Carve Your Joy: Chirirenge Ramen Spoon Carving Workshop Returns!

Hey South Florida!

If you've been itching to experience the joy of carving your very own wooden spoon, the time has come! I'm thrilled to announce the return of the Chirirenge Ramen Spoon carving workshop at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. Join me for two days of creative delight this month as we craft the ultimate slurping tool!

Event Highlights from Last Year:

Here’s a little stroll down memory lane of some good fun we had from the previous class.

Event Details:

  • DATE: March 9th & 16th

  • TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00pm

  • PRICE: $150 + $20 material fee

  • LOCATION: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens- 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach, FL 33446

  • REGISTER: Click here!

Why Join Us:

Whether you're a seasoned carver or a first-timer, this workshop promises a uniquely good time. Discover the art of carving wooden spoons in the serene surroundings of Morikami. After the class, students have entry to the museum exhibits and gardens and can round out the day leisurely exploring the cultural grounds.

How to Enroll:

Are you ready to dive into the world of spoon carving? You can secure your spot by enrolling here. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, create, and have a fantastic time with a good ol’ crafternoon!

Gratitude to Morikami:

While I’m at it, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens for their continued support. I’m beyond grateful to be returning to this beautiful venue for another round of creativity and wooden spoon fun.

Spread the Word:

Share the excitement with your friends! I’ve been a bit slow to post news of this class thanks to being at sea for so long so I’m trying to play catch-up and could use all your support.

Can't wait to see you there, ready to carve all the joy into some new wooden ramen spoons!

Ashley

Self-Care Reminders From A Chef Spoon

Ok. I’m not going to lie. The Chef-y spoon looks good with the AM & PM Beverage Set and after some thought, it seemed unfair to craft wooden spoons for “drink” people and leave out my crowd of culinary friends. Home cooks, galley stewards, and gourmet chefs, this spoon is for you! For everyone else, let me introduce you to the spoon of spoons and the self-care reminders embedded in its use.

If you didn’t know, a Chef Spoon is a thing. It’s akin to the pen-in-the-pocket of the business world. A chef spoon is that equivalent for the culinary world. It’s a spoon you carry on your person, and its star quality, comes from its versatility. It can be used for tasting, cooking, plating or serving. Think of it as the humble kitchen tool that is always at the ready. A work horse on the line… But there is another reason I like it. All those things represent something more personal and more human. They embody the best parts about life; parts worthy of the reminder that sometimes in the pursuit of wellness, one must first thwart despair to make room for deliciousness. Are you ready?

Tasting, cooking, plating, and serving…

To taste life is like touching joy or pain. It’s a feeling. Something the human condition understands on an innate level. It’s emotional, intuitive, and expressive even if indescribable. But cooking however is physical. It’s our human capacity pushing back on the conditions of our environment meaning we, as living beings, can physically change space and circumstance through action. If I don’t stir the pot, the sauce is going to thicken and burn… Cooking is a conscious reminder that we have the ability to be change. The act of serving then brings us to the precipice of that change. (I know I skipped plating but bear with me.) Being of service is defined by having a sense of purpose and when you know you can make a difference, you become empowered by having a choice. That choice positions us on the forefront of decisions which directly influence those around us. One’s contribution is an amplification of personal efficacy, impacting immediate spaces and corroborating oneself as a source of spread whether it’s love, hate, or even a virus. So frequently we forget this, as I think at times we identify as far removed from “mattering”. We give up and settle on the default version of ourselves and never stop to think about how personal initiative (or lack there of) affects the well-being of both individual and community. We are connected you and I, even if only by a ripple, but a ripple nonetheless, and not to be ignored. Lastly, let’s go back to plating. This is the creative genius of your will to choose… Plating for a chef is the vision of spirit. It’s the manifestation of an idea come to life. It’s the bloom, the fruit of all fertilizer, the nurture that we can define as self-care. What’s on the plate is a series of choices and personal agency that collectively represent one’s commitment to “caring”. It’s the f#cks you have to give or perhaps more frequently, the ones you don’t. The plate is a taste of how you’ve been treating yourself, and indirectly, how you might be treating others . Have you been paying attention? Do you give a care? Why or why not? What’s driving your behavior?

