Warmest Wishes from our wee home to yours!
xo
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Life Your Life
I'm posting this, in part, because I was carded tonight. That means that it is more than o.k. for me to love this music....
It speaks to me.
So. Whats been going on?
A lot of ancillary stuff. Important stuff - but supportive, not necessarily primary stuff. Not necessarily life changing or heart stopping...stuff. But it is my life. My Life. If only I looked as flippin' hot as Rihanna. She hot. And, yeah-baby this girl got carded tonight. Nice.
In other news, today I hit 100 sales on etsy. How cool is that? I became a seller just over a year ago. Since then I've made countless plush owls, convinced many folks to appreciate upcycling, learned how to write a press release, grasped a greater knowledge of marketing and color theory and became a front-page curating etsy artisan. Nice.
Life Your Life.
That is going to be my new mantra. I hope. Sometimes things don't turn out as you planned. Little did I know that I'd be facing another holiday season "Waiting For Referral". But I am. We are. Its rough. Sometimes the emotions are closer to the surface than others.
Right now I have Rihanna.
Even if you haven't heard from me, I think of you. Those of you in China. Those of you on the brinks - waiting for TA's and haunting Target for all the needed supplies. And, those of you/us that continue to wait. Mark time. Watch the years pass. And, attempt to put a handle upon the elusive Hope.
Big Love.
xo
It speaks to me.
So. Whats been going on?
A lot of ancillary stuff. Important stuff - but supportive, not necessarily primary stuff. Not necessarily life changing or heart stopping...stuff. But it is my life. My Life. If only I looked as flippin' hot as Rihanna. She hot. And, yeah-baby this girl got carded tonight. Nice.
In other news, today I hit 100 sales on etsy. How cool is that? I became a seller just over a year ago. Since then I've made countless plush owls, convinced many folks to appreciate upcycling, learned how to write a press release, grasped a greater knowledge of marketing and color theory and became a front-page curating etsy artisan. Nice.
Life Your Life.
That is going to be my new mantra. I hope. Sometimes things don't turn out as you planned. Little did I know that I'd be facing another holiday season "Waiting For Referral". But I am. We are. Its rough. Sometimes the emotions are closer to the surface than others.
Right now I have Rihanna.
Even if you haven't heard from me, I think of you. Those of you in China. Those of you on the brinks - waiting for TA's and haunting Target for all the needed supplies. And, those of you/us that continue to wait. Mark time. Watch the years pass. And, attempt to put a handle upon the elusive Hope.
Big Love.
xo
Friday, November 28, 2008
Team Trashion Encourages Shoppers to Go Green on Black Friday
Going back as far as the 1960’s, the day after Thanksgiving has held the unfortunate title of Black Friday. The name was given due to the madness that happens in highly commercialized places of commerce, but mostly because of the heavy traffic on that day. Folks are at the mall before the sun comes up, cars fill freeways and parking lots, money is burned on mass produced products and the gas it takes to get to them. It can get ugly.
Team Trashion, a unique, eco friendly, international group of artisans on etsy.com visualizes a different sort of Friday following Thanksgiving. Team Trashion wants to encourage families to keep the car in the garage, leave their slippers on and curl up with loved ones and a second helping of pumpkin pie. Doesn’t that sound great?
On Friday, November 28, Team Trashion will provide holiday shoppers with a unique opportunity to shop for one-of-a-kind gifts that are innovative and eco friendly. Buyers will be able to connect directly with sellers at a virtual Trunk Show on www.etsy.com. Over 30 Team Trashion artisans will be showing a varied collection of handmade treasures all created from upcycled, repurposed or otherwise abandoned materials. The Team Trashion Green Friday Trunk Show will be overflowing with holiday shopping opportunities that would make Mother Earth proud. You will not want to miss it!
The Team Trashion Green Friday Trunk Show is at 7pm est – just the perfect time to grab a cup of tea and do a little shopping in the comfort of your own home. Here’s how you get there:
1 - Log on to www.etsy.com
2 - Choose the “community” tab at the top of the home page.
3 - Choose the “Virtual Labs” tab at the top of the community page.
4 - Choose the GREEN Treehouse “room” within the Virtual Labs.
5 - Sit back and enjoy the Trunk Show!
6 - You could also just click here & that will take you directly where you need to go.....
It will be great to see you there.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Getting Ready for my Big Show!!
