A Balancing Act

For me, finding a balance is just as hard as saving half a pint of raspberries for later. There's a balance between being lazy and being stressed out...between feeling happy and feeling guilty...between undereating and overeating...between punishment and reward...between obsession and repulsion.

No Moderation Here

My current obsession (you're looking at it) has begun to favor restaurants & recipes over fashion & running. I'm a little uneasy about this change, but there's a bright side: for the first time in a long time, my interest in food is a positive one. I've been trying new foods (next up is Thai!) and easing up a little bit on the calorie counting. I've developed an interest in gardening, local farming, and seasonal recipes. I've been right beside Mom in the kitchen every night, absorbing as much as I can (and trying not to get frustrated when she adds "a little of this" and "enough of that" in the blink of an eye). I've even had breakfast and dinner foods for lunch! Thanks to my newfound passion for cooking (and a few deviations from my routine), more and more foods have migrated from the "hate" column into the "love" column.

One of Mom's Recipe Boxes

But when I really think about it, I don't want my favorite pet project to become an amateur food blog. So I'm in the process of creating another outlet for my growing excitement about cooking...a very detailed recipe journal! This glorified how-to book will help me feel confident cooking a wide variety of dishes once I return to school in the fall. It's not that I want to break it off completely with The Stir-fry, but I don't want to be exclusive anymore. I'm seeking more balance in my life (although you wouldn't know it from my blog lately). Originally I had planned on buying a journal online (see the wish list below), but I found them all to be a little pricey and none of them featured the set-up I was envisioning.

Recipe Journals, For Sale

(First row, from left to right)
1. Dailythread's Journal / Sketchbook 12
2. JenniBick's Colori Italian Leather Refillable Journal
3. Rag & Bone's Recipe Journal Cutlery

(Second row, from left to right)
1. Anthropologie's Taste-Test Recipe Book
2. BethBee's Blank Recipe Book 4in x 6in
3. Moleskine's Passions Recipe Journal

So instead I spent $15 at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts on printed scrapbook paper, cooking-themed stickers, and bright yellow rick rack ribbon to create my own. Look for the final product later this summer!

Scrapbook Paper Wheel

Pretty Paper, Part 1

Pretty Paper, Part Two

Playing Arts & Crafts Again, Part 1

Playing Arts & Crafts Again, Part 2