scrumdillydilly

be my valentine: red velvet shortbread bites

2012-02-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

I really wanted to make cake batter shortbread bits but I had no yellow cake mix in the pantry. I did have Red Velvet cake mix and since it is the month of lurve I thought why not? So I mixed up the dough and liberated my cookie press and got all cookie happy until I discovered the sad truth. Cake mixes have baking powder and such in them...my happily pressed cookies oozed into blobs and showed no hint at their pretty pressed selves. Back to the drawing board I went and I came up with these red velvet sandwich bites which were totally inspired by these photos from Heather of Sprinkle Bakes.

Ingredients:

*3/4 cups confectioners sugar

*1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, soft

*1 cup red velvet cake mix

*1/3 cup flour (more if your dough feels too sticky)

Mix all your ingredients together with a wooden spoon and chill until firm. When mixing ingredients, mix butter and sugar first then add 1/3 cup of flour until incorporated. Next, add the cake mix and then add more flour if the dough is too sticky. I popped my dough into the fridge overnight and let it come to room temperature before rolling.

Roll dough into small balls (smaller than a large marble) and place on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.

Fill a small bowl with rainbow nonpareils and coat each cookie with the rainbow goodness. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, the cookies will flatten out considerably.

Once cool, swipe a smidge of cream cheese frosting to the bottom of one cookie, placing another on top, sprinkle sides out. Enjoy!

oh dear

2012-02-01T22:41:00.000-08:00

Today I made the realization that not only am I becoming my mother but I am becoming my grandmother as well (not really a bad thing, just a thing thing). This discovery hit me on the head as I walked around the tiny casa this morning only half dressed for work. I was only half dressed in an attempt to keep my sorry too-big-for-me jeans from having to be tugged up even more than usual when it was time for me to crawl around with the kiddos at job-o number one (which by the way, is my only job right now, my allergies got the best of me at job-o number two so I am on standby until they move to their new location). I thought that if I waited until it was time to actually walk out the door, maybe the falling off part of my jeans could be delayed. Then, as I stood at the kitchen sink eating a banana and mumbling to myself I realized I was kinda cold and I looked down at my self and busted out laughing. not only was I half dressed, I was crazy-lady half dressed. There was my top, it was on and my skivvies, of course bu then once you got bellow my knees the wonkiness showed. I only had one sock on (purple, red, orange and cream striped knee) but both fuzzy slippers.

Yeah. Crazy.

Why one sock you might ask? I grabbed my pile of clothes from the bedroom to change in the bathroom as I had already opened the blinds in the bedroom but one of my socks was not a part of the grab. It just ditched me and left my left foot wanting. So there you have it. Whereas granny would comp around her Glendale apartment in brassiere, knee high tan stockings and matching 1970s clompers, I bring in a new milleniumish flair with one stripey sock and fuzzy slippers.

sticks and stones

2012-02-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

I am not a knitter. Nor do I pretend to have any skill witha crochet hook. It is what it is and I have had friends gleefully chuckle at myineptness yet that doesn’t stop me from buying yarn. I seem to lean towardsgrey and more grey and I have no idea why I continue to peruse the yarn aislewhen I get the chance. Since I have a small mountain elevating in my verycraft-cluttered living room I felt it was time to do something with all thathappy (though not fancy) fiber. After sitting on our old sofa that is indesperate need of covering with my eyes darting from one pile to another Ispied a small bundle of sticks (yup, sticks) which immediately made me get upto see if I had my beach rocks within sight.

Thinking back to making friendship bracelets and the happycalm that comes with knotting knotafter knot, I scooped up some yarn, sticks and stones, grabbed a pair of scissors, popped anepisode of Wonderfalls on and began knotting and knotting and knotting somemore.

Here is the wonder I came up with:

You might be thinking this is simply a rock with yarnwrapped around it but you are wrong. It is a rock, yes and there is yarn, yesbut the yarn is not simply wrapped, it is knotted and if you look closely youwill see a tiny pattern running across the surface of my flat happy beachstone. Instead of simply wrapping, I whipped out the magic of the friendshipbracelet knot. You can do this as well, it’s really easy, all you need is apalm-sized flat rock or larger. Grab a length of yarn and tie it around yourstone and begin wrapping as you would a friendship bracelet, replacing the rockwith the center thread.