After splurging on fancy-schmancy business cards:
(They look way cooler in person)
And, super-cute buttons:
I decided to go handmade with my sign:
If you are local-ish, please drop on by - I'd love to see you!! Click here for more deets or if you're curious. There are 2 artist galleries with photos of what everyone creates.
Yes! I am very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(They look way cooler in person)
And, super-cute buttons:
I decided to go handmade with my sign:
If you are local-ish, please drop on by - I'd love to see you!! Click here for more deets or if you're curious. There are 2 artist galleries with photos of what everyone creates.
Yes! I am very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Meme? Why not.
Where is your mobile phone? Recharging.
Where is your significant other? Couch
Your hair colour? Brown (w/ pervading gray)
Your mother? Thoughtful & Kind
Your father? Funny & Disarming
Your favourite thing? Color
Your dream last night? Can't remember
Your dream goal? Contentment
The room you're in? Kitchen
Your hobby? Sewing/Creating
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Walking someone to kindergarten.
Where were you last night? Watching Tivo at home
What you're not? Fake
One of your wish-list items? I'm really not wanting or longing for anything material - at all.
Where you grew up? All over. (Try explaining that during your homestudy).
The last thing you did? Eat Dinner.
What are you wearing? Corduroy
Your TV? Tivo'd Guilty Pleasure Shows like Real World, Oprah, Martha, Project Runway & The Hills
Your pets? = Family
Your computer? Very Functional
Your mood? Blase
Missing someone? My former self.
Your car? Red & reliable. With new tires!!
Something you're not wearing? A tan.
Favourite shop? Etsy.
Your summer? What?
Love someone? Lucky for me, yes.
Your favourite colour? Kelly Green. Raspberry Red. Lemon Yellow. Glacier Blue.
When is the last time you laughed? Few hours ago.
When is the last time you cried? do you really want to know?
I'm thinking that we need some racier meme's....this one was a little weak. Just sayin'.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Oh My Gosh Its Been Nearly a Month!
Wow. Time flies sometimes.
Tomorrow marks a month since my last post & that is a new record for me. If you haven't heard from me it is because I've been been saving up my Bloglines connections for catch up in a big swoop. Marathon style. Like back to back Amazing Race or Real World episodes...but you know the players. That was my plan, at least, but now I am overwhelmed. At this point, I have some blogs with 32 posts to catch up on (Chief!) and some with 21 (Mamacita!) and a few others that I'm just too embarrassed to admit.
I kinda don't know how I'll catch up. But, I'll do my best.
The reason for my absence from the adoption/blog slice of cyber space is for a lot of little and big reasons. Too many to list, and that would mean more writing than I really have time to do right now.
I have been writing, though, just not about myself. Here is one place where I've been spending a lot of my creative time:
Click here to get to the site....
I'm still not sure why I thought I should volunteer for a Promotional Team on etsy - but I did. And, I've been loving it! Go ahead and click on the above link & see our work. A lot of the writing that went into the category blurbs was mine. This week I am also in charge of changing the artwork on the front page on a daily basis.
Its been fun. I get to play with color and pretend that I'm all advertiser-ish. I've also made some new friends and have learned a lot in the process. Here is a blog link to one of the primary peeps on our California Promo Committee:
Please go visit this link - you just might win a very cool pendant handmade by the Crafty Wren! Wren is giving one away EVERY DAY for the rest of this month! I've already purchased 2 of her pendants & won one last week for playing along...they are beautiful keepsakes. Feeling lucky? Leave Wrenay a comment & try to win today!
What else? Oh, I don't know. A lot of sewing. I'm getting ready to work a pretty cool show up in Sonoma, so I'm up to my elbows in plush owls. Here's proof:
Etsy has been good to me. It has provided a much needed distraction and some very cool validation for my efforts. Creating is cool and I've met some really talented and nice people. Truth be told, though? I'd walk away from all of it in a heartbeat if I knew when it would be my turn to go to China. I'd pack up my thread, my bobbins, my growing button collection. You'd prob. find me hanging out chitter-chattering in Yahoo groups or on my blog, if I knew that motherhood was on the horizon. Damn straight.
Until then.......
This is what fills the crib this season:
Its better than old boxes and clothes for donation. I figure that something cute and future oriented is a better bit of energy for the crib.
