Urban Snippets: Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress)

Urban Snippets: Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress): Hi! It's been a long while since I've given you snippets! I've been through a few reject phones lately, which means fewer photos and, as y...

Urban Snippets: Secrets of Circles, Rocks and Waters.

Urban Snippets: Secrets of Circles, Rocks and Waters.: It's not often that I get to spend a day together with both of my kids. One that is not interrupted by hockey practice, ballet, or work at t...

Secrets of Circles, Rocks and Waters.

It's not often that I get to spend a day together with both of my kids. One that is not interrupted by hockey practice, ballet, or work at the salon. So, today I jumped at the chance to spend time with the kids and took them to the Brooklyn Children's Museum. We planned ahead and arrived before the other locals. (I love Brooklyn in the morning!) And most of our time was spent exploring the visiting exhibit, Secrets of Circles. It might seem a tad unimpressive at first, but upon a closer look we discovered a number of irresistible and interactive activities that kept our attention.

And, thanks to our friend Dani, our eyes were opened to mathematical, left-brain thinking and we were made aware, not only of how rocks are formed, but also how to arrange them to calm the rushing waters. Hmm...how is it I've made it this far in life not knowing how to calm the waters by such a simple approach? I mean, I know how to shut off the water supply, but subtle calming? Perhaps this idea is something I could further explore in my own personal waters. . . I'm still thinking. I'll drift along for now, and reflect on my wonderful day of learning and exploration.

Pasha having some wheel fun. *Ahem*

Fantasia the 260 lb Albino Burmese Python 

 

The sign reads, "one person at a time". No problem, I wasn't going to get in anyway.

Olesya drawing l.e.d. circles at the Circles Exhibit

O in a round boat from Thailand, I believe.

Pasha doesn't remember this tunnel, but he was here before in his pre-school years.

Pasha and another neat attraction

Fantasia. Glad she was sleeping behind thick glass.

Urban Snippets: ARROJO To-Go!

Urban Snippets: ARROJO To-Go!

Arrojo education To-Go!

Slope Suds and Arrojo

At the Arrojo check-out a few weeks ago:

Me: "Yes, I'll take one Arrojo hair-cutting class...to go please, with a G-bob and layered bob on the side. Thanks!"

Them: "Would you like regular or super size?"

Me: "Well, if it's Arrojo, any size will do!"

Them: "What salon are you calling from?"

Me: "Slope Suds Salon... you know, the Arrojo Ambassador Salon in Brooklyn?"

Them: "hold please..."

...pause...

Them: "...thank you for holding, ma'am. Mrs. Mironov? I understand that there has been a special arrangement. Nick wants us to send over one of the best educators available. Ma'am...ma'am...are you there?"...

...fast forward a few weeks...to today, 9/26/11.

The first. ever. ARROJO hair-cutting class at Slope Suds was AMAZING! Our team loved Carmel, the fiesty, Irish stylist/educator from Arrojo with a heart of gold. (Oh, yes I did.)

Our stylists all learned something new today and we are proud to be the ONLY salon in Brooklyn with such excellent, advanced education. That's Arrojo education TO-GO! 

THANK YOU NICK and CARMEL!

...a few shots to remember.

Carmel sharing her wisdom. 

Carmel, adding her expert signature to a Graduated "g" bob

Doll heads will always be put to good use here at Slope Suds

Eager students. We always crave top-notch education.

 As Nick Arrojo says, "always learning, always growing!"

Urban Snippets: Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress)

Urban Snippets: Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress): Hi! It's been a long while since I've given you snippets! I've been through a few reject phones lately, which means fewer photos and, as y...

Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress)

Hi! It's been a long while since I've given you snippets! I've been through a few reject phones lately, which means fewer photos and, as you can see, I love to base my topics on fun, colorful images. So, it's great to be back! Thanks iPhone 4!

And thanks local shop (Brook Vacuum in Park Slope) for selling me a great Singer serger that has been making me go sew mad with my creativity! I found a dress lingering in my closet the other day that would have never, ever, ever fit my upper half after child number two. SO, I chopped the dress in half, used the bottom half as a skirt and the rest of the scraps to craft a headband! Woot woot! (My neighbor had asked me to mend her headband the other day, so while doing so I kinda memorized all I'd need to know to make one of my own.)

