Summer Workshop Brochure!

Phew! I've been working on this for a few days now. I just wanted to share the fliers with everyone. There are a few new class offerings, including a few sewing sessions. I can't wait for all this to get started! PDF's of the fliers are below (which is why they are laid out oddly) but you also might spot them around town in little piles. Be sure to spread the word! It's gonna be a lot of fun this summer. 

xo 

Nutmeg

Nutmeg Summer Camps: Creative Writing and Home Ec.

 Creative Writing Workshops

             Session 1: June 3-7

                 Session 2: June 10-14

                                    **Ages 10-12 time slot is 1-4 pm

                                    **Ages 7-9 time slot is 9-12 am

                                    **Ages 13-16 (possibly add a week in July if there is enough interest

        Time spent being creative is sorely lacking for kids these days in school. During my 5-day workshops, kids will spend time doing just this. By stretching their brains through fun free-writing exercises and learning some storytelling techniques they will work towards constructing a completed story. All genres are open for exploration, as kids are free to create a fairy tale or a superhero story, or maybe mystery is more up their alley. Fans of comic books are always welcome too, as this is a wonderful medium to utilize in sharing stories. Creative writing skills are incredibly beneficial as kids approach high school and college, but unfortunately they just aren’t given enough time to nurture this at school. These workshops will hopefully plant seeds of creativity within these children’s minds that they can carry with them throughout the other parts of their lives.

           

               Day 1: Introductions

                                    Free-Writing Exercises

                                    Where do Stories Come From?

                                    What Kind of Story Do You Want to Tell?

                                   

                  Day 2: Free-Writing Exercise

                                    Plot (Beginning, Middle, End)

                                    Mapping Out A Story

                 

                  Day 3: Free-Writing Exercise

                                    Character Exercise

                                    Finished First Draft            

                  Day 4: Free-Writing Exercise

                                    Getting Help From Friends (Small Workshop Experience)

                                    Revising Your Work (Getting it Ready for the Press!)

Day 5: Free Writing Exercise

                                    Sharing Your Finished Work (reading works out loud)

                                    Celebration!

$150 per student

*Price includes drinks and snacks for each day of class, plus the printing costs of the story that they complete during the workshop, which will be presented to them on the last day in book form. We won’t take official meal breaks during the sessions, so I will make sure to provide plenty of healthy snacks to keep them going until their sessions are over. 

Home Economics Workshop

   Session 1: July 1-5        

            **ages 7-12

                **9:30am-1:30pm

    Session 2: July 15-19
                **ages 9-15
                **9:30am-1:30pm

           There are endless amounts of skills to be learned through time spent in the kitchen. Basic chemistry principles can be explained while constructing a delicious cake. Math basics, such as fractions, can be experienced hands on while measuring ingredients for a yummy meal. Also, just knowing how to properly handle ingredients and utensils in the kitchen gives children confidence as they grow in independence. During this 5-day workshop, we will have lots of fun learning, cooking and eating some delicious and healthy recipes. Any recipes we work on during the week will get sent home on Friday in a binder, along with cooking tips, so they can continue their food fun after the workshop is over. Plus what parent wouldn’t love a kid being able to help them out in the kitchen.

           

               Day 1: Introductions

                                    Kitchen Safety Basics

                                    The Parts of a Recipe

                                    “In Season” Pasta

                                   

                  Day 2: Breakfast:

                                    Fun with Eggs

                                    Fraction Muffins

                                   

                  Day 3: Lunch:

                                    Getting healthy energy mid-day

                                    Sandwich vs. Salad, Fries vs. Fruit

                                   

Day 4: Dinner:

Fourth of July Cooking!

                                    How does heat affect our food? (Oven vs. Grill)

                  Day 5: Dessert:

                                    The Chemistry of the Cake

                                    Last Day Party!

                                   

$200 a child (second child discount available)

**Price includes all ingredients and supplies for our cooking projects each day which we will eat for our lunch break, as well as a printed reference companion of the recipes and skills we worked on each day. I work with fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever I cook.

            

Week 3 with the Girls!