More later. Gotta go put my goggles back on and get back to work. This is on my Christmas list:
More later, there are some other fun things to share.
xoxooxoxoxooxxooxxoxoxoxoxo
Tomorrow marks a month since my last post & that is a new record for me. If you haven't heard from me it is because I've been been saving up my Bloglines connections for catch up in a big swoop. Marathon style. Like back to back Amazing Race or Real World episodes...but you know the players. That was my plan, at least, but now I am overwhelmed. At this point, I have some blogs with 32 posts to catch up on (Chief!) and some with 21 (Mamacita!) and a few others that I'm just too embarrassed to admit.
I kinda don't know how I'll catch up. But, I'll do my best.
The reason for my absence from the adoption/blog slice of cyber space is for a lot of little and big reasons. Too many to list, and that would mean more writing than I really have time to do right now.
I have been writing, though, just not about myself. Here is one place where I've been spending a lot of my creative time:
Click here to get to the site....
I'm still not sure why I thought I should volunteer for a Promotional Team on etsy - but I did. And, I've been loving it! Go ahead and click on the above link & see our work. A lot of the writing that went into the category blurbs was mine. This week I am also in charge of changing the artwork on the front page on a daily basis.
Its been fun. I get to play with color and pretend that I'm all advertiser-ish. I've also made some new friends and have learned a lot in the process. Here is a blog link to one of the primary peeps on our California Promo Committee:
Please go visit this link - you just might win a very cool pendant handmade by the Crafty Wren! Wren is giving one away EVERY DAY for the rest of this month! I've already purchased 2 of her pendants & won one last week for playing along...they are beautiful keepsakes. Feeling lucky? Leave Wrenay a comment & try to win today!
What else? Oh, I don't know. A lot of sewing. I'm getting ready to work a pretty cool show up in Sonoma, so I'm up to my elbows in plush owls. Here's proof:
Etsy has been good to me. It has provided a much needed distraction and some very cool validation for my efforts. Creating is cool and I've met some really talented and nice people. Truth be told, though? I'd walk away from all of it in a heartbeat if I knew when it would be my turn to go to China. I'd pack up my thread, my bobbins, my growing button collection. You'd prob. find me hanging out chitter-chattering in Yahoo groups or on my blog, if I knew that motherhood was on the horizon. Damn straight.
Until then.......
This is what fills the crib this season:
Its better than old boxes and clothes for donation. I figure that something cute and future oriented is a better bit of energy for the crib.
More later. Gotta go put my goggles back on and get back to work. This is on my Christmas list:
More later, there are some other fun things to share.
xoxooxoxoxooxxooxxoxoxoxoxo
Thursday, October 16, 2008
My Own Version of Project Runway...
Sooooo.....
I entered another Trashion Challenge. This one was thoughtfully named the "Monster Mash" with the organizers hoping that our creative efforts would appeal to Halloween enthusiasts.
The party began when I was paired with twistedwear - another Trashionista on etsy. Rules for the challenge were loose - send your partner some stuff from your stash. Appropriate items to send would include: stuff you want to get rid of, things in need of a new home and/or items that others might actually consider Trash. I will admit to feeling a bit of trepidation as I opened the mystery box from Kentucky. You just never know.
Here's what I found inside:
A massive pile of fabric exploding with color, texture and possibilities.
My strategy was to whittle the heap down by choosing a simple color palette. This is what I came up with:
The vintage bit of purple plaid was my favorite scrap included and I went from there. twistedwear also sent the luxurious purple velvet that just felt like Halloween. Like a Halloween costume, I guess. I added the green tulle, yarn and beaded trim from my own stash. Picking the colors was the easy part - engineering a way to make a monster out of them, however, really threw me for a loop.
You'll notice a few other things in the photo meant to inspire.
The book at the top is Lynda Barry's "One! Hundred! Demons!". It was a unexpected and well loved gift from another Linda. (Thanks again, btw). I became a fan of Lynda Barry's when I read MAD magazine back in my middle school years. Or was it Dynomite? I really can't remember when I first discovered her - but I have forever since had a kinship with her pimple-faced, awkward Marlys character. The One! Hundred! Demons! book is all about real life demons in Barry's life. She painted them with a Chinese brush & explains that the demons (such as "My Worst Boyfriend") just came out of her brush. It is a brilliant read & I highly recommend it!
The other little thing you may have noticed is the cassette tape pouch on the table. An inspiration, for sure.