This post is not to imply that everyone needs to be a chef to create good for the world. It’s just a little reminder that everyday life holds opportunities to improve the quality of the one we’re living. Ditch the paper plates and pull out the fine china. Try something different for the sake of curiosity. Dive into the details of everyday things and you might awaken yourself to a new sense of purpose; adding flavor to an otherwise bland landscape. It is said that we eat with our eyes but how many moments pass in as bland or bitter? How much of our lives taste processed or mundane? A settling for the status quo… a life without spice…

But satisfaction doesn’t come from lavishness. I think it comes by connecting with our human experience… recognizing we are the source of creativity, and to truly understand that, means we can change whatever task lies ahead. I wonder sometimes if it’s not that we feel powerless to take things on, but rather we just don’t have a clear vision for ourselves so we don’t understand how to tackle our wants, fulfill our desires, and adjust the setting on our primal default. The overwhelm of things gives way to inaction, and powerlessness is one of the fruits. What I like about cooking is I get to explore those things. I can taste the fruit. Add some sugar until it begins to taste sweet. Satisfying cravings is my adventure sport where I get to know the depths of my complacency. I can develop recipes for the areas where my life is lacking, and cater to both moments of nourishment and flavor. Being able to provide myself the right mix of ingredients satiates the discontent. It helps quell the frustrations, expectations, and projections of life tasting less than delicious. It’s also the drive that keeps me following curiosity. Instead of finding fault on the menu, I remember I can creating my own. I can cook my own meals, plating them, and even serving them so those around me can get a taste of my recipe, my version, my vision for a good life. It’s not a force feeding. There’s no need for a food fight. It’s just a reminder that kindness is merely at hand, and a chef spoon helps me extend it. It’s a humble spoon, but one of utility that graciously enables care.

I thought my thing was food. I thought pursuing a culinary career was the passion that would ignite my inner spirit and keep me safe from episodes of despair. Unfortunately it has not, and I visit depression just like many of you likely do. But what pulls me out of those periods isn’t my job, or my partner, or exotic travels you may have seen on my socials. Those are all great distractions for alleviating my mental health for a time but the thing that sustains in the long-term is art. Carving spoons is creative, as is the plating of my meals, or the pressing of flowers, or baking bread. These joys all began as small wonders that I’ve been chasing ever since. It’s been a journey of self-discovery that started with humble beginnings. I would never have believed you if you told me 10 years ago I’d swap my love of food, for a love of utensils but here we are… And it’s not a swap really. It’s an extension. One I enjoy sharing with you, because it fills me with purpose. I no doubt believe you too have something worth sharing even if you don’t feel it yet. I also believe it remains important that you find. We need that thing. We need it for the both of us. I want kindness to ripple cause I know with it carries a tide of wellness… So go explore and get curious. You’ll find it. Go on now. Get!

See what I mean? They look good together. I wasn’t lying…;)

New Moon, New Spoon, And New Workshops Coming Soon!

I can’t exactly call this spoon new as it’s been kicking around my shop for well over a year now but I’m so glad it remained because it is gorgeous! (Sometimes they become compost.)  It started out as a demo spoon.  It would accompany me to different workshops and events where I would carved here and there to show various techniques and let students explore the hardness of wood.  This Copper Rivet Serving Spoon is made from walnut wood and is a much harder wood than I usually provide for carving workshops.  Having this on hand helped educate budding spoon carvers around the hardness as a character of wood.

Anyway, this spoon has seen some hands. I can think of at least four individuals that spent considerable time with it, let alone the numerous others that whittled shavings over many months.  With time it developed its charm.  I wish I had some before photos because this piece was perpetually an ugly duckling.  The copper rivets were experimental.  I figured that drilling into this spoon was harmless because no one was attached and if things went south, no big deal.  Even with the added bling the ugly duckling prevailed.  But as many of us experienced in our youth, a little time allows us to grow into our own unique beauty.  Gouges got sanded down reminiscent of healing scares that eventually fade.  We are all a bit awkward as teens but that gradually disappears and we emerge with more refinement and a sense of maturity. A spoon is no different.  It just takes time…

Time transformed this spoon into a remarkable piece of kitchen art and it would be misleading to call it my own.  It’s everyone’s.   A community spoon, with a large bowl and sturdy handle, ready to be of service…  It was fostered beautifully by the generous hands that took the time to add influence, helping to cultivate the design.  I can 100% say this wouldn’t have happened without you!