Here's what you need:

A scrap of lightweight, cotton fabric with a great print (roughly 14in.x8in.) Maybe even an old sheet or bandana would do!
A matching or coordinating scrap of fabric (2in.x11in.)
Matching thread for your machine
1-7in. strip of elastic, 3/4in. wide

1.  Take your amazing fabric scrap and measure it so you can cut a clean, 2in.x11in. long rectangle. This is to cover your elastic band. (a.)

2.  Cut another scrap to measure 14in.x8in. with your fave part of the pattern centered nicely as your focal point. This is the main body of your headband.  (b.)

(a.)(b.)

fabric scraps from an old dress

3.  Then serge or zigzag the raw edges of both pieces.
4. Take piece (a.) and fold it right sides together and stitch from top to bottom down the raw edge. Repeat with piece (b.) (1/4 inch seams)

5. Turn both pieces right side out and press with an iron. *note* On my headband the fabric was prettier on one edge, so I made sure to shift the fabric so that the seam was on the center bottom side of the headband. Otherwise you wouldn't have gotten to see the lovely, yellow flowers.

6. Thread your elastic thru piece (a.) with this handy little bodkin. A bodkin is a bit easier to use than a sharp, tricky safety pin, but that's an option as well.  Your fabric will gather up, so space it evenly. Use the sewing machine to tack the elastic in place on either end. Your tacking stitch should be horizontal to the serged edge of the fabric.

http://www.spinblessing.com/item.php?art=051221522284

7. Take the remaining piece (b.) and fold it in three as you would a paper fan or accordion. The key is to get the end size to match up with the width of your elastic band.

8. Baste (a.) to (b.) with right sides together, being sure to catch the elastic in the 1/2in. seam you create. Once you've positioned the headband and tried it on for size you can go back and stitch it for good. You'll want the headband to fit slightly snug, but not so snug that it pops right off.

Finished headband

9. For good measure, go back and re-iron everything so it will look nice and crisp. If the ends of the elastic pop up and bug you like they did me, go back and lay them flat and stitch them in place.

Here's what it looks like on me. An aerial view, cause it was a long day! ; )

Let me know if you need pointers or if this is just completely confusing. HAPPY SEWING!

SUMMERTIME and the livin' is easy...but not for everyone.

Hi friends. My neighbor Seth Miller (his wife owns Boing Boing in Park Slope, Brooklyn) is going in for the next phase of his bone marrow transplant. He is being admitted tomorrow for a min of 3-8 wks. Would you cook a meal for them? ...it's such a simple way that we can care for them. They need it.

 THE MILLERS (sans Seth)

My neighbors may not be strangers to you. If you are a parent or have bought baby gifts or maternity essentials at Boing Boing Maternity on Union St. in Park Slope, you probably at least know of my neighbors Seth and Karen Miller.

Together they have two young teens, Sophie and Asa, and they own this mommy/baby-essentials shop. This past year Karen had to close her second store, Boing, because they discovered that Seth is battling a relapse of "Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer of the lymphoid tissue, which includes the lymph nodes, spleen, and other organs of the immune system."

Only this time Seth won't get away with "just" chemo. Today he had a rituxen treatment that lasted from 10am-4pm!! Only a small fraction of what he has experience over the past year to get him to this point.

In a matter of days Seth will receive a bone marrow transplant, which can cause extreme flu-like symptoms and more. Seth's recovery can take anywhere from 8-12 weeks while he is under care and observation at Sloan Kettering in Manhattan.

Extraordinary measures will be taken to ensure that his crippled immune system is not compromised during this time while they are waiting to see if his body accepts the donor marrow. This journey could be a tough one, but with your prayers, love, and support we can make it more bearable.

Thank you for your kind and selfless support!
For those who want to donate to help the Millers, any amount is appreciated :)
http://boingboingmaternity.com/the-boing-of-life/

To access his personal CareCalendar site, visit
http://carecalendar.org/logon/67930 and enter the following info:
CALENDAR ID : 67930 SECURITY CODE : 3334

You wanna IGUANA?