This was the most stellar birthday gift that I've received in a long, long time. It holds some very important crafty bits and pieces...and sits on my work table smiling at me while I create. I love it. (You can buy one from BraveMoonman, if you'd like. She sews them by hand and makes them in custom colors).
The hardest part about this challenge was my resistance to making anything "scary" - or even "Monster-y" for that matter. That's just not how I roll. Cool thing is, the rules and guidelines for these sorts of challenges are pretty loose. At least that is how I see them. So often in my day to day life, the rules are fairly rigid - I think that is why I really embrace the looseness of interpretation of this creative work and just do whatever the Hell I want. Here is what I ended up with:
I named her Karma the Kosmic Kitten after another well-loved and dearly missed furry friend.
She is a feline with a mission to save the Big Blue Marble by educating Earthlings about Environmental Protection. She wears Solar Powered, Magic Green Whiskers and was handcrafted from 100% upcycled materials. Click here to read more of her story and to see more photos.
Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. It was a LOT of fun.
Here's to the beginning of another Fall weekend. xo
I entered another Trashion Challenge. This one was thoughtfully named the "Monster Mash" with the organizers hoping that our creative efforts would appeal to Halloween enthusiasts.
The party began when I was paired with twistedwear - another Trashionista on etsy. Rules for the challenge were loose - send your partner some stuff from your stash. Appropriate items to send would include: stuff you want to get rid of, things in need of a new home and/or items that others might actually consider Trash. I will admit to feeling a bit of trepidation as I opened the mystery box from Kentucky. You just never know.
Here's what I found inside:
A massive pile of fabric exploding with color, texture and possibilities.
My strategy was to whittle the heap down by choosing a simple color palette. This is what I came up with:
The vintage bit of purple plaid was my favorite scrap included and I went from there. twistedwear also sent the luxurious purple velvet that just felt like Halloween. Like a Halloween costume, I guess. I added the green tulle, yarn and beaded trim from my own stash. Picking the colors was the easy part - engineering a way to make a monster out of them, however, really threw me for a loop.
You'll notice a few other things in the photo meant to inspire.
The book at the top is Lynda Barry's "One! Hundred! Demons!". It was a unexpected and well loved gift from another Linda. (Thanks again, btw). I became a fan of Lynda Barry's when I read MAD magazine back in my middle school years. Or was it Dynomite? I really can't remember when I first discovered her - but I have forever since had a kinship with her pimple-faced, awkward Marlys character. The One! Hundred! Demons! book is all about real life demons in Barry's life. She painted them with a Chinese brush & explains that the demons (such as "My Worst Boyfriend") just came out of her brush. It is a brilliant read & I highly recommend it!
The other little thing you may have noticed is the cassette tape pouch on the table. An inspiration, for sure.
This was the most stellar birthday gift that I've received in a long, long time. It holds some very important crafty bits and pieces...and sits on my work table smiling at me while I create. I love it. (You can buy one from BraveMoonman, if you'd like. She sews them by hand and makes them in custom colors).
The hardest part about this challenge was my resistance to making anything "scary" - or even "Monster-y" for that matter. That's just not how I roll. Cool thing is, the rules and guidelines for these sorts of challenges are pretty loose. At least that is how I see them. So often in my day to day life, the rules are fairly rigid - I think that is why I really embrace the looseness of interpretation of this creative work and just do whatever the Hell I want. Here is what I ended up with:
I named her Karma the Kosmic Kitten after another well-loved and dearly missed furry friend.
She is a feline with a mission to save the Big Blue Marble by educating Earthlings about Environmental Protection. She wears Solar Powered, Magic Green Whiskers and was handcrafted from 100% upcycled materials. Click here to read more of her story and to see more photos.
Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. It was a LOT of fun.
Here's to the beginning of another Fall weekend. xo
Sunday, September 28, 2008
It Was a Really Good One...
This year, I truly enjoyed my birthday. It was super-deluxe and very me.
Jzboy took the weekend off and we spent it doing the things that I love to do. No, not camping! Not hiking big gorges...or any of that boy-stuff. Not even organizing the "clutter" as I am want to do. We ended up having lunch at Cafe Gratitude my fave vegan restaurant, hit my regular fabric shop and got provisions at the all time most excellent market that exists. Jzboy seemed to like it - a lot, even. But even if he didn't, he was a rockstar at hanging with me.