Tonight was seriously great in our sewing class. Aside from some amazing conversations about One Direction, Justin Beiber and Kelly Clarkson, we made a lot of great progress on the girls' final projects. All the fabric has been cut, pressed and pinned. We're ready for the next weeks last class, where they'll finish up their bags. Have really loved sharing my love of sewing and creating with these girls, and feel really lucky to have gotten to know them all better. Enjoy the pics! 

xo 

Nutmeg

Little Seamstresses

The girls hard at work.

I just wanted to take a minute to post some pictures from our first sewing class tonight. The girls were 

so wonderful at their work, and I'm so excited to see what their final projects will look like in a few weeks! Keep in touch here for more classes coming soon, or connect with me on my nutmeg facebook page here.  Here's a peek at what we did tonight:

Kenya is ready to go!

Bridget working hard on her curved lines!

Aine finishes up her practice lines, while Uma shows off her great work!

New Sewing Dates!

Hey everyone! I'm re-posting this with the added October dates, since so many people responded quickly to the first session. There are 3 spots available in the October session. The September session just had the last spot re-open again, so let me know quickly if your daughter is interested! I'll be doing a session for adults in the wintertime as well, so keep in touch!

xo
Nutmeg

Intro Sewing Class!

girls age 10&and up

Session 1 dates:

Friday, August 31st, 4-6pm

Friday, September 7th, 4-6pm

Friday, September 14th, 4-6pm

Friday, September 21st, 4-6pm

Session 2 dates:
Friday, October 19th, 4-6pm
Friday, October 26th, 4-6 pm
Friday, November 2nd, 4-6 pm
**skip a week for my daughter's birthday**
Friday, November 16th, 4-6 pm

what we'll work on:

We will begin with the very basics (sewing in straight lines, curves, etc) and work til the completion of a project of their choosing by the end of the four sessions. No previous sewing experience is necessary or at all expected.

Supplies:

All supplies are included, aside from a fabric of ones choice for their final project. 

What about a Sewing Machine:

If you have one, bring it! If you don't, that's ok. I have several at home that the girls will be able to work on, so there won't ever be someone without a machine. 

Cost:

$75 if you'd like to pay for the whole class at once

$20 a week, if you pay as you go.

**please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about age limits, dates, sewing machines, etc. I'm really excited to be able to do this, and would love to accomodate everyone that's wanting to participate

Contact info:

megashworth@gmail.com 

-or-

leave a reply here

Craft Classes Beginning!

Ok, ladies...and gentlemen. An announcement I'm really excited about!!!! I've talked to a lot of folks lately about teaching sewing lessons again, particularly for their daughters. It seems like a lot of young girls out there are really excited to learn, and I'd love to help introduce some young people to the joy of sewing! I'm going to start with just one session. There are only three spaces available. So get in touch with me quickly if you're interested in signing your child up for sewing classes. I may add another session in October if it seems like a lot of girls are interested. I keep the class sizes small so I can really focus on each student, especially when there are needles involved. Here are the details!

Intro Sewing Class!

girls age 10&up

dates:

Friday, August 31st, 4-6pm

Friday, September 7th, 4-6pm

Friday, September 14th, 4-6pm

Friday, September 21st, 4-6pm

what we'll work on:

We will begin with the very basics (sewing in straight lines, curves, etc) and work til the completion of a project of their choosing by the end of the four sessions. No previous sewing experience is necessary or at all expected.

Supplies:

All supplies are included, aside from a fabric of ones choice for their final project. 

What about a Sewing Machine:

If you have one, bring it! If you don't, that's ok. I have several at home that the girls will be able to work on, so there won't ever be someone without a machine. 

Cost:

$75 if you'd like to pay for the whole class at once

$20 a week, if you pay as you go.