I've never owned an Iguana. I may have touched an Iguana once or twice, but I'm not really a reptile keeper. A salon client (and now friend) of mine, Joyce Yamada, is quite the artist, as I have recently discovered! And she really wanted me to have an Iguana around. It all came about as I was cutting her hair one day and our conversation had trailed off from the topic of hair to our mutual arts/crafts obsession.  A conversation peppered with "oohs", "ahhhs" and "ohhh, that's a dangerous store...let me get you the link to it!"

So, it was decided that we must find a way to share our gifts with each other. Mine in the form of offering trend right, yet effortless hairstyles and hers in the form of... WOW!  Artist Joyce Yamada has just created the most intriguing, seasonal window display ever to be seen at Slope Suds Salon. Featuring, you guessed it, a stuffed Iguana!

my pet iguana (on short-term loan from joyce)

 

the bucket might be the only thing that joyce didn't make here.

Look at the layers of detail in this installment. At least 3 colors/types of seaweed, hand-cast resin starfish and even resin ice in the bucket for a fun twist on our beachy, summer theme. I say "our", but I  can't really claim to have anything to do with the display except for filling the ice bucket with Davines summer-worthy hair products. Oh, and I have to admit to enjoying some Miso soup and Sushi, both laced with seaweed. In honor of the installation, of course.

beautiful view at slope suds, gotta keep it interesting!

 

 

 

 

So, getting back to the nitty gritty, I was present to assist, but really wasn't helpful at all as Joyce was applying all the layers. I really wanted to be helpful!! But I was mesmerized by all the attention to detail. Each strip of seaweed was first hand-shaped, dipped in paint and squeezed out to create the varied veins of color, laid out to dry and then re-dipped, but into a watered down wood glue to stiffen the fabric. And that's only a fraction of what was invested in this beautiful creation!

joyce at work, not even taking a sushi break!

 

Funny side story, well, at least in retrospect. The kids and I stopped by the salon later this afternoon to have a look at the finished installation.  Pasha really only tagged along so he could have a say in what I picked for his dinner, but nevertheless we stopped by and got a great close up. I decided this would be a good opportunity for Olesya to go on her first short walk in big girl underpants. Needless to say, she left a puddle/footprint trail thru the salon. Just as I was finishing up cleaning the floor Joyce and her husband Kurt happened to stop by too. Perfect timing to show off the display, actually, as the sun was setting, never mind showing off my potty-training/parenting skills! But, graciously and kindly, Kurt didn't ignore Olesya's plea for a closer look at the handmade starfish and Iguana and lifted up the soggy, almost-3-year-old for a better view!

So, you'd like a better view too? Here it is!

blue lights give a watery hue to the display

 

For an even BETTER view, you know where to go! Feel free to stop by Slope Suds next time you're in the Slope to see Joyce's latest and quite possibly GREATEST creation. Okay, I'll admit to a little bias here! But, Joyce, you're AMAZING!!! Thank you for sharing your beautiful creation (and your Iguana) with Slope Suds!


...Oh gosh, I have to do it. If you're wondering what's in that ice bucket in the window display...Slope Suds is having a special that you won't find anywhere in NYC on Davines Melu products! (I recommend it to all of my friends that want stronger hair or thermal protection) Get one FREE Melu product when you purchase 3! There it is! ; )

MELU, buy 3 get 1 free!

"LIGGY BUG picnic" birthday for Olesya

Olesya is just a couple days away from being 3 years old. What?? Already?? Yep! The guys that run the cafe down the street, Southside Coffee, were commenting today about how it seems like just yesterday when I went in alone for a cup of coffee after Olesya was born. It seemed strange to go in without her, anywhere for that matter, but she was in N-ICU and we were not allowed to take her home for 2 1/2 weeks. Time could have stood still and I wouldn't have noticed. So today we are celebrating the birth, life and health of our precious, (and sassy) little thing, Olesya!