And speaking of you, I have a couple of workshops coming soon!  The specific details are still coming together but for those of you in the New England area you might want to note the following dates:

October 17th & 18th- Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum in Bristol, RI

I’ll be hosting a Grain & Grain workshop which will include two days of carving and baking.  I taught this class here many moons ago but I’ll be revisiting this fall with a fresh twist. Rather than baking bread as we’ve done in the past, we are going to be making Dutch Babies! You know I love me some Dutch Babies so just imagine my excitement when I got the spin on this request!  And ummm… have you seen the gardens at Blythwold? The location alone should be enough to catch your interest.  It’s absolutely beautiful and it’s a great privilege to be going back after so many years.

October 25th & 26th- The Plant Work Shop, Orleans, MA

Nothing like rolling off one high right? A week later I’ll be heading back to Cape Cod and teaching the Joy of Carving at one of the most organically crafty studios on the east coast!  The Plant Work Shop hosts all kinds of creative events and to be part of their fall line-up again is a dream come true!  This year we are switching things up a little with the first half happening on Friday evening and finishing up on Saturday morning, leaving room for participants to linger as necessary. The real joy of carving is the journey in recognizing your own skill to craft a useful tool from your own hands.  It’s a personal process and lends itself well as an escape from the modern distractions. Having the opportunity to spill into the next day without strict time restraints will help support the meditative qualities carving bestows while fostering a casual social environment to make some new friends. 

Long story short, these workshops are going to be fun!  Keep an eye out for tickets through both Blithewold and the Plant Work Shop as space is limited to 10 participants at each location. You can also check back here as I will continue to update you with more details on my events page as things come together.

See you soon New England!

Spring Flash Sale

Hey Friends!

For those of you that have been waiting to get your hands on some one-of-a-kind kitchen tools, now’s your chance! In honor of Spring, and marking a quarter turn around the sun, I am celebrating Nature’s New Year with a 25% off sale on the last of my 2018 inventory. Get it while the gettin’ is good! Sale ends tomorrow.

Copper Cutlery Set
Sale Price:$126.00 Original Price:$168.00

First addition copper cutlery set, hand forged from salvaged scrap copper.

Add To Cart
Oak Serving Spoon Set
$80.00

Hand carved set of serving spoons with storage pouch

Add To Cart

Life Updates- 2017/2018

It's been a while since I've done an update but let it be known that no news is good news!  At the close of 2017, things were moving rather quickly.  Suddenly, life had an uptick. I needed to refocus some priorities and maintain momentum.  And just like that, January was over too.  Again, all good stuff and I hope this tide continues, however caregiving remains the riptide and it dictates everything else. So, here's what's been goin' on...

December 2018

Spoons

Hand carved, wooden spoon...

Hand carved, wooden spoon...

December was incredible for my spoon venture.  I sold 4 spoons at the end of the year and felt the pressure of filling "orders".  This still blows my mind. I officially opened the shop section of this website only a year ago and it's been so well received.  I can hardly establish an inventory but that's a production problem that fills my heart. 

In addition to selling spoons, I thought I would explore the knife business by selling carving knives to budding carvers.  In theory, this is great but the reality of shipping knives in the mail without proper blade protection is a bit of a liability.  Safety first! I needed to make protective sheaths...  Wha-what? Knife sheaths?!  As you might imagine, I was clueless, especially for this curved blade below.

Curved blade knife used for carving the bowl part of a wooden spoon.

Curved blade knife used for carving the bowl part of a wooden spoon.

YouTube was full of suggestions for straight blades but the curved blade left me stumped.  Insert Jesse, a good friend and owner of the Jewelry Studio of Wellfleet.  She suggested I take the leather jewelry class offered through the Art School at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. The logic here was that instructor would likely have enough experience in leather working to point me in the right direction. It would be a fun class and get me out of the house.  Sure enough, that's exactly what happened!  

