apple tree: May 2011

museums are dead, long live the streets

Downtown Lisbon this afternoon.

Costume Items

Most of the things I do are usually for friends and family, in fact, this is what got me started in the first place. I now decided to open up and take in requests, in case anyone is interested in my work... here's the info you need!

love is written in red

Finished and wrapped. A special customed made wedding gift: a embroidered handkerchief in a matching pouch.

Assim se amassa, assim se peneira, assim se dá a volta ao pão na masseira.

... this is what my grandfather would say when he baked corn bread.

Sunday night's bread baking experience turned out to be delicious.

It was really easy, I bought a pack of flour at the Ikea food store (flour mix ready to use) and followed the instructions on the package, but not without adding a personal touch with a bunch of sunflower seeds and oats. Now I have bread for a week.

Saturday night

I was supposed to go out Saturday night, but during a quick stop at a super market I realized the Food Bank's campaign was this weekend and I had forgotten to sign up as a volunteer, like in former years. So I asked if they were in need of volunteers and ended up helping out till the store closed! It felt good.

*2309 tons!!

all packed up

Packed and ready to ship across the Atlantic. Thank you V.

Adamastor

Yesterday after work we went climbing to Cascais. I don't really climb: I'm mostly hoisted up!! But I enjoy every minute of it (except for the part when my muscles are so worn out that I have no more strength to hold on). Pedro is the real climber.

Item #58 on my list says climb a 6a level route. Yesterday, I barely made it up a level 4 (a route named Adamastor. All routes have the strangest names and stories to back them up!), which are the easiest routes. Honestly, I doubt I'll be able to climb all by myself a 6a, but I'll try.

shop update

This is exceptionally true when the sun is out! Find it here and here.

orangettes

Last night's monthly dinner by chef Pierre ended with orangettes. Very creative and delicious. Recipe here.

on my way to the hospital today

... and tomorrow I'm taking my camera for a long walk and accomplishing item #11 on my list... :)

# 87 donate blood

I've been meaning to accomplish this item for so many years, today was the day I donated blood.

Although walking into the hospital felt like I had rewind back to the 1960's, the staff was extremely kind and gentle and made the whole experience a pleasant one. The truth is, I didn't even have a glance at what was happening to my left arm... I just know that I came out of the hospital 450gr lighter!

i want sun! is that so hard to ask?

An early wake up in Figueira da Foz to total disappointment.... yet another cloudy weekend! Weather forecast websites should be prosecuted for creating high expectations...

shop update

Some months ago I bought a bunch of hand embroidered napkins that I'm transforming into runners for bedside tables, but with a twist: inspiring statements! Available here and here.

If you have a statement you'd like to see as last thing you read before going to bed or the first thing when waking up, just leave a comment and I'll write it in red!

love is written in red

What I most like about traditional Portuguese embroidered handkerchiefs is the concept: an embroidered message, usually written in verse, and illustrated (or not) with symbolic images of the message being said. So you can easily adapt this concept to any occasion.

Last year, when she said yes, my special gift was this handkerchief wishing them all the best in their new life together as husband and wife. It was inspired in this beautiful story about life and hope, where a red line connects the whole story.

PS: The baby boy is almost here. All they need now is a dog.

more kid's books

Lisbon's book fair is a 10 minute walk from home. And although I am almost 30, but I can't help it... I love children's books! So I came home with these 2 wonderful books from the Planeta Tangerina. My next purchase is this lovely book from one of my favorite illustrators, Cecilia Afonso Esteves.

temos pena

And yet another weekend escape, but this time we went camping in the rain near São Pedro do Sul. Thankfully it cleared up on Sunday. Pedro and the other climbers spent the afternoon hanging themselves from ropes in the hills around Aldeia da Pena as I laid back against a rock, catching some springtime sun and reread my absolute favorite book: Cien años de solidad, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. So good...