As you knot, always pull in the same direction to createthat happy bumpy dance across the surface. Add another color if you like or,switch it up and knot around a twig or stick. To create more patterns, thread alarge eyed needle with embroidery thread or yarn and weave it in and out acrossthe surface of your yarn wrapped stone. Keep all untidy knots to the bottom or use shorter lengths of yarn and knot on new lengths and keep them visible for a folksy look.You can use your rocks as desk decorations or paperweights. Glue two or threeatop each other for added oomph or simple use them as building blocks.

So what are you waiting for? Toss on a sweater and a pair ofcomfy sneakers and hit some nature for a rock hunt, don’t forget the sticks!

lovely love: make shortbread bites

2012-01-31T09:22:00.000-08:00

Shortbread cookies are a specialty of mine. I enjoy baking them and my friends enjoy eating them. When I first began baking up shortbread, I went the traditional route and attempted to roll the sugary dough into Martha Stewart-worthy logs with little success. The cookies tasted lovely but looked a little less than. One day, in my haste and frustration, I heaped all the dough onto the cookie sheet into a mound that I squared off with a sharp knife once the cookies were out of the oven. I began calling them shortbread bites and merrily went on my way. This past month, I have been seeing recipes for shortbread bites popping up all over the place. Here are a few pointers I will offer.

Your basic shortbread dough is equal parts butter, flour and sugar....give or take a smidge here or there. I use a little less sugar. The dough is so simple to make and comes together so easily you can whip a batch up with a worn wooden spoon. No mixers needed. Use confectioners/powdered sugar, it adds no grain to the dough. Add a pinch of salt, or better yet, sprinkle a little salt on top. When adding vanilla, forget a measuring spoon, simply add a cap full, that's what my mamos taught me. If you wish to add sprinkles or lavender buds, use your hands and then add a smattering to the top. Make a double batch of dough to store in the freezer. Form one part into a log so you can have instant slice and bake goodness for those gray mornings that need a pick me up. Remove the dough from the oven a minute or two even before the timer goes off. An underbaked shortbread cookie will have a dazzling bit of chew and it changes the whole cookie eating experience.

When making shortbread bites, you can use a knife to square off edges (don't throw them away, they are just as tasty) and slice through the dough while it is still warm to cut dozens of small bite-sized piece. You can also use an assortment of your smallest cookie cutters. They have a certain charm that enhances the sweetness of the cookie. Most of all, make sure to share the wealth. A small bit of baked goodness can usual brighten the dreariest of days! Happy almost-Febraury!

a wandering spider, mini adventure and the general goofiness of my days

2012-01-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Last week I spotted a large black spider camping out in a corner of the tiny casa. It was crumpled in upon itself and I thought it might be dead. It wasn't. It also wasn't a black widow so I let the little guy hang out in the corner. A few days later, it was still a tiny crumpled mess of legs and spider and I thought once again, it must be dead. It wasn't. On Friday, I spotted the critter over my head halfway between its corner and the computer. On Saturday, it appeared to be having tea with a tangle of plastic elephants hanging over the computer. Today, it has made its way to sock monkey alley and I wonder, wonder, wonder what is going on in its noggin. And in the interest of honesty, yes, I walk into the living room and look to see where the spider has crawled off to. I also greet it, yes, I do. And every time I see it, I think it rather looks more like a squished raisin than a spider that has secretly crawled all over the perimeter of the room.

I know, intoxicating news, isn't it?

Saturday, the mister and I drove for hours and hours along a windy up and down kind of road where deer whispered along its edges and magpies ran in and out of our path. In the morning it was pretty and foggy and misty and we drove along in silence until the view grew less pretty and then we popped the old ipod on and listened to a new podcast. Our destination was Bakersfield where we test drove two different cars (back to back) to see if we could figure out which one was right for us and the crazy thing is we did and it wasn't the one we thought it would be. So now we have to seek out the best deal and make our offer and man, I can't imagine how you house hunters finalize your decision when this whole car dealio is so stressful. After the drives, we hit up a local burger joint and then hunted down an ice cream shop that seems to be THE place to taste. The drive home took longer, was less pretty but still allowed us to listen to podcasts and see deer, magpies and all sorts of birdies flying in the sky.

