A few weeks ago, I was bumbling around in the Great Wide Internet World and stumbled upon Erin, who writes A Crafty Lass.   Intrigued by her simple and elegant blog and delicious looking dishes (she’s married to a pro chef), I decided I needed to know more.  And that you did too, Invisible Friends.

Shall we meet our new creative woman of the Pond?

How did you get started blogging?

I decided to start a blog last winter to counteract the long, cold season up here in Minnesota. My husband Kyle, who is a chef, works a lot and I needed some sort of hobby. Not to mention, I felt like I was in a slump and really wanted to have an outlet where I could better my cooking skills while utilizing my graphic design/art/photography skills.

I came up with the name for my blog because I referred to myself as “A Crafty Lass” once and thought it had a nice ring to it.

What does being creative mean to you?

To me, being creative means expressing my own vision in an artful way whether that be through graphic design at work, photography, cooking, baking, etc.

Why do you think it’s important for women to balance creativity in their daily lives?

I think it’s important because it’s very easy to get lost in the daily grind of work, family, and household responsibilities. Creativity can provide a sense of calm and accomplishment.

What kind of creative things do you do every day?

I do get to be creative at my job as a Communications Director and graphic designer at an architecture firm. Outside of work, I am almost constantly thinking of new blog entries and the accompanying photographs which I really enjoy taking.

Tell me about your family.

I grew up in McHenry, Illinois with my mom and younger brother. I live in Minneapolis now with my husband, Kyle, and my two dogs.

Favorite food?

I love anything with citrus, both sweet and savory. I suspect that there is nothing more heavenly than the Lemon Tart from the French Laundry cookbook that my friend and guestblogger Eric M made for me.

Favorite song?

Very tough to say as it changes frequently. Right now at this moment, it’s Ceremony by New Order.

Do you like to dance?

Yes! When I was younger I took ballet, tap and jazz lessons and later, in college, took Irish Celtic Dancing. Since Kyle and I spend so much time in our kitchen, we also have some spontaneous dance-offs which he typically wins since I end up laughing.

If you could take a trip with anyone and go anywhere, where would you go and who would you take?

I would like to take a trip around the world with Kyle, my brother, and any of my friends who would like to come along. We’d have to start in Ireland to have a local Guinness, then we’d eat our way through France, fly to Singapore to taste the exotic food in their gigantic markets, off to Australia and New Zealand for some down under wine tastings (and lamb) and then finally, we would all rest on the beach in Negril, Jamaica where we would eat jerk chicken, conch, mountain pepper shrimp, fresh fruit and sip on some banana rum cocktails.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

I collect milk glass, white and jadeite, and so many of my friends have given me pieces of it over the years that they have found at antique shops, garage sales, and searched for online. I cherish these items and most of all appreciate the effort and consideration people have gone through to add to my collection.

What’s your ideal pet?

I love my two Labrador retrievers, Nola and Blue. They are brother and sister from the same litter. Nola is yellow and Blue is chocolate.

There’s an enormous present waiting on the kitchen table for you. What’s in it?

A Bianchi Road Bike and a Canon Digital SLR Camera.

How did you get started cooking? Have you always been interested in food?

I didn’t do much cooking at all growing up and was pretty picky when it came to vegetables. When I met my husband and moved to Minneapolis, I was introduced to so many ethnic cuisines I was unfamiliar with and really got excited about cooking.

What’s your favorite things to cook?

I really like having friends over for brunch and think I do a pretty good job at those sort of menus. There’s nothing like having some champagne before noon to get the day started on the right foot.

What’s your favorite recipe to serve to guests?

It would be impossible to pick one! I would say that our St. Patrick’s Day dinner we host every year might be my favorite. We make corned beef, braised cabbage, colcannon, soda bread, roasted carrots, and chocolate Guinness cake. Deeeelicious.

What other crafts do you enjoy doing?

My grandma taught me how to crochet and I really like making blankets and scarves for people in the winter months. I very much enjoy gardening and also do a lot of canning, mostly jam.

What do you want to achieve with your blog?

I realized how much I loved cooking and entertaining and my blog is a natural extension of that. I read Michael Pollan’s article in the New York Times a couple weeks ago about how Americans don’t cook anymore. I feel like I’m a part of the “back to the kitchen” movement and hope to inspire others the way I have been inspired.

What do you hope people get from your blog?

I hope that I convey the idea that homemade is good and achievable. I also hope that I can inspire people to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Having a garden is so much more cost-effective than buying produce at the grocery store, particularly when you’re buying organic. If a garden isn’t something that is feasible, than sign up for a CSA farm share which often grows organic, heirloom vegetables and also helps out small farms.

Who’s your favorite chef? Why?

On my cookbook shelf I have a special section for my favorite ladies: Nigella Lawson, Donna Hay and Martha Stewart. I admire them immensely. Those women aren’t really considered chefs though, so I would have to say Grant Achatz from Alinea in Chicago who turned out the most memorable, incredible meal at his fantastic restaurant.

What are your goals with your cooking–do you want to open a restaurant, write a cookbook?

I would love to write a cookbook–that would be a total dream. I would also like to learn more about certain cuisines: Southeast Asian, Indian and Caribbean.

What other creative hobbies/ skills do you hope to tackle?

I hope to learn to knit, win more ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair, complete a full triathlon and become a better photographer.

What do you hope to do in the future with your blog?

I hope to figure out a way to reach more people and have more interactions with the people who do read it. I don’t get too many comments and I am curious what people think and what they have to say. I have 45 followers now on my blog and I get an extra spring in my step whenever there is a new one.

To learn more about Erin, visit A Crafty Lass.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Next week, we have more whimsical stories and frivolous fun!