I Love Brains

I mentioned neuroplasticity to a friend the other day, and bless her heart, she went right over to Wikipedia and found out what I was talking about. I absolutely love the internet as a way to learn new things. Since Rory's dad had Alzheimer's before he died, and statistically we all have a 50% chance of a decline in brain function as we age, I decided to get proactive in learning what we can do to keep our brains healthy.

PBS put out a DVD called The Brain Fitness Program. In one hour it covers a lot of new scientific findings on neuroplasticity, and interviews a number of people who love brains, even someone who had damaged his brain and was able to recover significantly. The fitness part could have been covered in just a few minutes. So for those of you who are not running to the library to check out the DVD, I will recap.(After some brief visual stimulation.)

These things are bad for your brain and will increase your chances of function loss:
*Repetitive tasks, things you can do without thinking (like vacuuming and dishes and laundry - I knew there was a reason why I hated that stuff.)
*Stress, worry and anxiety (In the 37th Psalm, David said "do not fret, it leads only to evil" I can't think of anything more evil than ending life non compos mentis.)
*Inactivity

Here is the list of positive things you can do to keep your brain healthy:
*Do the little things in a new way to engage your brain. Try brushing your teeth with the other hand. (Tell me if you come up with an engaging way to dust and do laundry!)
*Exercise to improve your cardio vascular health. The more oxygen you get into your blood stream, the more is also reviving your brain. (If you yawn a lot, it means your brain needs to get some fresh air.)
*Exercise helps in another way too. Brains are actually found to be much more active and engaged during physical exercise than while sitting still. There is a lot going on up there keeping us balanced and making the autonomic systems function together. For me, I love to take a walk in the middle of the morning, especially if I feel stuck in a project. I always come back with new inspiration and ideas.
*Rest and sleeping well is important too.
*Learning obviously is helpful to the brain. What is the last thing you learned? Was it High School Spanish? You can learn more Spanish and build on that foundation, keeping your brain healthy. (At the automated check out at the grocery store, I pushed the Espanole button even though I never studied Spanish, it was engaging to say the least.) Pick up a musical instrument again (if you've put it down) and increase your proficiency. Play chess. The cranium games are good too. We need to keep learning and trying new things.

Now I am going to take along walk through the neighborhood, and pray for the kids in school as I walk by. When I get back, I will be working on a couple of sewing patterns that people are waiting for. If I get stuck, I won't worry, I will read the Sermon on the Mount in Spanish and take a nap.

Hasta la vista, baby! and via con Dios, of course. My spell checker doesn't work in Spanish. I might have to actually learn it instead of just pretending.... 'cause I know some of you are in California, where English is the second language, but that is another story...

Field Trip

This is where I quilt. Heartbeat quilting has 3 Gammill longarm machines, and once they teach you how to use them, you can rent them and have access to this light and spacious studio. My friend, Stephanie, came with me to quilt a couple of whole cloth quilts for her boys beds. She was the photographer and a great assistant. For me this was a fun outing, a chance to get to know Stephanie better and talk about sewing and our kids. I remember being amazed the first time I heard about these machines. Rory came home from running errands one day and told me he had popped into a quilting shop and had seen a demonstration of a sewing machine that you drive over the fabric. Rory doesn't sew, of course. He only went in because he knew it would interest me - boy was he right! I've included a great (and clickable) collection of pieced quilts below to whet your appetite for the still very much alive art of quilting.

STA Rider Alert...!

STA Rider Alert...!
Originally uploaded by chrstphre

Somebody commented on this photo on Flickr that the ads are an eyesore and everybody would be happy if they kept the benches and got rid of the ads. Here's what I say: In communist countries there were no ads, but somehow it still wasn't utopia. Just the fact that we have a city council member who would want to take away bus riders' seating and another person's advertising income stream makes me want to say something really clever, but I haven't had enough coffee yet.

Small Victory, Still Sweet

I think I just started a poem there with my title. Today I completely cleared off my cutting table and my sewing table. They are both banquet tables by the way. Now I have more room to work. As you can see, I filled up my scrap jar and organized my bobbin threads. My deep thought for the day is: Do something small today. As the drop falls into the bucket, it becomes part of a larger purpose. Now I'll go take a walk, letting the tables enjoy their emptiness before I let loose with my next three bags and an apron or two. (I know I won't even get half of that done today, but I can dream.)

Bananas for this Recipe

Banana Muffins with Peanut Butter Vanilla Frosting

This is my kids favorite recipe. (I love it too. Rory eats them sans frosting, the party pooper.) My family rigs it, so that two out of every bunch of bananas I buy get ripe enough that I have to make muffins.

Mix until creamy -

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 ripe mashed bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (I like Mountain High, original style)

Combine these dry ingredients, then add them to the mixture, stirring until well mixed-

1 and 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fold in about 1/2 cup of dried fruit (I make some without the dried fruit for the boys, and then add the fruit for the rest of us) I like to use orange flavored cransins and raisins, some of each.

Makes 18 regular size muffins. Line your muffin pans with cups or spray with cooking spray. Spoon into cups (the batter will be pretty thick) and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. They should be slightly browned on top.

After cooling, frost with one of these:

Make Honey Peanut Butter Icing by mixing equal parts honey, butter and peanut butter

or

For the not so naturally inclined, use this one:

1 pound of confectioners' sugar (that is 1/2 of a package - I don't measure it)

1/4 cup of softened butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

about 4-6 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat his until smooth. There will be extra, which I store in the fridge and let the kids use on graham crackers when the muffins run out.

Now, I am going to sew elsiee's frame purse, so she doesn't think I am some kind of lame blogger who gives prizes but is slow in sending them. If you want to share this recipe with anyone, just link to the blog post, if you would. A side note, if you search for "recipe" on Etsy, some actual recipes come up as well as recipe cards, etc. Cool!

She would look good in a potato sack...

I grew up with the notion that that was the ultimate compliment. If you could make burlap look good, baby, you got it. Meet Amy Butler, she makes burlap look good. People often ask me where I get the great fabrics for my bags. If you are in Spokane, the only place to get it is The Top Stitch. The owner, Carrie Jarvis, gives sewing lessons too. The shop, in its new location at 3808 N Monroe, is roomy, well lit, and chock full of fabrics that make aprons look good enough to wear out of the house. I have to admit that the burlap was not my idea. These bags are part of a custom order I made for a great gal on the East Coast. I am headed from here to post photos and a funny listing for her in my shop. Thank you Carrie, and thank you Amy Butler for making me look good, even in a potato sack.

Spring Cleaning

donna_4369
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

It feels so good when it's all over.
To be freshly cleaned and organized, is my goal by the end of this month.
Step one, put on an apron with pockets, that will help.
I really can't inspire you any more myself yet, so I will let these other beautiful art studios do it for me.
Enjoy!