On the actual "day", Jzboy told me that I needed to be ready by 10:30 - with no further details. He later dropped me off at the local, stellar swank spot for a full-on massage and facial. It was absolutely divine. I felt like a happy, fresh, squeeky-clean person once they released me! Jzboy then picked me up in a freshly washed and tuned up car (which was my not-so-secret b-day wish)! Wooooot! Holla!! Now, that is my man. I love that guy!
We hung out and had burgers at our favorite place in the East Bay, then tripped around the local streets picking up some goodies for the evening celebration. Here is the best part:
How cute is that? Way better than I could have cooked up! Pey-Pey is just the most curious and sweetest baby boy that we could have hoped to bring into the fold! Oh yeah, and the cake was tasty and cute, too!
There were some presents....
But! the greatest gift was for me to be with my bestest peeps. It was a very good birthday, indeed!
Jzboy took the weekend off and we spent it doing the things that I love to do. No, not camping! Not hiking big gorges...or any of that boy-stuff. Not even organizing the "clutter" as I am want to do. We ended up having lunch at Cafe Gratitude my fave vegan restaurant, hit my regular fabric shop and got provisions at the all time most excellent market that exists. Jzboy seemed to like it - a lot, even. But even if he didn't, he was a rockstar at hanging with me.
On the actual "day", Jzboy told me that I needed to be ready by 10:30 - with no further details. He later dropped me off at the local, stellar swank spot for a full-on massage and facial. It was absolutely divine. I felt like a happy, fresh, squeeky-clean person once they released me! Jzboy then picked me up in a freshly washed and tuned up car (which was my not-so-secret b-day wish)! Wooooot! Holla!! Now, that is my man. I love that guy!
We hung out and had burgers at our favorite place in the East Bay, then tripped around the local streets picking up some goodies for the evening celebration. Here is the best part:
How cute is that? Way better than I could have cooked up! Pey-Pey is just the most curious and sweetest baby boy that we could have hoped to bring into the fold! Oh yeah, and the cake was tasty and cute, too!
There were some presents....
But! the greatest gift was for me to be with my bestest peeps. It was a very good birthday, indeed!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Birthday Nails!
Check em' out! They are like a birthday party on my hands, make me want to bake cupcakes & I LOVE them.
Originally I thought I would go navy blue with white polka dots, but I thought that the lighter shade of blue suited my mood better. Definitely not pink, though, no matter how much the lady tried to convince me. When all was said and done, pretty much everyone at the nail shop wanted to see my wee works of art.
Yeah, I know, I'm weird...but this sort of thing makes me happy. Besides, now that I've become a hand model - I need to keep up with manicures. Actually more of a wrist model, if you want to get technical, but makes for a good excuse for blinging it up at the nail salon.
Here I am modeling one of my latest creations - a Cuff for a Cloudy Day:
I call this one "Grrl Scout". It is actually made from vintage boy scout uniform fabric plus the flashy red compliments that I think take it to the "Grrl" level.
Decorative cuffs are really trendy on etsy right now and I'm having fun trying something new. Cool thing is that I get to continue with my passion for upcycling as I use repurposed fabric in every cuff. A scrap of fabric from an old project here, a salvaged button from a favorite blazer there, a hand-me-down bit of vintage denim here, a little thrifted corduroy there...and so on. What can I say? Its my thing.
Time for a little more show & tell.....I named this one "Election Day".
And this one is "Indian Summer".
One thing that I love about my etsy endeavors is that I can be as creative and quirky as I want. Perhaps this newfound workout of my unique muscles is what gives me permission to paint polka dots on my fingers?
Works for me.
By the way, feel free to click on any of the highlighted titles for more pictures, or if you'd like to drop by my shop. I love visitors. If you are registered with etsy, send me a "heart" by adding me to your favorites. I'd love to know you were there.
xo
Originally I thought I would go navy blue with white polka dots, but I thought that the lighter shade of blue suited my mood better. Definitely not pink, though, no matter how much the lady tried to convince me. When all was said and done, pretty much everyone at the nail shop wanted to see my wee works of art.
Yeah, I know, I'm weird...but this sort of thing makes me happy. Besides, now that I've become a hand model - I need to keep up with manicures. Actually more of a wrist model, if you want to get technical, but makes for a good excuse for blinging it up at the nail salon.
Here I am modeling one of my latest creations - a Cuff for a Cloudy Day:
I call this one "Grrl Scout". It is actually made from vintage boy scout uniform fabric plus the flashy red compliments that I think take it to the "Grrl" level.
Decorative cuffs are really trendy on etsy right now and I'm having fun trying something new. Cool thing is that I get to continue with my passion for upcycling as I use repurposed fabric in every cuff. A scrap of fabric from an old project here, a salvaged button from a favorite blazer there, a hand-me-down bit of vintage denim here, a little thrifted corduroy there...and so on. What can I say? Its my thing.
Time for a little more show & tell.....I named this one "Election Day".
And this one is "Indian Summer".
One thing that I love about my etsy endeavors is that I can be as creative and quirky as I want. Perhaps this newfound workout of my unique muscles is what gives me permission to paint polka dots on my fingers?
Works for me.
By the way, feel free to click on any of the highlighted titles for more pictures, or if you'd like to drop by my shop. I love visitors. If you are registered with etsy, send me a "heart" by adding me to your favorites. I'd love to know you were there.
xo
Thursday, September 18, 2008
What Have I Been Up To???
Here is a glimpse of what has been on my table recently...
Lots of hunting for fabric, designing patterns, cutting and sewing.
What has been on the agenda is (drumroll please): 6 penguins, 10 owls, 8 strawberries, a large bunch of carrots and a slew of tooth fairy pillows. Here is one of the first Strawberry Sweets to roll off of the conveyor belt:
She is also known as Candace and has a very cute brother named Wyatt. Both are up in my etsy shop, so you can visit them (& see more pictures here).
Creating cuteness has been keeping me going these days. I've got some fancy Art Shows booked with the holidays on the horizon and am equally freaked out and absolutely stoked about all of that. If you are curious, here is a link to the Sonoma Artisan Faire where I'll be "vending".
Oy, so now I'm a vendor. That freaks me out completely. Cool thing is that this big show will also include wine tasting. Nice.
Good for the anxious vendor.....and the shopper.
Sorry I've been so quiet lately, but there have been stitches to be sewn, out of town visitors to be loved, clients to be soothed and pies to be lattice draped and cooked. My heart is still in this game, but a little distance is what the doctor ordered. Hopefully you understand. I'm immersing myself in color and creativity right now.
Maybe I'm an artist at heart.
xo
PS - Stay tuned for pics of my birthday nails. They RULE!!!!!!!
Lots of hunting for fabric, designing patterns, cutting and sewing.
What has been on the agenda is (drumroll please): 6 penguins, 10 owls, 8 strawberries, a large bunch of carrots and a slew of tooth fairy pillows. Here is one of the first Strawberry Sweets to roll off of the conveyor belt:
She is also known as Candace and has a very cute brother named Wyatt. Both are up in my etsy shop, so you can visit them (& see more pictures here).
Creating cuteness has been keeping me going these days. I've got some fancy Art Shows booked with the holidays on the horizon and am equally freaked out and absolutely stoked about all of that. If you are curious, here is a link to the Sonoma Artisan Faire where I'll be "vending".
Oy, so now I'm a vendor. That freaks me out completely. Cool thing is that this big show will also include wine tasting. Nice.
Good for the anxious vendor.....and the shopper.
Sorry I've been so quiet lately, but there have been stitches to be sewn, out of town visitors to be loved, clients to be soothed and pies to be lattice draped and cooked. My heart is still in this game, but a little distance is what the doctor ordered. Hopefully you understand. I'm immersing myself in color and creativity right now.
Maybe I'm an artist at heart.
xo
PS - Stay tuned for pics of my birthday nails. They RULE!!!!!!!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Are You Taking Advantage of Summers Bounty?
It all started with 5 cups of plump, delicious blueberries.
Some magic spices courtesy of my PIF-Trade and friend, Project Ni Hao! These fresher than fresh, aromatic, gorgeous seasonings came all the way from Geneva, IL. Definitely jazzed things up quite a bit. Thanks, Mommy Ni Hao! xo
Lemon zest embraced the exotic spices and imparted a fresh, summery element.
Tossed together, dotted with butter and all ready for lattice crust + the glow of the AGA. Can you believe this is half the sugar that the recipe called for? Whoa.
Donezo!
Yes it was delish & the house smelled like lemony, nutmeg infused heaven. Next up? Probably my annual fresh tomato corn chowder. It is that time of year....
Some magic spices courtesy of my PIF-Trade and friend, Project Ni Hao! These fresher than fresh, aromatic, gorgeous seasonings came all the way from Geneva, IL. Definitely jazzed things up quite a bit. Thanks, Mommy Ni Hao! xo
Lemon zest embraced the exotic spices and imparted a fresh, summery element.
Tossed together, dotted with butter and all ready for lattice crust + the glow of the AGA. Can you believe this is half the sugar that the recipe called for? Whoa.
Donezo!
Yes it was delish & the house smelled like lemony, nutmeg infused heaven. Next up? Probably my annual fresh tomato corn chowder. It is that time of year....
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Sometimes You've Just Got to Give In....
...and do something that really, really makes you smile.
That is precisely why I had stars painted on my fingertips.
What have you done recently? I could use some more ideas.
That is precisely why I had stars painted on my fingertips.
What have you done recently? I could use some more ideas.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Candy Cap Curiosity
How's about trying some of these in your next Birthday Cake?
What you see pictured above are glorious Candy Cap Mushrooms. Aren't they beautiful? I've yet to see a fresh one myself, but recently scored a small container of these caramel-scented, maple-syrup flavored shrooms in dehydrated form. And, yes, I did use them in my father's birthday dessert. Pictures to follow.
First time I made the Candy Cap Mushroom's acquaintence was in Mendocino, CA at my favorite restaurant Cafe Beaujolais when I ordered this dish:
Pan Roasted California Sturgeon Fillet
House Made Tagliatelle, Truffle Emulsion Sauce,
Wild Mushrooms, Beets and Snap Peas
The waitress explained that the hard to pinpoint, surprising secret ingredient was Candy Cap Mushroom. I embarassed my husband when I asked the waitress to kindly tell the chef how "F'ing Delicious" I thought the dish was. She did & the laughs from the kitchen made the meal that much more enjoyable.
I have since obtained the recipe for the Cafe Beaujolais sturgeon and as fearless as I think I am in the kitchen...enjoying this dish (my official "Final Meal") will be reserved for my all too infrequent visits to Mendocino.*
Ok, so back to the weekend festivities...
Dad got to choose between cake and bread pudding for his daughter-made birthday treat. I was 98% certain that he'd choose the pudding - but I wasn't going to jinx my odds by telling him that I planned to experiment with mushrooms as part of it. Dad didn't let me down & chose his favorite...old school bread pudding. He gave me permission to play with the recipe a bit and put in a request for a brandy/rum sauce if possible. Woot!
Here is the Bread Pudding Recipe in case you were interested. And, HERE are the shrooms:
It was a very simple recipe that had me scalding heavy whipping cream and then steeping dried Candy Caps in it for an hour. The house smelled very sweet - and maybe a little like curry.
I was supposed to use "half a loaf of pullman-sized brioche". So, yeah, I used nearly a full loaf of Challah. Pretty similar, I thought.
Here is after an hour steeping. Didn't look all that dramatically different, but it sure tasted lovely.
Here is the pudding after straining shrooms from cream, adding eggs, soaking bread with custard, sprinkling golden raisins and currants and cooking for a while. Golden yummy-ness!
One piece left after all was said and done. My clever brother in law figured out the secret ingredient after some hints. And, nobody freaked out that I used mushrooms in this dessert. I think that they may expect as much from me.
To celebrate this Kitchen Adventure Post and to share a recent download that I am currently in love with I leave you with this - a cover of an old Bread tune by the band called Cake. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?
*Note to self: discuss Autumn vacation planning with DH tonight or sooner.
What you see pictured above are glorious Candy Cap Mushrooms. Aren't they beautiful? I've yet to see a fresh one myself, but recently scored a small container of these caramel-scented, maple-syrup flavored shrooms in dehydrated form. And, yes, I did use them in my father's birthday dessert. Pictures to follow.
First time I made the Candy Cap Mushroom's acquaintence was in Mendocino, CA at my favorite restaurant Cafe Beaujolais when I ordered this dish:
Pan Roasted California Sturgeon Fillet
House Made Tagliatelle, Truffle Emulsion Sauce,
Wild Mushrooms, Beets and Snap Peas
The waitress explained that the hard to pinpoint, surprising secret ingredient was Candy Cap Mushroom. I embarassed my husband when I asked the waitress to kindly tell the chef how "F'ing Delicious" I thought the dish was. She did & the laughs from the kitchen made the meal that much more enjoyable.