Sunday (today actually) I dashed about working on scrumdilly-do! posts, laundry, deep conversations with myself and really trying to figure out which project I want to pitch to a favorite website. The light now is almost past so I better figure it out and get it made so I can get it turned in by the deadline. At least I got my jeans washed. Seriously, I have one pair of jeans that sort of work but I can only wear them once before they begin to fall down. I suppose I should get a new pair but I am completely in between sizes and don't know what to do. So I wash my jeans...a lot. And in between I tug them up...a lot. I hate belts. Mister says I need suspenders. I think I may just need to thin out or plump up so I am no longer between sizes and speaking of sizes...what's up with the inconsistency out there? I tried on seven pairs of jeans last week and the three that fit sort of were all different sizes. Crazy pants!

Okee dokee, I need to find where I put my focus. Happy Monday folks!

old and pretty, weak coffee and a mini road trip

2012-01-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we joined a sister a-go-go, her fella and the mama for a diner breakfast. After filling up on french toast and eggs and very weak coffee (which we asked about, it was really bad. they then told us they had two pots, one strong, one weak. now why wouldn't they ask us? hmmm. now we know, next time ask for the pot with the rubberband on it. i guess we need to be regulars.) we hit up a small used bookstore and a walk through an antigue store that was more junk (in a good way) than antique though maybe the prices were more antique than junky. I didn't really ask as we are brokity broke, shopping for a replacement Rodney and I suppose I really don't need an old wooden dollhouse shelf or a handful of spotty bottles. A girl can however take pictures, so I did.

We're on our way out to Bakersfield to test drive some cars. It's really not easy find your basic non-souped up vehicles on the lot so Bakersfield it is. It's a two hour drive but we'll make the most of it. Got the ipod loaded up with new podcasts, a small pack of dilly-made brownies in a box, two thermoses of hot tea and a couple of apples tucked away as well. I'll also have a couple of cameras along hoping for some pretty (I hope I don't jinx myself). Happy weekend and thank you, THANK YOU, for the love and support of my last post. I truly wish I could have ya all over for tea and kvetching. Wouldn't that be grand? I have a follow up brewing in my head lest you think I was bashing anyone, which I wasn't, only myself I suppose. I'm really good at that, don't ya know? Anyway...happy weekend friends! Enjoy it to the fullest!

in which i ramble about Oblio, jealousy and grace...

2012-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

It has been my experience that people can only (mostly) relate to others through the context of their own experiences. If you can remember this, you might extend your grace to others who appear foolish, ignorant, stupid and/or hateful. Though, there are extremely foolish, ignorant, stupid and/or hateful folk out there that may have had oodles of experiences but lack empathy so they will always remain foolish, ignorant, stupid and/or hateful.

I write this because of all the people bashing I read about on facebook posts, pinterest quotes, blog posts and the like. My first reaction is to roll my eyes, mumble something about the poster and then feel angry for a while but I need to let that go, turn it away from myself and reign in my thoughts on cultural relativism and how it can apply to any type of culture, not just ethnicity and geography. Recently a fb friend posted a comment I found super offensive, ignorant and hateful on their personal page. Being that it was their personal page, I did not jump into the fray to share my opinion though it made me sadder than sad. Mostly because this person will probably not see that their comment (and the ensuing comments after) were so hateful in their context. I also wanted to drop this person as a contact but felt that would be running away and burying my head in the sand. I can only be me and continue with my stories of my experiences and hope that those who can relate will share theirs with me as well. Think of it as working from the inside out. Model by example and don't point fingers or lecture. No person enjoys a lecture. That's not to say I don't ranty-rant away in the safety of my own home to the people in my (lovely) bubble. I do. It's all about processing and engaging in a conversation and if you are lucky, you will have friends and family who do not always agree with you, who poke sticks in yer spokes so you go flying off your happy bike, landing hard with a new perspective. The view from the ground is a little different from up on your cushy bike seat.

