Molten Works Glass Studio: Express Yourself in Color

I didn't know quite what to expect when I signed up with a few friends for an evening of glass fusing at Molten Works Glass Studio in Woodinville, WA.  I knew that I would be allowed to do whatever I wanted with color and that's all I really needed to know. It was so much fun and I definitely want to try it again, especially when all of these supplies are at our disposal.

The Junior League of Seattle often has social nights for the members to reconnect and enjoy each other's company. This Sip n Fuse night was a really neat way to gather members across the city on a work night to relax and create. They had live music with the blues duo Blue Healers and I absolutely loved their sound. Bravo.

Molten Works also has a small bar serving wine, beer, alcoholic seltzers and sparkling water spritzers. So perfect. 

I decided that I wanted to try a landscape, so I sketched a scene of stairs leading down to a favorite Lake Michigan beach from a photo on my phone. The ink burns off in the kiln, so I don't have to worry as I sketched my idea.

I hope it looks generally like this after it is fired; I really like it and I know exactly where it is. I also liked that the sand-like frit could be sprinkled between the worn boards of my stairs to look like sand. So cool!

It was all I could do not to start on another piece right then. I mean, I had so many Ideas when I saw this striated blue glass.

I highly recommend a Sip n Fuse night in Woodinville. It felt really wonderful to create and chat and make something permanently pretty. Delight can be trying something new.

#glassfusing #colorwheel #creatingart #finddelight @blue_healers
 

Plants By Her: A Terrific Zoom Class About Houseplants

The only way that I have remained social during the winter months of the pandemic has been over Zoom. I am a sustainer in the Junior League of Seattle and right now their programming is virtual and available to me as a Sustainer. I l have loved volunteering with this organization since 1997 (Birmingham, MI and Seattle, WA) and am now grateful for the chance to learn and connect during these strange times.

The theme of this month's training and programming revolves around the idea of Resilience. This class was called, "Resiliency in Houseplants and Transplanting" hosted by Katlyn of Plants By Her, a Seattle-based business that "brings the benefits of plants into commercial and residential spaces through custom design services." 

I think this woman is fantastic. She was organized, passionate, a great communicator and very knowledgeable. Our instructions were to gather an easy to care for 4" houseplant, potting mix, orchid bark, horticultural charcoal and a 4-6" pot with a drainage hole. 

I planted a Futura Dracaena (Dracaena deremensis aka corn plant) in a pretty teal pot that I had in the garage. I think it will be very happy on a table on my first floor. I think you have to approach classes with a bit of levity. Of course any of us could Google the basic of houseplant care and limp our way through what we think are good practices in repotting, but where's the fun in that? I enjoyed this session because I had signed up for a bit of time centered on plants. I had fun getting ready for class and assembling what I needed. I looked forward to spending time learning how I could improve my care of houseplants. I thought about where I needed a plant in the house, what kind would do best in those conditions and generally about the joy I get from tending things. 

I'd like to encourage you to find an hour here and there where you can focus on the things you love. I dare you to write knit  (or read, bake, make) on your calendar and then sit down during that time and do it, just for you. Better yet, find a class where you can learn a new stitch and sign up. These days are ours and we need to make sure that we sprinkle in some fun ways to learn and grow.

Thank you, Katlyn! I really enjoyed your tips and tricks for creating a healthy potting mix, getting plants ready for our vacations and steps for re-potting success. And I promise to dust and rotate my new plant!

#plantsbyher #houseplants #jleargueseattle #beautyofeverydaylife #finddelight  

Hot Stove Society: Junior League of Seattle Cooking Class

It was a fun night to try some new recipes - the Junior League of Seattle Sustainers had arranged for the members to gather for some socializing and sauteing at Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas' Hot Stove Society. 

We know how to cook, but this was a night where we could listen and practice a new technique. Maybe we would glean a new skill and perhaps we would reconnect with an old friend from our active membership years.