Some of our dearest friends gathered with us to celebrate the little girl that can't say "lady bug". It's "liggy bug", and I'd kinda like to keep it that way! If I had my own cute word I'd plan a party around it too, but I don't have any cute words and, well, it's not my birthday. With "liggy bug" on my mind  it seems like everywhere I go I see them. The outfit she is wearing, for example. It was on sale, so it had to be done. Lady bug tank top with red leggings and black spots. A red tutu? Just ridiculous!

I made cake pops for the celebration. (Next time remind me what kind of effort this requires.) I really think I'll buy Donut Holes from Dunkin Donuts and then decorate them. They taste so good to begin with and take muuuuch less effort. And can end up equally cute and tasty. (that was free!)
 
But no one complained and, in fact, some thought they were pretty tasty. I should hope so. I used the raw, organic cocoa from Bali. But the sugar, and loads of it, was just plain old Domino. Take a peek at the end result.

Planning the party was a bit more fun than usual. One, because my kids are a little older and I have bit more time for this sort of thing. But recently I went to an Urban Girl Squad party planning event with guest host Sweet Dani B, yes the one that is on Martha Stewart for her adorable hand-designed cookies. Anyway, with the savvy tips I picked up, plus the inspiration to do something fabulous I pulled out all the stops, well, a few.

I tried to throw a party that I could brag about for saving money by hand-making a bunch of stuff, but it didn't really turn out to be quite a money-saving venture. Not exactly. Err...next time! It does help to have a few months to plan and I hadn't quite worked out my theme in advance. (Maybe I hadn't heard liggy bug often enough?) But, I did make a few things like the banner, cake pops and the cloth napkins that lined the sandwich boxes and re-purposed some flower buckets for the cake pops. Kids' sandwiches were a breeze, just used a ladybug cookie cutter and WOW! grilled cheeses and pbj's with wonky chocolate chip eyes were ready for the kiddos. No complaints! ; )

 You know, this was supposed to be an outdoor picnic. My hubby and I spent hours out back the last couple weeks. Bringing in new plants, trimming down the old ones and even assembling a gazebo in case it rained. Well, it did rain. And the wind blew. And, well, we had the best indoor picnic we've ever had! We did the same picnic thing, complete with checkered table cloth, only indoors!

The table was jam-packed with picnic favorites and old-school sodas and chips. And my friend Elizabeth even brought yummy deviled eggs, which I didn't get a picture of probably because someone scarfed them down.

Old friends, new friends, big friends, little friends. Oh, and loooaaads of awesome presents! (That's a whole 'nother blog post!!) I'd say it was a good night! Happy Birthday Olesya!! I love you!

Papa and Olesya at the Circle E Diner in Hancock, NY

Olesya and her Papa, or Papi, as she chose to call him all weekend long. There's something rather delicious about watching Igor's face when she snuggles up to him. She's almost 3 now, so she picks and chooses the people she wants to be with . . . and that must be why it's so satisfying when you've "won" another unsolicited snuggle or eskimo kiss from her. Sweet and sassy, this one. Today Olesya's friend Maya fell and bumped her head in our driveway. Not one to shy away, Olesya shouted, "bad driveway! no hurt my friend Maya!" Atta girl! Look out for your peeps!

Brittany Rose White: Slope Suds 5 Year Anniversary Party

Brittany Rose White: Slope Suds 5 Year Anniversary Party: "Karla asked me to shoot some pictures for Slope Suds 5th Anniversary and what a blast it was! Good people, good drinks, and good food. Thi..."

Truly Mexican Mironovs

Today I made my first, complete mexican meal from scratch! (I finally made the poached chicken that went with the Holy Mole I spent 4 hours on last week.) Plus mexican rice, black beans and seriously spicy tomatillo salsa. umm... yum!!! 

I was so blessed to share the meal with an amazing friend, Krista, who had made me enchiladas when my arm was in a sling after surgery last year. Why is it so neat to share food and to break bread together? Is it because we like to catch up on old times and long, lost friends? Or is it because we like to do something, create something that both of us can appreciate and savor together? 
Anyway, I like it!

And, as a side note, it's very interesting to see the kinds of creatures your children bring into the house when you're not looking cause...you're cooking! ; ) That's Olesya and Gary the snail, and we did NOT eat him for dinner, because that would be FRENCH and we had MEXICAN!