I had more in my head that seemed organized on this thought but it has kinda slipped a little. The nice queue that originally formed got tired of waiting and now all the points are partying at the coffee maker making me feel anxious and jittery. I've been having some sad-raccoon days for a few weeks because I have foolishly been viewing myself through the filter of comparison. I was holding myself up to all these successful bloggers and seeing all the ways I don't and will never compare and I felt a bit like Oblio with no point upon my noggin. And if I had no point, what was I worth? I know, NOT a good idea...bad raccoon! Bad raccoon! But this is the way my crazy chemical works and so I had to muck through it all and wallow in the bits of pity that followed and then write things down because I have been having horrible allergies as well and wondered if they all went hand in hand...chemicals, hormones and all that jazz. I began to think really poorly of myself and my lack of accomplishments (in comparison to the super bloggers out there) until I began to think of the things I did before this internet savvy world. I've been blogging in one way or another since 2002 friends. That is TEN years! I've been blogging for ten years. Yikes! I stated out on Diaryland and the LJ and blogged Dear Diary style...it wasn't until 2006 that I began with the DIYs and other bits. I've seen my projects fall flat back then but picked up now with success (not by me though, I'm always a bit too early to the party) I've seen trends go full circle, hitting hard, fading out, only to return. I've seen colors become Prom Queen and supermodels then get ostracized only to be rediscovered with a new name and nose job. I've seen a lot, and through it all and before I have lived my life. It's not any life anyone would aspire too and I think that's what my whole problem was. I was jealous. Am jealous of those pretty bloggers out there who are the prom queens and most populars. The ones who people emulate and want to be. The ones who own homes and have beautiful babies...all those things I will never have or ever be and I slipped into a downward spiral wondering what my place was in the scheme of things. Wishing I had some sort of flash and fabulousness that would make people remember me in some way.

How's that for sorry thinking? Seriously, I shake my head in embarrassment at my needy self. I was trying to relate and compare to all these truly awesome internet folk through my experiences and when I found they didn't mesh I felt like I was pointless. I have had to pull up from my middle-aged brain story-worthy moments to remember that I have had some amazing experiences. I may not have ever traveled Europe on my own or purchased anything designer-ish. I may have battled with stupid credit card debt and have nothing to show for it (why oh why did I not buy art when I had the chance?) I may not own a home or ever be a mother but I do have stories, crazy stories; super silly and ridiculous stories. I may have had a disadvantaged childhood and lacked many things but goodness, I had a most loving and creative mother. I may have lost my mother when I needed her most but I had grandma and while it was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, I tell you, the opportunity to be with her and care for her and show her grace and love like she had never had before is something I hold in my heart and wish upon others. I may not be able to pull of fashion and cute clothes but if given a chance, I can style you up like there is no tomorrow. I may lack the lung power to ride my bike as often as I like but I can still stretch and lift and dance it up with my mister and speaking of my mister, I have him. Now THAT is something super special. I have him, I have us and we may both lack pointy noggins and have oodles of regrets and moments of melancholy that last far too long but we really do have a good beat that you can dance to. It might seem slow or outdated but if given the chance you might find us amusing.

I'm sharing all this because I think we're all looking for something here on the internet and in our lives. We may want to be noticed or appreciated. We may want to simply share in a conversation or just share ourselves. We want to relate to others and we will, just not everybody and that is okay. We don't have to. We do however need to relate to ourselves. We need to grow and we need to be accepting, faults and all. We need to know that the world and others hold so much more and that variety is a good thing. We need to know that unless we share, we won't know we can relate. Share a little, share a lot, it is up to you but try and remember that we all need a little hug now and then. A wee pat on the back ain't so bad either. Something that shows the other person that you connected in some way, whether it is a smile to a stranger, holding the door open, engaging in conversation, purchasing something handmade, writing a thank you letter, leaving a comment or giving someone a poke, you'll be amazed at how much that little something can carry a person to cheerfulness. On the flip side, it's okay to wallow and feel sad but don't let it take you away. Think of the wallow as a gift of self reflection. Of mastering your feelings and what you need in your life. It is a moment to focus on yourself but in a kind voice full of good things and maybe even a little self-mockery. Humor after-all is one of our greatest gifts.