It was wonderful for me no matter because no matter how settled I get in Seattle, I still catch myself looking for my old friends in the crowd. We had a great night making Asian-inspired pot stickers, zucchini chive fritters, small spring rolls and the famous Tom Douglas mini coconut creme pies. Everything was delicious and we had a great time. Thank you, Junior League of Seattle Sustainers for connecting me to the incredible group of women.

#seattleblogger #tomdouglas #hotstovesociety #cookingclass #juniorleague 

Hot Stove Society: Junior League Sustainers Connect and Enjoy

I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and that's why I think a cooking class is a wonderful way for a group to connect and get to know one another.

As a member of the Junior League of Seattle (I'm a sustainer, which is like an alumnae), I enjoy attending social events that help me connect and establish relationships with other members. The more connected we are, the easier it is to volunteer together and take  action for great causes. Women get things done and I am very impressed with the women I've meet so far.

The 5 o'clock class was designed to let our group of 25 make assemble, cook and eat 4 different appetizers. Instructors made their way around to the cooking tables and gave up tips and tricks to follow the recipes. My table had shrimp wontons and we learned how to fold, pinch and seal the ingredients inside to prepare the wontons for cooking. 

It was a fun and light-hearted evening. I really appreciated the women who volunteered to man the stove, for their contribution was far more important and quite a bit warmer. The food was delicious (shrimp wontons, empanadas, cheese puffs, chicken skewers AND mini Tom Douglas Coconut Cream Pies) and we loved it. I took lots of pictures of us commanding the kitchen, but I didn't want to post people's photos without their permission, so please imagine a lot of happy faces threading chicken on a skewer and holding up whisked bowls of whip cream.

Thank you, Junior League Sustainers and Hot Stove Society, for a fun night.

#seattle #hotstovesociety #tomdouglas #cookingclass #juniorleague #girlsnight #foodie

Glassybaby: A Bright Light for Charity

I have known about the beautiful blown glass votives of Glassybaby since 2010, when the company was featured in Martha Stewart Living magazine.  Seattle felt otherworldly compared to suburban Michigan and I never dreamed that I would be able to visit Glassybaby and see the craft in action. I am driven by color and a company that sells a color-based product is not one that I could forget.

Glassybaby is a glass studio with an emphasis on giving - financially to charity as well as emotionally to the receiver, with named messages like "hope" "believe" "prosper." Each color votive is named and therefore the gift of a Glassybaby votive comes with a constant message. 

Some names are appropriate (a deep orange red called Seattle Sunset), some are inspiring (an opaque votive called Faith) and some are symbolic (a deep blue called Forever). When you give a Glassybaby, the name is certainly as important as the color.  It is a sentiment that you can light and remember. 

The Glassybaby website states that "10% from the sale of every glassybaby is donated to the glassybaby white light fund to help people, animals, and the planet heal." Bravo.

Here is a YouTube video of founder Lee Rhodes when she appeared on the Martha show.

I was so very happy to here that the Junior League of Seattle, a volunteer organization that I belong to, was partnering with Glassybaby for a shopping night at the Madrona location. We were invited to have a social experience with sweet treats and conversation, while we watched the professionals blow glassybaby votives.

As members shopped, they felt great knowing that 10% of that evenings sales would be donated back to the Junior League community programs. 

It was really interesting to see the molten glass transform before our eyes. 

The color of the glass changes as it cools. 

Every craftsman needs their tools. Adjacent to the kilns on the wall is this rack of tools. I bet the go-to tools for glass blowing haven't changed in hundreds of years. This display looks like it would be at home in a step-into-the-past frontier town, doesn't it?

It was a fun night and a great way to do a little Christmas shopping and give back to the community. My first Glassybaby is called a pretty blue called Aquamarine. I am waiting until we move into our new home to light it.

Hot Stove Society: A Great Educational Luncheon

I was happy to be included in one of the final events of the year; the Junior League of Seattle Sustainer luncheon was a cooking demonstration hosted at the Hot Stove Society, a cooking school in Seattle operated by celebrity chef Tom Douglas. 

The format allowed our group of 40 or so to sit at 2 large butcher block islands and observe Chef and Hot Stove Society Director, Bridget Charters prepare the menu.  She walked us through the fundamental of each dish, while her team of cooked the same menu on a large scale in an adjacent kitchen so that the entire group could be served family style.