**please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about age limits, dates, sewing machines, etc. I'm really excited to be able to do this, and would love to accomodate everyone that's wanting to participate

Contact info:

megashworth@gmail.com 

-or-

leave a reply here

Basil and Green Bean Penne

So...here's my second farmer's market recipe post! (Although, a few of the ingredients came from my raised bed, and they were delicious) We were really tired today, so something quick and easy like pasta sounded perfect. I had some meatballs still in our freezer that we threw in, cause my kids love 'em. You could substitute with more veg, pancetta, bacon, chicken...just make sure the proportion is correct. You don't want your dish overflowing with meat. I usually eyeball it so that in relation to the amount of pasta I've used, there is about 1/4-1/3 meat. That way there is enough for each bite, but not sooooo much that you wish there was more pasta. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1/4-1/2 lb green beans (ours were haricot verts from our garden)

2 small sweet onions, diced

1 clove garlic, diced

2-3 fresh basil leaves, shredded

1 pkg. mini penne

10-12 small meatballs

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

-(if using meatballs) preheat oven to 350 degrees F, cooking for 15 minutes

-cook pasta according to package directions, and drain while making the rest of the dish

-blanch the green beans for 4-5 minutes, drain and set aside until ready to use

-heat 1-2 Tbsps olive oil in a large skillet

-add the onions and garlic, and sautée until soften and just beginning to turn golden brown

-season with a dash of salt

-add the shredded basil leaves to the oil, and sautée for a few minutes more. This allows some of the basil flavor to diffuse into the oil. 

-add the blanched beans, sautée 4-5 minutes more, until the beans begin to brown just slightly. You want them to still have some of their fresh from the garden crunch, so don't overdo it. 

-stir in the pasta, making sure to mix well with all the yummy onions and garlic. Add a tsp or so more olive oil ONLY if the pasta appears to be too dry still after you've mixed it thoroughly

-Mix in the meatballs

-season with salt and pepper to taste

-Enjoy!!

Risotto, yo.

This is the most amazing time of year for finding fresh from the fields fruits and veg. Farmers markets are around town almost every day of the week. CSA's are arriving packed full of all different sorts of deliciousness. I get so excited about figuring out new, easy dinners to make with whatever managed to make it home in my bag from the market. 

I decided, hey, maybe I should start sharing these on ye olde blog...the successful ones at least. So here's one of my first farmers market mash-ups, from a few weeks ago. Risotto does take a little bit of time, but is really not that complicated past that. I included the veg I found while I was at the market, but many others could be substituted: tomatoes, turnips, daikon radish, squash, arugula, greens...the list is endless. Have fun with it!

Farmers Market Risotto

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

6 cups of broth (your choice)

(these are the basic proportions for a risotto...so anything below this is really flexible as far as ingredients.)

1 zucchini, diced

2 small white onions, diced

1 small bunch spinach, loosely chopped

2-4 Tbsps olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions

-put a few Tbsps of the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat

-add garlic and onions, sautée til onions are soft

-add zucchini, sautée for a few more minutes

-add the spinach at the very end, cooking til just beginning to wilt

-pour the veg into a bowl to rest until it's ready to be added to the risotto

-add a few more Tbsps to the saucepan, and lower the heat to medium-low

-add the rice to the oil and sautée for a few minutes, til the grains are translucent

-stir in the balsamic vinegar, coating all the grains evenly

-add the veg back in, and begin the process of adding the broth

-slowly ladle the broth in, 1/3 to 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the moisture is absorbed by the grains. Over time, the grains will begin to break down and the delicious creaminess of the risotto will be able to be seen, but don't add more broth until the liquid has been absorbed. This should take approximately 20-25 minutes. The low heat is crucial to the risotto dish, so resist the temptation to turn the heat up, even if it smells delicious and you want to eat it. Also, it may seem impossible for the 1 1/2 cups of rice to absorb 6 cups of broth, but it will. Just be patient and keep stirring. 

-when done, first be really proud! Then add a little salt and pepper, make a side salad, and dinner is served!

Seeds!!!!

Ok, I have to admit that with all the reading I had to do last semester with school, I haven't had much brain energy to read during my Christmas break. The other day, though, my favorite seed catalog arrived in the mail, and I haven't wanted it to be out of my sight very long since.

I always love this time of year. Winter is really settling in (which I do love) but the hope of spring isn't too far around the corner. And with it, the possibility of new growth, pushing up from the dirt outside that's now frozen, holding remains of last year's flowers...and just a few weeds. And with the new seed catalog comes excitement, planning what to order for the next year...promising to actually plant the seeds I order for this year...reading through all the descriptions of the different varieties of tomatoes or eggplants...envisioning the yard in the early summer, full of green and growth and life.