Leather Jewelry Course

Honestly, the class didn't exactly fulfill my sheath dreams but it did solidify fun into my schedule.  I got so much joy from the creative process.  Learning something new scratched my own creative itch.  It helped break-up the caregiving monotony and the perpetual thoughts of feeling stuck.  This leather class reconnected me with my "old" self, the person I was before this whole mess started and reminded me of these wise words by Nayyirah Waheed in her book Salt.

Where you are, is not who you are.
— Circumstance

The class reminded me that at heart I'm a maker and my soul is forever analogue.  I fell in love with the process. Leather work aligned with my attraction to raw materials.  Something about it clicked.  Below are a few bracelets that represent the beginning of a brand new hobby:

Adjustable, yellow-dyed leather bracelet with eyelet detail.

Adjustable, yellow-dyed leather bracelet with eyelet detail.

Secured, teal-dyed leather bangle with brass and nickle eyelets and riveted closure.

Secured, teal-dyed leather bangle with brass and nickle eyelets and riveted closure.

Secured, navy-dyed leather bangle with assorted rivets.  Cause, I love rivets!

Secured, navy-dyed leather bangle with assorted rivets.  Cause, I love rivets!

January 2018

#koolbob - Health Update

Unfortunately, it's not all fun and games. My dad was in the hospital at the end of the year. We made our way to the ER at 3 AM via ambulance which my hope is for the last time.  The event proved tragic for both of us.  Awaking to his health concerns in the middle of the night, I was forced to recognize the hopelessness of our situation as I too was sick.  Only hours before I was throwing up for some unknown reason.  Food poisoning?  Flu? No idea... But the reality was stark. We were alone.  I was slow to respond and overwhelmed at the crisis.  I called 911 somewhat unsure if he was having a 911 moment.  This is a frequent mental debate I think many caregivers experience.  Is the given episode worth the chaos that follows?  Am I ready to light this match?

True to form, that phone call was the match that started a fire, and swept us straight into all the misgivings of the healthcare system. If it were my own life, then I might be more obliging to the procedural side of things.  The parlay of treatment makes sense in regard to the longevity of health but not when measured alongside that of dementia.  My father (and I suspect many seniors that end up in the ER), became a matter of medical whims.  A test subject for assumptions...  The inability to describe what's wrong often leads to random tests, many of which are safeguards backing medicare compliance and have little to do with physical health and everything to do with who picks up the tab.  The liability on part of the healthcare industry is much too great and therefore procedural tests and treatments, (several of which I now know were absolutely unnecessary) have become the backbone in determining a diagnosis for many elderly.  This medical process of elimination is nothing short of confusing for anyone with some form of dementia and is often physically painful.  The excruciating cries, barely muffled by a curtain, are damages accrued to both the individual and their caretaker.  Where one feels the physically pain, the other is destroyed at heart, and the over all sense of hurt and suffering only gets compounded. It's these visceral cries that continue to haunt me from my mom's sudden passing.  These sounds I can't unhear...  Sounds that have been nothing short of brutalizing and ring all the more loudly when it comes to paying premiums.  Ultimately, my dad's hospital trip proved "minor".  He was discharged later in the day with a diagnosis of mild constipation and some acid reflux.  We were sent home nearly 10 hours later with over the counter prescriptions and I had a new headache in how to unwind the trauma he just incurred. 

What people don't realize is that managing dementia is the art of managing chaos.  Rather than implement chaotic measure at the ER, staff could better their services by foregoing some procedures and listening first to patients between their garbled words and observing their behaviors in their most basic form.  Treating through the distortion is not exactly "treating" a dementia patient and the health profession could learn a lot by just looking and listening.   Doctors will likely refute this statement but that illustrates the refusal to listen.  To truly care for someone with dementia you must first care for their environment.  Actions and procedures need to be assessed with regard to overall comfort because it's what happens later, behind the scenes, that ultimately impact one's quality of life.  

To truly care for someone with dementia you must first care for their environment.

When we returned home, my father's anxiety was at an all-time high.  He was restless, experiencing a new pain (urinary, because he was forced to have a catheter rather than water that would help him pee on his own), and agitated in a way that I found abnormal to his norm.  He repeatedly said he was in pain and dying, leaving me again feeling helpless and ultimately hopeless.  Somehow we got through the night and after a follow-up check-in with his primary, it was determined after he left the hospital (where he had an EKG) and prior to this doctor's visit where he had another EKG, he suffered a heart attack.  The worst part is that I think I watched it.  I saw it happening and yet remained inactive both out of fear that another hospital trip might in fact kill him while also taking foolish comfort in the idea that he would never have been discharged if his condition was at all serious.  His condition at the time was not serious but his endured stress from the experience went overlooked.