On that note, I thank you. I thank you for sticking by me and reading my rants. I thank those of you who do comment and email me. I have had some wonderful conversations with you. I thank you for shopping my etsy shop and for enjoying my photos and I thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement. Thank you.

hydration is a good thing

2012-01-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

I have noticed that on the days I do not drink much water I tend to wheeze away. I usually wake up with a cup of green tea and then drink water for the rest of the day. The past two weeks however I have been forgetting to drink much of anything during the day and my body is not happy with me. so I must, must, must remember to drink oodles of water.

Our water comes from the homestead where mister installed a reverse osmosis filter. We fill a five gallon jug about once a week, give or take a day or two. now that my nose is mostly working, I like to grab a jar and fill it with lemon and cucumber slices...and...for an extra kick, a smidge of vanilla extract..it smells divine and is quite tasty as well.

Today I made a list and I even took a picture of it. However that picture is still in the camera as I did not get to much on my list due to an ant attack in three different kitchen cupboards. We've had some rain here and the ants like our dry tiny casa...they also discovered the honey and a small bottle of sanding sugar. When I found those ants I might have screamed quite loudly. I also might have called them something quite unkind. Usually, the little buggers wander around slightly aimlessly but man, today they marched with PURPOSE. Mister battled them this morning and then when I woke up, they were back...ALL DAY LONG. Sheesh! They seem to be quite fond of the peanut butter jar. Who knew?

and just so ya know...I'm on my fifth jar of water today...no lemons, it's still good!

i want to wear this: with a touch of denim

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

with a touch of denim by jekinthebox featuring acrylic gloves

rain, rocks and machines that suck...

2012-01-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

It's raining outside and the ground is wet, wet, wet. A sloppy, puddle filled kind of wet and I with no rainboots. Today I will be at job-o number one and I tell ya, when it rains, we still let the kiddos out. I wish I could find my Bert hat...and some rainboots. I saw some orange rainboots last weekend somewhere, I cannot remember where but now I wish I had bought them. Eeps!

The sad upstairs kitty was out in the rain all night, I think he is still out there and I need to corner the neighbor. Ick. I also need to (as usual) clean and organize. We did a smidge over the weekend and got thngs on the walls and a mini plan for others things...

...and we picked up a vacuum. One that can be strapped to your back like a backpack. The mister has been wanting one for years. It looks like a jet pack. I married a dork. And now we have cleaner floors.

We spent a few hours at the cove over the weekend looking for heart shaped stones and rocks with holes in them. We totally scored! We also ate a lot of homemade soup. Good stuff. I am in the throes of an allergy attack and need to hydrate myself like the dickens to keep from wheezey-wheeze-wheezing,

Ack, I gotta get to work...happy Monday!

shop update: silver & gold dilly packs

2012-01-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

I think these are my favorites so far but we'll see...I'm up to my elbows in pink for a Valentine assortment...check them out now if ya like.

i am seriously lacking in cleverness this week

2012-01-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

I was up at 5:30 this morning and by 11am I had not accomplished nearly as much as I imagined. I have been knocked over the noggin with a lusty case of laziness. Stuff was done but not all the bits of craftiness that have been on my many lists of to-dos. Yup folks, this is how I roll. All I can say is I managed to NOT have cake for breakfast and there are clean clothes in a heap on the bed.

We're suppose to have rain for the next few days and our mini heat wave has fled for bluer skies. The tiny casa was not exactly built for temperature. The very loud wall heater musters up enough heat to burn your back when you stand in front of it. It is also very good at making the air up near the mister's head warmer than warm. At least it takes the chill off and at least we have an inside to be in but it is hardly conducive to productivity. The same holds true for Netflix streaming. Gotta shake these mini bits of whininess and rants and get to creating something or at least taking care of those darn boxes I keep talking about. Do I sound like a broken record yet?

One of our neighbors has a cat. This is a pet free building. When I mentioned the cat to the landlord (reason being I wondered if we could have Witch-Baby live here) he told me the cat didn't live here that it was a temporary cat. Wha? The landlord said that the neighbor had his young daughter on the weekends and that the cat was probably hers. Well folks, it seems the cat has been dumped outside as its cute kittenness has been aged out and the little bugger is now a teenager. He's been marking items in the carport and is most definitely NOT fixed. I haven't seen the neighbor lately but am itching to ask him if it is his cat or not. If not, I gotta get the carrier and kidnap the little knucklehead and get his reproductive parts taken care of. There is also a younger cat following this one around and we think this one was probably dumped by one of the (many) college kids up here who seem to pick up and dump off animals without a blink of an eye. It is infuriating. So now I get to be THAT neighbor and have a conversation with the upstairs guy. Bah! Poor kitty.Wish we could have pets here.

wha? it's almost wednesday already?