Last spring, shortly after I planted all my seeds, I decided to put my house on the market. Shortly after that, all the spare time I had went towards focusing on the inside of my house, and my new raised beds quickly got overtaken by weeds. This year, though (now that I know I'm staying put) I am finally gonna plant that asparagus! I cannot wait!!!!

If there are any of you out there that love planning and planting, here are a few great websites to order catalogs from (Click on the name to visit their website). Or, you can just peruse online through their catalogs as well!!

Seeds of Change: my top favorite! Growers committed to organic agriculture and making high-quality organic seeds available to farmers and gardeners.

Renee's Garden: a charming catalog full of heirloom flower and vegetable seeds. I got some amazing foxglove seeds from here.

All right! Back to my reading and planning! Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

I love your Microbeads Martha!

For those of you that love the Martha Stewart Crafts line at Michael's as much as I do, you have to check out the new Microbeads. The colors are great, and they can be used in just the same way as glitter. I'm thinking about buying some vintage plain colored glass ornaments from Salvation Army and embellishing them with these little tiny beads. I'll definitely let you know how the project turns out. Anyhooo...microbeads. Go buy some! Or click here!

Mochi Mochi Land

Ok. For any of you out there interested in knitting, crafting, sewing, or just awesome things in general, you must check out Mochi Mochi Land. One of the latest amazing things to be featured on WhipUp.net, you will not believe the creations of this artist.

"Mochimochi Land was launched in early 2007 as a place where knitted toys and people can live together in a spirit of tolerance.

The toys that inhabit Mochimochi Land are at once cute and strange, and they appeal to adults and children alike. They are all original designs by Anna Hrachovec, a knitter who lives in Brooklyn. Anna finds inspiration in Japanese kawaii designs and illustrators like Dr. Seuss. Her knitted toys have been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, around the web, and in print. Her original knitted creations have appeared in galleries in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tokyo.

Downloadable Embroidery
Patterns!!

The Mochimochi Shop specializes in downloadable knitting and cross-stitch patterns. Printed Mochimochi Land patterns are also available for wholesale prices. (Please contact info [at] mochimochiland [dot] com to inquire.)

Anna’s first book of knitting patterns, Knitting Mochimochi, was released in June 2010." - this information was found on the About Me page of the MochiMochi Land Website.


All the creatures remind me of things you might see in a Hiyao Miyazaki movie. And most of the items seen on their site are things that you can download the patterns for, whether it's embroidery or knitting. Others are available for purchase on Etsy.


Anyhoooo...If I were you, I'd check out these awesome creations. If nothing else, they are really fun to look at!

Kombucha, y'all!!!

Ok. For anyone that is a fan of Kombucha Tea you must read the following. Some great friends of mine are now making their own and you can buy it too! It is NO KIDDING the best kombucha I have ever tasted. I will never buy one from anyone else again....unless they run out cuz they're so awesome...and then I would be forced to.

Anyways! It's called Cumberland Valley Kombucha. I am listing information below. Please contact them to try it for your own selves, cause it's hell-yeah awesome!!!!

Krysta K. and Melissa B.

(615)995-4994

krysta.kacz@gmail.com

You can also check out Krysta's blog Cumberland Pickles. 

Craft Daze

To any and all of you out there who are at all into crafting and cottage industry type endeavors, WHIPUP.NET is definitely a website you should know about. Whipup.net has a million and one amazing download-able designs. To give you an idea of what their site is all about, here's a portion of their mission statement:

"Whipup values time over money, values skills over things, and is for creating a space in a hectic life for making. Whip up is all for the handcraft movement." 

They have everything from mason jar labels to zombie lunchbox patterns. I can spend hours on here looking around and getting really inspired seeing the crafting that others are doing. 

I put some pictures up of the things they have that are halloween themed right now, to help get y'all in the spooky spirit. You should definitely check it out, although be warned, you may not be able to leave...