Long story short, I enrolled him into hospice care shortly there after.  For those of you that feel sorrow towards what you think hospice means, I encourage you to do some research. (You can start right here.)  This is actually one of the best decisions I have made and stand by their approach of patient and family centered comfort-care.  I'm happy to share more about this decision in the comments or through private messaging if you want but for now just know that this is a good thing. I'm hoping the hospice team will enable my dad to live his best version of life for the time that remains. I want to do small things with him when I can and I don't want to live in fear that taking him somewhere might risk his health.  He's almost 86 years old.  The risks are plenty obvious!  But I need to part ways with the burden of caregiver guilt and feel confident there is a team of health professionals that get us. We want to live life, not wait for its passing.  Thus begins our new forward perspective... and below is a little taste of what that looks like.

At the Boca Raton air field for the WWII airplane tour.

At the Boca Raton air field for the WWII airplane tour.

Knife Sheath Class

Ok, back to knife sheaths!  At the start of the new year, like a gift from the universe a leather knife sheath class was being offered locally.  (Wwwhhhaaaaattt?!!!!!!!!!!!) Clearly heeding the sign, I enrolled.  It was a five hour workshop and as expected, it was for straight blades. But, beggars can't be choosers!  I took my straight craving knife to the class thinking I needed a sheath that runs parallel to my belt.  Not the perpendicular style where the knife points down.  I wanted it across my lower back all discrete like a bad a**.  Granted, this is a work in progress but you kinda get the idea.  Just imagine this sheath like a rugged tramp stamp.  You with me?!

Straight knife sheath for my Mora carving knife.

Straight knife sheath for my Mora carving knife.

Spoon Carving Class

Well, you know how one thing leads to another. It just so turns out that the place that was offering the sheath classe is interested in hosting a spoon carving class! Like a true act of fate, I met the fine folks over at The Guild Folk Art School and in a few short weeks we will be hosting a spoon carving class for the community.  I'll keep you posted on dates when we work that all out but in the mean time, take a look at their offerings.  Everything from blacksmithing to ceramics to knife making (you know that's next;)) and more!  Take a look

Darebee Exercise Challenge

Another new year high has been completing this 30 Day HIIT Challenge during the month of January.  There are lots of excuses I could have made to fall short on this goal but when my friend Erika sent it to me post binge eating holidays (which I continue to stand by!), I  realized, I had no excuse.  I could make excuses but none of them truly held weight and rather then complain or pass judgement on why this challenge wouldn't work, I just committed. I suspended judgement and expectations and pursued the challenge of discipline.

I find it easy to fall prey to the inertia of caregiving and neglect things.  What's worse is society almost makes the excuses for me... "Oh, go easy on yourself.  You have a lot on your plate".  That might sound reasonable but deep down I know when I'm being lazy.  So yeah... An experiment in exercise but more, an experiment in follow-through.

About two weeks in I realized the hard part about exercise for me is just knowing what I was going to do on a given day.  Good intentions are nothing without action.  This challenge told me exactly what to do and no equipment was necessary.  Bingo! I have no mental space to create an exercise strategy here.  Just tell me what to do and I'll do it!  So, I also pulled the trigger on this workout book! I figure, 100 workouts to complete over the rest of 2018 shouldn't be so hard.  That's about 9 workouts a month (cause it's February now) which seems more than manageable. And the no equipment necessary/can-do anywhere factor helps eliminate the obvious excuses. 

Workout Book.jpg

If you are curious what's inside I put an Amazon link below. It's the same deal at the challenge link above but expanded.  Also, if you have any suggestions for timer apps please send them my way!!!  

As for anyone following my pistol squat attempts, just know that they are coming... one day.  Not sure why I thought I'd have those down in a month but reality checks are a good thing!

Alright, that has to be it for now.  I'm impressed if you are still reading this!  I could keep going but my soul is running dry from being on the computer this long.  I told you I was analogue. ;)

TL;DR- Life updates

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