2012-01-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

Methinks my brain has turned to mush. I haven't been able to wrap my head around any words of whimsy. I blame it on the weekend trip to L.A., the cooler weather and my impending date with jury duty. Today's accomplishments were wee. I baked a box cake for the nephew a-go-go's birthday tomorrow, put together my jury duty bag, completed one load of laundry and made dinner. I have a notebook full of lists and a dozen half written projects in front of me not to a small explosion of craft supplies that simply will not be contained. Tomorrow, I traipse out to job-o number one before I duck into my civic duty after which is a pizza party for the birthday boy...the craft supplies that will not be contained will have to wait for another day. I also need to figure out how to pull a picture from a pdf file as I have something nifty to share with you.

Oh and as far as my previous fashion inspired post goes (for the handful of readers who were asking) I got lost on polyvore yesterday and was simply testing it out whilst wishing for a fashionable me. i really do love me some blue and orange. I may post a few more...what do you think? I did manage to craft a smidge while down south. It isn't finished yet but I like it. I picked out the materials at the last minute in the dim light of the living room. I thought the colors were a lot more pink but I like how they look anyway.

Happy almost-Wednesday!

blues be gone

2012-01-16T16:17:00.001-08:00

blues be gone by jekinthebox featuring a lace skirt

H M flared dress
£15 - hm.com

Valentino lace skirt
$1,890 - net-a-porter.com

We Love Colors tight
welovecolors.com

Flat heels
$70 - modcloth.com

Comme des Garcons zip wallet
$363 - tobi.com

my go to quick bread recipe*

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

*3 mashed bananas

*1/4 cup oil

*1/2 cup brown sugar

*1/2 cup sugar

*2 eggs

*2 cups flour

*1 tsp baking soda

*1/4 tsp baking powder

*1-2 tsp cinnamon

*1/4 cup flax meal

*1/2 cup chopped pecans

*a whole lotta chocolate chips

Blend well, bake at 350 (in a greased/floured pan) until toothpick comes clean (around 45 minutes or so) and enjoy warm with a cuppa tea.

I made this bread on Thursday. I really needed to feel productive and there were three very sorry looking bananas camping out on top of the microwave. The casa was chilly and so I mashed away and stirred and poured and then while it baked I called a friend and enjoyed a happy phone call. I am so not a phone person. I enjoyed a slice fresh from the oven and then chopped up the rest for our mini road trip. The mister has already devoured three slices. Good thing I hid the box for the car. Enjoy!

**sometimes I use canned pumpkin instead of bananas and sometimes I steam and mash up a sweet potato. I always add cinnamon. It is so good!

in the meantime

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Mister and I are off for an L.A. visit to celebrate wee birthdays, research car shopping and visit a smidge. In the meantime, I leave you with a mini work in progress. I hope to get the goodness up in the shop soon. Happy weekend!

snacky snacks

2012-01-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

I like to make things. Food things. Baked things, cooked things, steeped things. I like the process of chopping, pouring, and measuring. And I really like the part where I take a lovely picture. I'm also quite prone to laziness so that when I'm really ready for a bite but nothing is ready I could easily reach for a bowl of cereal or sneak out to a fast food dungeon. One of the plus sides of living here in SLO is that there are NO drive-thrus. Not a one! And, now that the nose works, I want to take advantage of it (until I lose it again as it is wont to do) and eat good things. So I make sure to hit the market and purchase such things. I still pick up crackers and bread and I still bake (the mister is a major snacker) but so far, I have not hit the cereal or the burger joints, instead I have a snacky lunch. My favorite kind.

