snapshots of my life... » Christmas http://elisajoy.com Zakka: The Art of Handmade Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:14:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Ode to the Kaffee Meister http://elisajoy.com/2010/01/11/ode-to-the-kaffee-miester/ http://elisajoy.com/2010/01/11/ode-to-the-kaffee-miester/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:10:52 +0000 Elisa http://elisajoy.com/?p=171 This Christmas, the Meister of Coffee gave me the best gift EVER! Doesn’t it look just beautiful in my kitchen? …Well, okay, I know this picture just shows the machine, but you can just trust me—It does indeed look beautiful.

How It All Happened

I have been bugging my father about this espresso machine for months, because it was sitting neglected in his garage. Now before you all ask me why he didn’t just give it to me sooner…Please understand what this machine is. It is a Brutus II Expobar double boiler espresso machine, which means it is very expensive.  Much more expensive than my Rancillio Silvia. (Chester and I purchased the Silvia when we got married for around $560.00.) Needless to say, I didn’t ever really expect to get Dad’s Expobar as a gift.

Christmas rolled around, and my dad said he was considering giving me the Expobar, but didn’t know what to give to my brother and sister. He agreed that if I gave my Rancilio to my brother, I could have the Expobar, and he gave my sister a really nice camera lens. (Also, Chester and I won’t be expecting any more presents for the entire year!)  I still cannot believe my parents’ generosity. They have a coffee morning in their home every Friday, during which they make coffee for anyone who wants to come over –no charge. Thank you, Mom and Dad! You amaze me daily. I love you both!

Here is a picture of my dad, the Kaffee Meister, and some others of my new machine in action.

Corin is the baby in this picture…watching his Grandpa in action. (obviously this picture was taken a while ago.)

As you can see Corin still loves watching the coffee making process!

I haven’t mastered foam art on the Expobar yet; it’s still kind of hit-and-miss. However, because of its temperature control and the double boiler, I have been able to pull amazingly consistent shots. Please come over and experience great coffee!

]]> http://elisajoy.com/2010/01/11/ode-to-the-kaffee-miester/feed/ 2 Zakka: The Art of Handmade http://elisajoy.com/2009/12/31/zakka-the-art-of-handmade-2/ http://elisajoy.com/2009/12/31/zakka-the-art-of-handmade-2/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:31:05 +0000 Elisa http://elisajoy.com/?p=148 In Japanese one meaning for the word zakka (according to my close friend wikipedia) is translated as “the art of seeing the savvy in the ordinary and mundane” it is also reffers to ” everything and anything that improves your home, life and outlook.” I stumbled across this word while searching for Japanese craft books.  Here is an example of one of the books I would love to purchase someday if I can find a cost effective way of shipping it from Japan to the US.

I found this post on a new blog I discovered chubbyhobby

I so want the books she has, especially the one about sewing.

I have many projects I would like to start but haven’t started yet…don’t know why I don’t have time. I figure I  will combine my art in with my posts about being a mom of three amazing children. On that note we tried to feed the twins today, it was a total failure but highly entertaining. They made hideous faces and spit everything out of their mouths. I was hoping to get some relief from breastfeeding two but looks like I will have to wait on that. Here are some images of the things I have been putting around my house. I don’t think they are officially zakka yet but they improve my home so maybe they qualify.

apple juice bottle vases

I found glass apple juice bottles from Martinelli’s and made them in to vases.

bunny hat for Corin

I knit this hat for Corin I had great aspirations for his Halloween costume but being as the twins had a doctor’s appointment the same day I didn’t get everything accomplished. I love the hat though.

more bunny hat pictures

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Here is the Christmas card that I am trying to get out. I will be better next year I promise.

2009 Christmas card

]]> http://elisajoy.com/2009/12/31/zakka-the-art-of-handmade-2/feed/ 0 The Emmons/McLaughlin Family Christmas http://elisajoy.com/2007/12/29/the-emmonsmclaughlin-family-christmas/ http://elisajoy.com/2007/12/29/the-emmonsmclaughlin-family-christmas/#comments Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:32:00 +0000 Elisa http://elisajoy.com/2007/12/29/the-emmonsmclaughlin-family-christmas/ This Christmas, we didn’t trudge out into the wilderness to find our own special Christmas tree, though there were trees a plenty. My whole immediate family (Mike, Leslie, Natalie and Russell) came up to spend this Christmas at Hume Lake. We did trudge out into the wilderness, with Chester leading the way and my siblings and I taking up the rear. After a two and half mile hike we came home to spaghetti and garlic bread (a family favorite). It was so refreshing to have my family up, and such a relief to not travel (being eight months pregnant!). There were a few tight moments with six people navigating around our 399 sq foot trailer, but it wasn’t really that bad. We opened presents, updated blogs (thank you Chester!), played Christmas carols, watched movies, and relaxed. Now that the family has left Chester and I are packing bags for the hospital (just in case) and making sure we know how to install the infant carrier into the car. It puts things in a new perspective as we ready ourselves, as best we can, for the new addition to our family. Meanwhile, Corin is dealing with the tight quarters by moving and stretching even more. I am sure I will be wishing for him to be back in my belly when all this energy is expressed by wide eyes and crying at two in the morning. Merry Christmas everyone!

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