I must compliment Chef Charters on her clear and friendly method of teaching culinary skills. She put our group at ease and encouraged us to ask questions and consider variations to the recipes. The overhead camera/tv monitor helped us to see her methods from where we were sitting.

The first course (top) was a Pea Puree on Crostini and a Pea Shooter, accompanied by an Asparagus Bundle with Prosciutto and Parmesan. I especially loved the hint of mint in the pea soup.

I swooned at this bank of ovens! I would love to actually cook in a class like this. It would be fun to work alongside other students.

I walked around the impressive kitchen before the luncheon started and took this beautiful image of the asparagus bundles being prepared. 

The main course was a Shaved Asparagus and Seasonal Greens Salad, Moroccan Style Braised Chicken with Lemon and Fava Beans and a Pilaf of Kale and Fava Beans. There was something too bitter (one of the greens?) in the shaved asparagus salad, though I loved the idea of shaving asparagus into thin strips. That is a preparation I will try at home.

I have never tasted chicken so tender, so braising is also something I intend to try. The spicing was just right and the bright flavor from the preserved lemon pieces was delicious. 

Dessert was a rustic Strawberry Galette and made for a lovely ending to this Spring meal. Thank you, Hot Stove Society for a fun afternoon. Your relaxed environment and happy staff was the prefect venue to make new friends.

Kelli Estes: Author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk Visits Our Book Club

I've joined a book club in Seattle. I love to read and always like a lively discussion about plots and characters. As a member of the Junior League of Seattle (I transferred from Birmingham, MI), I am eligible to join their sustainer (alumnae) book club which meets monthly.

Since I have been travelling back and forth, I have only been able to attend a few discussions so far, but I made it to their year end meeting which featured a special guest, the author of the book we just read, The Girl Who Wrote in Silk!

Isn't that neat? I've never had the chance to speak with an author about their book before and it was a marvelous discussion. Author Kelli Estes wrote a compelling novel that is part historical fiction, part romance novel. Not to heavy, not too serious, but very interesting and captivating from the start.

In one story-line, the main character copes with racism and the realities of life in the late 1880's, while the other narrative revolves around a well educated and well off girl in a modern and thriving Seattle. Kelli spoke of researching and imagining life at another time and the challenge of juxtaposing, yet interweaving the lives of two very different women. We had a great discussion and I appreciate Kelli being so generous with her time. The Girl Who Wrote In Silk is a great book club book.

The Burke: Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture

I have been doing my best to participate in social events hosted by organizations that I belong to. I can think of no better way to make friends and learn about my new turf. The Junior League of Seattle hosted a private evening for sustainers (alumnae) at The Burke, the Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture one evening this winter.

We were honored to have Dr. Julie Stein, Executive Director of The Burke give us a tour of some exhibits and an overview of the big plans for building a New Burke museum over the next five years. She is incredibly personable and clearly passionate about bringing education and inspiration to the public. I am looking forward to many more experiences at The Burke. I couldn't resist including this photo (above) where the dinosaur seems to be gabbing along with the girls.

The Burke is a research and collections-based museum loaded with thousands of examples from our natural world. One exciting benefit of the new Burke is that the building has been designed to make far more of their massive collection of artifacts accessible to the public. My favorite piece on display was this 50 million year old fossil flower. Delight goes waaaay back.

The evening included wine and appetizers and was a really wonderful venue to meet others volunteer-focused women and be inspired. Notice that most of the serving platters and utensils are made of bamboo: sustainable and very Seattle.

Museums are traditionally quiet and after these women had busy work days and a dash of Seattle traffic, standing among the flora and fauna of yesteryear gave the gathering a relaxing feel.

I really enjoyed exploring The Burke and channeling my inner Wilma Flintstone. Some exhibits are replicas to give us a sense of scale, while other are actual artifacts discovered in the Pacific Northwest. Don't wait for the New Burke, I recommend you take time to visit The Burke now and enjoy a quiet glimpse into the past.