Poppy Pods

At the bottom of Poppies and Paperbacks, there is sometimes an advertisement to buy poppy pods. In my naive curiosity, I researched why anyone would want to buy a poppy pod. They're pretty when in a vase and fresh next to blooming Icelandics...but besides prettiness, why all the fuss?

I found all kinds of things. Professed cures for cancer, bed time tea, DIY projects and crafting uses and then I came upon this...

"I woke up avalanched under a junkyard of pain, my body a trap of torn nerves and trashed organs. An oily rash of sweat had soaked through my pillow and into the mattress. I was coughing, confused and crazy with anger. A throbbing, deep-pink chemical sunburn covered my face; my bowels were spitting hot mercury. I slid out of bed and dropped to the floor, the weight of a snarling mountain gorilla bearing down on me. I saw myself in the mirror as I fell. I looked puffy."

I suggest reading the entire article because, mostly, it's written so well. But also because it's a very unusual story. Just click on any word in the above excerpt.

Source for this and the following...

Knife and Saw

I wasn't sure if I should start this post with Frabjous Find or label it under Art and Design. Well, it's both!

Knife and Saw is a design house begun by a guy named Mike Brigham. I found him while visiting Dwell recently because I was trying to get ideas for our "shop," "man cave," "basement," what have you. We are trying to shape the joint up so we can use it as a functional space instead of simply stowing camping gear.

I think most any space can have design elements included to make it uniquely yours, adding comfort and aesthetic.

Brigham hit the nail on the head or in this case hit the bike on a bookshelf!

Bring Your A Game

It's a music mix today. Enjoy! Yup...all the song titles begin with the letter A!

Bring Your A Game from poppiesandpaperbacks on 8tracks.

1. Across the Sky - Emilie Autumn
2. Any Second Now - Depeche Mode
3. Another Sky - Scenic
4. Alfie - Lily Allen
5. Animal - Miike Snow
6. Actor Out of Work - St. Vincent
7. Adult Education - Hall and Oates
8. Additcted - Amy Winehouse
9. All I Believe In - The Magic Number + Amadou & Miriam
10. Aha! - Imogen Heap
11. Australia - The Shins
12. April In Paris - Count Basie

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

This recipe has been adapted from the Dashing Dish. I love to visit Katie there. She is so inspirational and when in doubt I consult her beautiful site which offers guidance from her, exercise methods and routines and health conscious recipes that include Weight Watchers points. Although I do not personally know her, she is my friend.

As most of you know, I have been weight watching since February and have been successful in losing a substantial amount of weight. The trick is keeping it off which takes fastidious constancy, commitment and consistency - the 3 C's! When I feel weak, I say a wee prayer and seek the help of this sweet girl. Sometimes I look for specifics and sometimes I just seek her good spirit.

Anyway, as I said, I've adapted her recipe, not because it wasn't perfect before, it was. It just so happens though that I wanted a bit more protein per serving than her original recipe provided. It's still her recipe, just a bit tweaked.

Katie recommends freezing these for longevity and pulling them out of the freezer whenever you need a snack on the go which is great because they are jam packed with protein. The protein will stave off your hunger until you sit down to a proper meal.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups Protein Powder (I use Bob's Red Mill Whey Protein Concentrate)
• 1/2 Cup PB2 (Peanut Flour - you can get this at most natural food stores)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbs unsweetened apple butter (less carbs than apple sauce - weird)
• 1/2 Cup skim milk
• 3 egg whites
• 4-5 packets of artificial sweetener of your choice
• 3 Tbs strawberry jam (Katie called for no sugar added - I only had regular in the fridge)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Mix all ingredients together except strawberry jam.
4. Pour batter into pan.
5. Mix Jam with a tiny bit of water and drizzle on top of batter.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:

9 Servings

Calories per serving 116, Fat 1.4 Grams, Carbs 12.6, Protein 15 Grams

Pearls of Wisdom

While we are in Turkey, let me leave you with this morsel of goodness that keeps me going through the trials and tribulations of trying to be a blogger...

It's so difficult not to compare ourselves with others we perceive as more successful, more knowledgeable or better off. The key word there is perceive.

I know a woman who has a very successful blog (no names to protect the innocent) but she also has a sister who is very sick. I know another man (again no names) who has a wickedly famous design blog but he just found out his wife has been unfaithful. And, I know a woman who has 27, 000 followers on Pinterest, a prolific Etsy store and a sponsored art site but she just lost her house.

I am certainly not trying to focus on the negative. I'm just saying that though P and P is not sponsored (yet), and I don't have tons of readers and I'm no authority in blogging, my sister is healthy, my husband is faithful and we have a sweet little cottage to call our own. When we put things in perspective and couple that perspective with hard work and patience, I think anything can happen!

Original photo by Tennesee Bunny finished artwork by me.

On that note, please tell your friends about Poppies and Paperbacks, follow me on Pinterest, follow me on twitter and come visit me anytime on Facebook (although, I'm not terribly consistent on "the book").

Card Tricks and Illusionists

Magic is alluring. It's a talent like dancing or singing It's extremely appealing and most people wish they could do it.

I love cards. I love the art on vintage playing cards. I love the feel and texture of a deck of cards and perhaps because of all this admiration I love card tricks too.

The following film I realize is an ad campagin but I challenge you to follow his hands to see what he does and how to do it. I love it so much it gets me a little crazy. Like Elvis. Ellusionist is a pretty awesome website if you, like me, love a card trick and slight of hand. It's quite sexy. Check out Theory 11...their creativity is whimsically malicious. Like I said, I wish I could dance, sing, act and do magic!

The videos are pro quality and bonus, they have great music.

Look closely here, lest you miss the fascination....

Gala Darling

I was fishing around on Twitter and noticed that I consistently check on a woman named Gala. She has a blog called Gala Darling: A Radical Self Love Project and is she ever a darling. She is like a gum drop or a gingerbread house; clever and complicated and sweet. Gala Darling is sometimes witty and always charming and when she has a link on her Twitter feed I cant help but want to experience what Gala finds so appealing. I've never been disappointed. And I'm feeling the love...the neighbor love that is! Gala was recently in San Francisco.

This lovely displaced Kiwi has created a home for herself in New York City and has incurred a passion of teaching women how to love themselves. I have learned so much from her. Mostly that I love her. I love her style, her kindness and her undying love for her dogs! I especially love how she teaches us as ladies, that we can love ourselves. She is pink and lavender and tangerine. She is sequins and shine in the summertime. She is a cupcake and red licorice. She is enthusiasm and beauty and art. I love her. I wish I knew her. For now, I'll keep her close to my heart and visit her with at least weekly frequency!

Look at this....

Print by Kevin Dart

Gala Darling: Gorgeous but never takes herself too seriously.