Maple peanut butter smoothie. Yum!

I've been trying to force myself to eat steel cut oats.  I'm not sure if I'm totally on board yet.  But I made a big batch so I feel compelled to eat them each morning this week.

Today I did a smoothie so I could have something portable for breakfast.  It has actually turned out quite yummy as far as somewhat healthy things go.

1/2 cup cooked steel cut oats

1 heaping tbsp of almond butter

2 tsp of real maple syrup

1 ripe banana

1/4 C almond milk or more depending on how stiff your oats are (that's what she said)

Note, since my oats were made ahead they were cold, as was the almond milk.  If none of your ingredients are cold you may want to add some ice.  Or make the smoothie and stick it in the fridge for an hour! 

Blend well together until you can sip it through a straw and enjoy!

I make my shit, yo

So there is a kerfuffle (that I won't discuss greatly) about just how 'handmade' certain items described and being sold as such are in reality.  It's almost as contentious an argument as 'what is art' but with a lot more integrity at stake.

And a movement is building to show the hands of artists and artisans so people know that we aren't just fronting bitches.

I didn't take a photo of my hands for a bit as one, my manicure would make Gollum cringe and two, well, I'm lazy.

But I finally got around to doing it today and thought I would share it with you.

Note the ring on my hand is made by another true handmade artisan who can be found here: The Sly Fox.

No, I don't spin my own yarn.  Nope I don't dye it.  I didn't invent intestines either, but I make all my own shit and doubt anyone would argue with me on that point.

We all know what the real definition of handmade is, and we all know how or why that boundary might be stretched.

But sometimes the boundary is pushed right off a fucking cliff.  And everyone knows when things fall off a cliff, they're usually destroyed in a big, fiery explosion. 

So I entered this contest

which I have a snowball's chance in hell of winning.  Alas I never like to just roll over.  I will do what little (very little) I can to give it the old college try.

Long story short it's something that Walmart is offering where you vote for a product and the entries with the most votes get the chance to sell their wares on walmart.com.  I know, I know.  Walmart's evil.  It's taking over the world.  It exploits people.  But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing to get a good product in there.  As I recall an organic food activist saying after his products were placed on Walmart shelves, to paraphrase, "People think I'm getting in bed with the devil. But Walmart's so big it is where real change can happen."

Now my stuff's not organic.  It's not good for you.  In fact if you eat it, it would be very bad for you.  But I think it's cool that Walmart is empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs.  Sure they'll probably rip the hearts right out of the winner's bodies.  But if I win, I'll make sure to film that bit and put it on youtube so my family can become internet millionaires (or whatever you become when you get a lot of hits on youtube).

So here's the link to vote:

Get on the Shelf

You can vote once a day.  So vote early, and vote often.  There's really nothing better to vote for.  American Idol is so five years ago and the presidential race is full of people as ethically suspect as Walmart.  Sure, I may be ethically suspect too.  But the difference between them and me?  I admit it.  So a vote for Knotwork is a vote for an honest sell out.

I thank you for your time.

Oh, and here's my video submission for the contest: