I CN HAZ SNO FLAYKZ?

You know you live in the South when even the cats get excited about snow.



And, in case you were wondering, those are not leftover Christmas lights. I love twinkle lights and I keep them up in my sewing studio. They make me happy. I'm simple that way.

Random Project Runway Ramblings

Something occurred to me yesterday while I watched the afternoon of Project Runway.

plus

equals...

Christian, the fierce whining Mango.

Just saying.

Also, PR Execs? WRESTLERS??? Seriously? Come on, what on earth is the point of this next challenge? Have you totally exhausted all other ideas, because this seems a little bit of a shark jump. I mean, I thought the Tiki Barber challenge was little bit off course, and the Hershey store challenge, well, but this?

And for those of you who are fans of Season 3...

Darlings, it's The Malan Show! Check out Malan Breton from Taiwan on his very own web show on Bravo. It's a little like Pee Wee Herman meets Tim Gunn meets Lucy Van Pelt. Well, you'll see... check it out here.

Chocolate AND craftiness! Score!!!

I LOVE this idea! I'm totally using it this V-Day.

More Market Totes

More Funky Patchwork Market Totes listed, this time with the longer handles.

project BIRTHDAY

I needed a clever cake for my daughter's 12th birthday. She's a huge fan of Project Runway and has watched it with me since the first season, but I couldn't figure out a way to do the cake. Hmmm. Then it hit me...

I printed out models from her favorite designers over the past seasons. I tried to get her favorite designs, but sometimes they were only photographed from the knees up. I printed them on heavy paper, and then cut them out carefully. I used Stirrer Straws for the support. $1 bought me a lifetime supply.

Then I just taped them to back of the model.

I found a picture of the judges, and a picture of the designers, and printed them both. I printed a backdrop for the runway on the same heavy paper. I made a simple runway on the cake, put my models in place, and Voila!


My daughter... LOVED IT!

Baxter was a huge help during this process, and supervised carefully from his spot on the back of the sofa.

Etsy Treasury Love

It's always such a lift when you find your own little gold star on etsy! I got in a treasury! A really cool one!

Dinner Challenge, Day Two

On the 2nd night of the 5 Night Dinner Challenge issued by Carrie at Sommer Designs, I had planned a pasta dish. But poor hubs, who didn't get to have any pizza the previous night, asked if I would make him pizza. How could I refuse?

This time I actually did take a picture, but I am a terrible food photographer and everything came out the color of Velveeta. Ewww.

New Etsy Goods

New Makeup Bags listed! And sweet heavens, I LOVE this fabric. The chandaliers look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

I would like them on a train.
I would like them in the rain.
I would like them in a box.
I would like them with a fox.

Other new fabrics will be popping up soon!

The Ice Cometh

Carrie at Sommer Designs is having a 5 Night Dinner Challenge, to make dinner each night this week and then post a pic and the recipe. I love it.

So last night, I make pizza. This is hardly going to set the world on fire as unique or gourmet, but it's a fave around our house and I have some INSANELY picky eaters to work around. But, things sometimes don't go as planned.

_____________

4:30pm. Run to post office, only to realize that it is MLK day and they are not open. Repeatedly shove a $5 bill into the slot in the postage machine, as it repeatedly spits it back out. The Gods of Automation finally take pity on me and the machine takes the five. Get back change in Presidential series gold-ish dollars.

4:45pm. On the way home, remember Carrie's dinner challenge and decide on pizza. Pat myself on the back for being so on-the-ball.

4:50pm. Start the pizza sauce (recipe below). I like to start this ahead of time. The longer it cooks, the better, and if it can sit for a while, the flavors get an additional chance to blend.

6:30pm. Call hubs and see what time he thinks he will be home. He's on his way back from a meeting and seems to be behind some sort of accident or something, the traffic isn't moving. Oh, well, it should clear soon.

6:35pm. Start the pizza dough (recipe below). After all, it takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and he should be home by then.

7:00pm. Hubs calls. He's still stuck. And now the traffic coming from the other direction is sporadic, and moving at about 30 mph on an interstate highway. Hmmmm.

7:30pm. He is at a standstill on a bridge. That is now frozen. Sand and salt trucks have been driving by them on the shoulder. I call the highway department and they are reporting no road problems due to weather at this time.

7:45pm. Hubs is still stuck. And he needs to pee. I am starving and decide to make a small pizza for myself, and I will make another one for him when he comes home.

8:00pm. Watch Deal or No Deal with daugher and enjoy my pizza. Scream at the man playing to just take the deal already, you only have one large amount left on the board, are you crazy?

8:15pm. Still stuck. In the exact same place. Still needs to pee. I call the Highway Department again and they are reporting no road problems due to weather at this time.

8:30pm. Finally find a news report. The road has been CLOSED due to icing and a kajillion accidents.

9:00pm. Still stuck.

10:00pm. Still stuck.

11:00pm. Moving! But slowly. Like, 10mph.

12:00pm. Hubs finally gets home! He pees and then inhales a PB&J.

He left at 4:30, so it took him 7 1/2 hours to drive what normally would be an hour.

____________

So, I have no picture for my pizza, but here's the recipe.

Pizza Sauce

1 Large can of Pureed or Crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp. italian seasoning
A few shakes of crushed red pepper
salt
pepper

Let simmer on med-low for at least 15 minutes, longer if you have time. Remove from heat, and add in about 1 Tbsp. of sugar (reduces the acidity). The extra will keep in the fridge for at least a week and is great for bagel or french bread pizzas.


Pizza Dough

(I make this in a bread machine on the manual setting, but I'm sure that you could make this by hand.)

1/2 Tbsp. yeast
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water

Makes enough for two pizzas. Bake pizzas at 450 degrees on the bottom rack of your oven for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is golden. You can also use this dough for calzones.

Wii-idiot

Last night, I was playing tennis with my hubs. On the Wii.

I was behind, but making a valiant comeback. The Fisher-Price-Little-People in the stands were chanting my name. It was epic. The stuff of legends.

My husband returned my blinding serve and I made a move to return the ball.

And somehow, hit myself in the eye with my own controller.

I. AM. AWESOME.

Perspective

I prefer not to think of these as 99-cents-a-bag-sale-after-season-Christmas M&M's, but rather a festive Valentine/St. Patrick's Day mix.

The Cobbler has no oven mitts.

Every once in a while, I realize that I am in need of a few things. Things that I can sew. I won't even show you my old oven mitts, they were so sad. But look!

Something for me! That I sewed! For myself! Wheeeee! The towels are microfiber waffle weave, which is new to me, but supposedly crazy-absorbent and strong. And now pretty!

I also took some time to make some things that I've needed in my sewing studio - a craft apron, a wrist pincushion, a new cover for my extra-wide ironing board, and I've also done some painting...

I promise to show pictures soon. Oh my heavens, I LOVE this paint color.

Dove - The Oprah Chocolate

This just feels like a lot of pressure from a chocolate wrapper, don't you think?

Funky Fabulous Patchwork

I just can't bear the throw away beautiful pieces of fabric, small though they may be.

But I think that they are gorgeous as a patchwork band on these new Market Totes.

More coming soon!

Random Things I Learned in '07

A postal scale is a good thing.

Not all consignment stores are created equal.

If the post office closes in 20 minutes, I will most likely have 30 minutes of work left to do.

Etsy trading has been very, very good to me.

The little buttons and icons on my camera actually do have purpose, and when used correctly, are mightly helpful.

E 6000 Adhesive is just awesome.

No matter how many address labels you print, it is not enough.

Magnets can be tricky.

No matter how many headbands you give to your model, she will still complain about modeling.

Etsy rocks!

Etsy Picks du Jour

For the fur babies...
Funky Dog Organic Shampoo Bar by TheModernPet.

See Spot Custom Dog Collar by YuppiePuppie.

Catnip Fortune Cookies by JackandMicah.

Etsy Picks du Jour

Forget Me Not Clips by SusyJack.

For all those holiday thank yous, Red Poppies on Blue Notecards from thecraftpantry. Love those colors!

To help out with the New Year's resolution to read more, The Perfect Bookmark from gurlygirl. And truly, I think it IS the perfect bookmark, don't you?

Return of the Etsy Picks du Jour

I'm bringing back the Etsy Picks du Jour for 2008! Woot!

And since it's the new year, let's get organized...

Complete Office Chic - set of magnets, pushpins, and paperclips by BellaBludesigns.

Fabulous Fonts Wood Tray by CarolinaCottage.

Living Steel Jewelry Display by TimothyAdamDesigns.