I have since obtained the recipe for the Cafe Beaujolais sturgeon and as fearless as I think I am in the kitchen...enjoying this dish (my official "Final Meal") will be reserved for my all too infrequent visits to Mendocino.*
Ok, so back to the weekend festivities...
Dad got to choose between cake and bread pudding for his daughter-made birthday treat. I was 98% certain that he'd choose the pudding - but I wasn't going to jinx my odds by telling him that I planned to experiment with mushrooms as part of it. Dad didn't let me down & chose his favorite...old school bread pudding. He gave me permission to play with the recipe a bit and put in a request for a brandy/rum sauce if possible. Woot!
Here is the Bread Pudding Recipe in case you were interested. And, HERE are the shrooms:
It was a very simple recipe that had me scalding heavy whipping cream and then steeping dried Candy Caps in it for an hour. The house smelled very sweet - and maybe a little like curry.
I was supposed to use "half a loaf of pullman-sized brioche". So, yeah, I used nearly a full loaf of Challah. Pretty similar, I thought.
Here is after an hour steeping. Didn't look all that dramatically different, but it sure tasted lovely.
Here is the pudding after straining shrooms from cream, adding eggs, soaking bread with custard, sprinkling golden raisins and currants and cooking for a while. Golden yummy-ness!
One piece left after all was said and done. My clever brother in law figured out the secret ingredient after some hints. And, nobody freaked out that I used mushrooms in this dessert. I think that they may expect as much from me.
To celebrate this Kitchen Adventure Post and to share a recent download that I am currently in love with I leave you with this - a cover of an old Bread tune by the band called Cake. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?
*Note to self: discuss Autumn vacation planning with DH tonight or sooner.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Friday, August 08, 2008
8/8/08
This day carries many a mixed feeling. And, deserves its own treat. So I bought these:
They were made by a very cool, energetic, edgy, interesting glass artist that I've gotten to know on etsy. Her shop is called Combustion Glassworks - and her nickname is "TNT". She and I are in the same California Crafting Club Street Team and I've collected a few pair of her earrings and this beautiful pendant:
Yeah, I've always been a girl that brakes for rainbows. Ask my Mom.
When I saw the red-hot, super shiny, celebratory dangle earrings in TNT's shop - named "Shanghai" - of course I needed to have them for today. They make me feel a little extra happy & that's a good thing. Maybe some dumplings could help too? And, a little Turnip Cake.
So how many days 'til the next batch of referrals come out?
For your Retail Therapy Pleasure - Here is a link to Combustion Glassworks Shop. Hope this post finds you enjoying the beginning to a really great weekend. xo
They were made by a very cool, energetic, edgy, interesting glass artist that I've gotten to know on etsy. Her shop is called Combustion Glassworks - and her nickname is "TNT". She and I are in the same California Crafting Club Street Team and I've collected a few pair of her earrings and this beautiful pendant:
Yeah, I've always been a girl that brakes for rainbows. Ask my Mom.
When I saw the red-hot, super shiny, celebratory dangle earrings in TNT's shop - named "Shanghai" - of course I needed to have them for today. They make me feel a little extra happy & that's a good thing. Maybe some dumplings could help too? And, a little Turnip Cake.
So how many days 'til the next batch of referrals come out?
For your Retail Therapy Pleasure - Here is a link to Combustion Glassworks Shop. Hope this post finds you enjoying the beginning to a really great weekend. xo
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Plucky Penguin Preview
Plucky Penguin Preview
Originally uploaded by wzgrrl
Wordless Wednesday!!!
Stay tuned for more details about my newest creation.....
Monday, August 04, 2008
Isn't This What Everyone Hopes For?
...that when you bring a Newbie into The Fold - that everyone ends up loving each other?
Seeing Peyton giving Iris a bath (after she taught him how to do so) just warms my frostbitten heart. I'm hoping that it only gets better as the days cool down and the evenings inspire fireside cuddling.
Balm for this girls soul.
Seeing Peyton giving Iris a bath (after she taught him how to do so) just warms my frostbitten heart. I'm hoping that it only gets better as the days cool down and the evenings inspire fireside cuddling.
Balm for this girls soul.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Do You Think I Could Pull It Off?
I just love Project Runway's Emily and her slanty, jagged bangs. If only I could find a better picture before next week's salon appointment....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