Krista, thanks for the super date night and for making yummy chocolate, chocolate chip cookies for dessert! Yum!!!

Authentic Mexican cooking from Truly Mexican, (aka FONDA cookbook)

Kings County Fair 2011 - BONUS!

After 14 days of rain we finally had a splash of sunshine, sneaking past the clouds in Brooklyn. Hallelujah! So, where did we go? To Pasha's indoor ice hockey game! Well, there just happened to be a county fair camped out in the parking lot at Aviator Complex.  So, while Pasha played, Olesya and I wandered around the fair, played a $5 fishing game, ate a $4 corn dog, drank a $2 water, and rode a few kiddie rides.

Kings County Fair May 21, 2011

When Pasha was Olesya's age I was at one of my fibromyalgia peaks and an exhausted, stay-at-home mom. I distinctly remember being so relieved when Igor would take him to Coney Island without me, some of the few times I had alone to rest. But, I sorely missed the joy of seeing him skipping around the park and experiencing his first wonder wheel ride. So, having this one-on-one experience with Olesya at the fair was just perfect. We arrived early and even before the gates were opened, so we got to the carousel while the workers were still napping, waiting for the first guests to show. Olesya and I were literally the only two people on the whole carousel! When does that happen in NY?

That's joy, isn't it?

Shortly after, Olesya's little friend Anna and her mom caught up with us for some yummy treats. I loved watching the two almost-3-year-olds joyfully licking and munching their larger-than-life treats. (sans regarder *sigh*)

Anna and Olesya (we call them Dora and Ramona)

Pasha picked up a second game of hockey while we rode the Wiggle Wurm and some rather rickety roller coaster. After the game he and his friend Tebo came along and shared a giant bag of cotton candy before calling it a day. (I should have captured a shot of that jumbo cotton candy bag, which was pretty much as big as Olesya! It took 6 of us to eat it!!)

Pasha and Tebo with hockey helmet hair and cotton candy. 

 

Our little family day was loads of fun, even more so because it was an unexpected bonus. Like a weekend getaway, but without the stress of planning or packing.

Olesya's Cotton Candy Sugar Shock

 

 

I love family time more and more these days. Especially when we allow ourselves to stop and be thankful for the moments we share, to talk about them...and more importantly, to listen...(even when my 9 year old just has to say it 3 different ways)... and when we allow ourselves to reflect on the beauty we can enjoy in the midst of all the mess. The beauty that is family.

16 years and all's well!

Wow! 16 years of marriage bliss! Well... maybe not bliss. More like hit or miss . . .
. . . lol??

I do suppose it is more helpful than not to have a target, a goal of sorts to keep the marriage thriving. If you don't have a goal in sight you'll always be wondering when you're marriage is going to "arrive'. We do have a goal, but it's not lofty, to say the least. I mean, he doesn't expect dinner to be ready by 6pm and I don't expect breakfast in bed.

What we strive for is not really marriage bliss.  I think we're working towards more of a groove, per se. Not a cookie cutter relationship where the husband always does this and the wife always does that. But synchronization. Visualize synchronized swimming. It does make me laugh to think of it sometimes, but I've tried it and it's really, really hard! It takes a lot of deep breaths, counting, strength and endurance to stay in sync. (Wow, I think I've had to count to 10 once or twice in my marriage and I've definitely needed endurance.) It's notsomuch that you're doing exactly the same thing at the same time that puts you in sync. Sometimes you'll notice the swimmers doing different things at different times, but it flows! And it becomes almost musical. Visual harmony.

Well, I wouldn't call our marriage musical or harmonious, but we know we love each other and that helps us stay in sync. I know he likes his coffee black. He knows I like mine fancy. I know he loves/worships hockey. He knows I love/worship God! But I'm flawed. And so is he. So, what do we do with that? Remember those deep breaths? I'm kidding. So, I did get breakfast in bed for mother's day. But I'd never tell you that he put jelly instead of honey on my toast. Or that he used the wrong tray. Cause guess what? My husband gave me breakfast in bed on Mother's Day!

