The Abominable Snow Woman


Here she is! The Abominable Snow Woman is just one of three cousins I've been making for the Teetoo Sasquatch. Over the coming days I will post them here as I complete them before they are listed in the shop.

I love making stuff for the shop. My favorite part about the process is that I never know what the finished product is going to be! When I embark upon a project, I think I know exactly what I'm creating and usually have a pretty clear idea of what the outcome will be. Oftentimes, I'm wrong. I had no idea the Abominable was going to be a lady. When she was stitched up, she told me so and asked me for a pearl necklace to go with her cultured personality :)

Doesn't she look dignified!?

♥ Andrea ♥

In Bloom

The irises are starting to bloom! They are one of the most beautiful flowers don't you think?




The chives in our garden are out of control! They are everywhere. I love having chives in the garden. We add them to every meal we can. I love their flowers too. And so do our friends, the bees!

We've had gorgeous day after gorgeous day here. Today looks to be another. We're enjoying as much outdoor time as possible.

I'll be back here in the next day or two to announce some new Huggables that will be listed in the shop.

♥ Andrea ♥

I'm in Love With a Bee!


I've fallen head over heels for this little bee!

At first I thought he was a bumble bee but now I think he may be a carpenter bee. I have a real soft spot for all bees. Especially since we've moved to the forest and I've had the good fortune to live close to so many. I've never spent much time observing bees other than honey bees until now. I got stung by a bumble bee last year and boy did it hurt!

This little fellow guards a nest in a little hole on our back porch. He's so committed to his task and does such a good job of chasing away any insect that comes near! I find him to be absolutely mesmerizing! He hovers for a few minutes and then moves to a new spot and hovers there. He does this without rest for hours! Once in a while, he comes up to me and hovers near, like he's sussing me out and then off he goes again to protect the nest.

Sweet little bee, you are such a dear!

May you fall in love with an unexpected little someone today :)

♥ Andrea ♥

Almond Date Orbs *raw vegan*


These orbs are incredibly healthy and every man, woman and child I've offered them to loves them! They are very easy to make but do require planning because you must soak the nuts. Soaking your nuts makes them more digestible because by soaking them, you wash away enzyme inhibitors and begin the sprouting process. This is very beneficial for your body. Squirrels and other animals bury their nuts and eat them after they have begun to sprout (animals are so much smarter than we are).

Here is a summary of why it's good to soak your nuts.

I became inspired to make these while reading, 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Foodby Victoria Boutenko. This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the raw food diet. When I make these, I tend to wing it and just add whatever amounts seem right at the time but I'll write out a proper recipe for you here that you can change to suit your taste.

Ingredients
1/4 cup raw almonds (soaked over night)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (soaked over night)
1/2 cup of chopped medjool dates (or other dried fruit of your choice)
extra virgin olive oil (as needed for desired consistency)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
unsweetened dried coconut flakes (to your taste)

Directions
Soak the almonds and sunflower seeds overnight in cold water
In the morning, drain and thoroughly rinse your nuts and seeds
*If you are not ready to make your orbs right away, you can seal your seeds now in a container and place them in the fridge for up to a week*
Add your nuts and seeds to a food processor and grind into small chunks
Add 1/2 cup of chopped medjool dates to the food processor and process until it becomes a lump
Transfer to a mixing bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Mix until you have a moist lump of dough
Make the dough into bite sized balls and roll in unsweetened coconut

This recipe freezes well and makes an excellent snack or addition to breakfast. Another great combination is soaked pecans and dried unsweetened cranberries. I was thinking as I made these that ginger would be a great addition to this recipe. I'm going to try that next time for sure!

♥ Andrea ♥

Funny Sasquatch Pictures

Some funny Sasquatch pictures I took this week...



Have a relaxing weekend!

♥ Andrea ♥