted my lens:

 . . . and it's under construction.

As Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder often says:

"Son of a bitch!"


Forgive me, my friends who don't own that stellar VHS.  Truly, the phrase embodies the moment..

365 Days of Coffee [lol]

Lil' bit o' lil' latte in the making . . .

Working too much for much of an SIS today, but I'll post some pictures taken 'round the town over the past couple weeks a bit later in the week - just to keep in practice!:)

365 Days of Coffee + silver linings

One of the [very few] good things about my travelling for work all the time . . .

 . . . he comes back with presents! 

Silver bangles, Erwin Pearl $68

365 Days of Coffee [worth it]

Between six and eight o'clock in the evening [at this time of year], the west side of our house is saturated with long light.  It's gorgeous, and makes the six French doors [and bazillions of tiny panes] that comprise that wall worth cleaning.

Of course, I haven't recently.  That's a three-hour project!  Soon.

So instead of that kind of brilliant picture, we'll use this one, which shows an idea of the light, but also [unfortunately] highlights another item on my to-do list:

Methinks it's time to go gather some flowers for those vases, no?

Here's to projects worth completing this weekend -

365 Days of Coffee [splatter]

I'd say my portafilter was a little loose, eh?

Iced coffee doctored with an extra dose and brought home from Savory Street Cafe, North Orange in Sarasota.

Saturday in Sarasota [Pastry Art]

While I didn't get the previous post fixed [darn it!], this one seems to have worked out okay.  

What:  Pastry Art
Where:  1512 Main Street, Sarasota FL
Why:  The day was hot, the flea market all but deserted, and I needed a pick-me-up

Seriously, the flea market had one lonely vendor sweating and packing up for the day at 11 AM.  I spoke with him, and he summarily let me know that he was not interested in sticking around so I could browse and photograph his wares, but was instead looking forward to his air-conditioning.

I couldn't blame him, and sought refuge downtown at my new haunt - Pastry Art on Main Street.

It has everything I expect in a coffee place - fresh, chilled mini deserts [from Tiramisu to German Chocolate Cake], an open-mic night, an extensive menu of caffeination with prices that make me twitch just a bit and milk options that make me feel slightly guilty, plus jaded but friendly and worn-in young baristas with beards and polite, politically ironic clothing.


From left, clockwise:  The spread of a double espresso, baklava, macchiato and blueberry cheesecake; macchiato macro; an interested ladybug on our table; macro espresso and baklava [I am eight shades of in love with the cup/saucer combo]; finishing; blueberry cheesecake macro

365 Days of Coffee [empty]

Remember when I got a new Inigo a couple weeks ago?  Well, I got a parfait cup while I was at it, and those two small ceramic pieces came . . .

 . . . with all this.

Seriously.  Is that much packaging really necessary?

Made me feel empty inside:(

NOTE:  Don't know what's up with the camera tragedy here.  Something wonked out in the upload - I'll try to fix it tonight, so it doesn't look so amateur hour! Thanks for your patience . . .

365 Days of Coffee + thrifted works of art

Behold the power of the Goodwill . . . . 

365 Days of Coffee [fresh]

Everything you see here was purchased approximately forty minutes prior to ingestion:

Well, not the cup, plate or table.  But hopefully you understand that I didn't ingest those:)

Zucchini with lemon-thyme vinaigrette [CKP's Secret Watching-Too-Much-Food-Network recipe] and Java Dawg La Florida beans-as-espresso.

It's a smidge embarrassing to admit we had no lemons, thyme, oil . . . not even a peeler for the zucchini!  I'm fairly certain buy-as-needed is not the best way to build a pantry, but there you have it.  Maybe I'll get crazy and purchase a loaf pan next!

365 Days of Coffee [wistfully]

 . . . dreaming of a scarlet cloche

Oh, yes.  And a place to wear it.

Page from Anthropologie's Issue 08, 2011

Stitched Scarlet Cloche: $58

365 Days of Coffee [testing]

 . . . testing . . . 1, 2, 3 . . . testing, testing . . . 1, 2, 3

The middle of the grind-testing process [yes, we drank all of the 'test shots' - and then some]

365 Days of Coffee [greener pastures]

"I would like to have some of that there espresso."

"I think it looks delicious."

365 Days of Coffee [implements]

We are so hi-tech.

PS:  How awesome is my reflection in the tamper?  Yep.  I'm in my pjs.  Not editing out my reflection.  True professional, folks:)

365 Days of Coffee [macchiato]

Well, my version.  It's supposed to be espresso, with a round of steamed/foamed milk around the edges.  But my edges sort of became the whole surface.

And the espresso sort of took it over as I fussed with positioning for the picture.  Ay, me.  Still delicious!  And still got the job done.

I feel the same way about this picture, btw.  I've been getting busier in non-blogging life, and my photography/posts are suffering a quite a bit.  It's kind of annoying, actually - I've never felt that these were chores or a tasks, until this past week.  

Let's all hope the feeling passes quickly - I want to look forward to my hobbies again!  Here's to a calm August -

365 Days of Coffee [serving size]

Showing respect for a 1/2 oz of crema.  

[It's the little, little {tiny} things . . .]