...and I might ask for it again tomorrow.

...ahem, this is how I spent our anniversary today. It's all good. I think we're going for dinner tomorrow, but Olesya and I shared a lovely post-rain walk this afternoon and here's what I captured.

Olesya in her "liggy bug" crocs spotting a flower in bloom

Dora, the dare-devil, going for a ride on the grocery belt

Little miss priss and Dora

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABE! THANKS FOR HOLDING YOUR BREATH WITH ME!

Holy Mole!!

So, it's official! I've crossed over into a (mild) obsession with FONDA mexican restaurant. I've eaten there twice this week already, once with Olesya and also tonight with a friend that invited me because she had never been. (I have to say I was a bit embarrassed that I was there again as I ate there last week with my Aunt Zita from Ohio.) The waiters must think I have some kind of addiction. Can't really argue, but anyway... I spent the better part of my evening Wednesday making mole from scratch from the Truly Mexican cookbook I bought from FONDA. Of course I selected the most challenging recipe that required no less than 30 ingredients and, oh, roughly 4 hours of my time. But It had mexican chocolate in it!! I could NOT say NO to that, regardless of the challenge!

 Seriously, 30 ingredients!

The recipe called for 4 different kinds of chiles. Guajillo, chilhuacle, mulato and pasilla. I only could not find the chilhuacle negro, which would have made my mole quite a bit darker, pitch black like the one in the previous post, drizzled on top of roasted chicken enchiladas.

 Husbands are great for igniting things! Part of the process of making mole requires that you blacken the chile seeds, ignite them and then burn 2 tortillas which, when combined with several other roasted or fried ingredients, produce a dark, velvety, rich mole.

 

Lighting and burning the tortillas was quite fun, actually.  (I did keep a bowl of cold water nearby)

So 30 ingredients, a kitchen fire and 4 hours later I had a big, pot of velvety mole negro oaxaqueno, or black mole from oaxaca. Bueno! Now on to make the homemade corn tortillas. I think I'll serve this next Monday when my friend Krista visits.  With roasted chicken and guacamole perhaps! Mmm!

Saying of the day: If you can't take the heat don't light the tortillas! I couldn't resist.

dead heading

I walked to work this morning in the pouring rain in my 'rubber wellies'. (I learned that from my Scottish friend. It sounds so much more interesting than 'rubber rain boots'.) But, I had to fire someone today, so it seemed like a longer walk than the usual 3 or so blocks. Letting someone go is never easy and it's never fun. A not-so-nice way to start the day.

Running a business is like gardening. Deadheading. If you leave the dead pansies on the plant it may look fuller and colorful, but it's just a ruse. The dead flowers are sucking the energy and life out of the other lovely ones. So, I guess I was preparing a few weeks ago for this to happen as I was very carefully tending the pansies in front of the salon. It pained me to pinch off the wilted purple heads, but a week later the pansies came back so thick and beautiful.

So, I tended my garden today. And ironically enough when I walked home the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. (But my feet were hot and my legs were sweaty from wearing wellies all day.) 

In my haste to leave I had forgotten my phone at work, so my daughter and I took a walk up to the salon. After a quick little bang trim for Olesya and the promise, a.k.a. bribe, of a $1 toy at Toy Space, we stopped at our favorite mexican restaurant FONDA. In addition to the obligatory guacamole I had the most aMAZing chicken enchilada with black mole sauce! UN BE lievable! Did you know mole is made with about 30 ingredients with one of them being chocolate?? 

Chicken Enchilada with black mole sauce at FONDA

I can't think of a better way to end the day than this. Walking home, Olesya and I watched the sun descending over the park and then we chased each other in the grass. It had been cut a week or so ago, chopped quite roughly, but today it was super green and lush. A foreshadowing perhaps?

The photos are of today's highlights, which also include the purchase of a much anticipated, autographed version of the new cookbook from the chef at FONDA!

Peekin' at the park

True love for TRULY MEXICAN

TRULY MEXICAN, autographed by the chef

TRULY MEXICAN

PS, I had it autographed to 'Karlita', instead of Karla. Sorta like Wellies vs. Rainboots ; )