A snacky lunch only works when you have the goodness on hand. You want a little sweet, a little crunch, a bit of protein and if you do grains, something whole and nutty. Last week, I was on a pear kick. I would halve a pear, add a handful of pecans, a couple slices of Dubliner cheese and two hard-boiled eggs with cracked pepper. Delicious! Yesterday I had a particularly delightful snacky snack of aged gouda, an apple, handful of walnuts, handful of multi-grain crackers, a slice of poached chicken and a wee square of delicious chocolate. So good! I also discovered that there are not too many of you out there who like walnuts. Interesting. I am so grateful I can eat nuts.

Earlier this week I baked a batch of Valentine's cake-mix cookies. They were fun, smelled crazy sweet and posed quite nicely for pictures. I ate one and was knocked over by the sweet. I'm not sure I mean that in a good way. Mister comes home and sees the cookies and partakes and then partakes some more all the while I holler at him to pace himself. I ate another one yesterday and I think I need to throw them away. They aren't awful but if yer gonna have temptation around, make sure it is worthwhile. They are perfect cookies for a group of kiddos who will demolish them in one sitting but not so Methinks I'm still dosed with a bit of grogginess. Here's to hoping I wake up...

simple things

2012-01-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

At this moment right now, this early morning moment before I head out the door to hang out with kiddos, I am enjoying a cup (thermos, actually) of jasmine green tea. I generally drink green tea in the morning but so rarely do I get to enjoy it. The enjoyment comes from the experience of its scent. When you have a sniffer that plays drama queen you spend more time not tasting anything than enjoying simple levels of flavors and the nuances that scent brings to the table. A hot cup of tea is a hot beverage but a hot cup of tea combined with a sniffer is an experience. There is fragrance and floral and honey notes and green. It is a most lovely experience and I take full advantage of it. I hold the thermos (or cup) up to my face and gently inhale that most lovely loveliness (eyes closed for best effect of course). The blossoms immediately dance into my head, followed by that green, green, green march, ending with a kick of sweet from the honey the mister added for me. And each time I thank my nose, modern medicine and the invention of tea as I sit back to sip, sip, sip away the morning.

I'm also just plowed through two tiny satsumas. The oil from their peels still coats my hands as I type causing small clouds of citrus to puff up around me. The power of scent is not a trivial thing. I hope I can hold onto this super power for a while. The cold that hit me before Christmas seems to finally have decided to move out. I broke down and dosed myself with some powerfully evil medicines. Being able to smell again is a trade off I am willing to gamble with. There is a powerful silence that follows you when you cannot smell anything. I'm not talking stuffy nosed nonsense. I'm talking a true lack of scent. It makes waking up from sleep difficult. It makes the darkness darker and it ruins any enjoyment of simple food. When your nose doesn't work, you lose your ability to truly taste things so you (or me at least) reach for the things that will flavor through. Garlic does not do it, but salt does. A salad with garden fresh herbs won't do but a healthy snowing of cheese on top will. Starchy foods, salty foods all barrel through but they offer no true sustenance or joy. This week, since the sniffer has kicked in I have actually tasted the lemon in my water, the rosemary in my dinner and the jasmine in my tea. Just the awareness of the flavors has me slowing down and slow is a good thing.

Traffic is speeding up on HWY 1 behind the tiny casa. The wind machine at the college is still spinning its ferocious hum and our upstairs neighbor appears to be late for school (man that stompy guy sure can stomp around). I'm almost finished with my tea and the tangerines are done for. It's time for shoes and primping and the looking forward to an afternoon smoothie that I can actually taste!

a peek at a process

2012-01-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

You may or may not know that I gift the mister with a Bert & Ernie portrait each Christmas. The last few years, I had portraits painted by two different artists. This year, funds were low and time was short so it was up to me to get my Bert & Ernie on. I knew I wanted to do silhouettes but I couldn't decide how. Frontal or profile? Classic black and white or kitschy colors? What to do?

Sometime in November I picked up a coloring book hoping there would be a good profile or image of the dynamic duo to trace or enlarge. There was one, of Bert and it was smaller than I wanted. I hopped on the internet and searched, searched, searched for something better, bigger, more! Nothing was working out and so I sat back and let the mulling mull some more.

Things narrowed down a smidge when I scored some wood plaques at the Goodwill Outlet in town. Two matchy-matchy plaques of comparable size appeared and I pounced and it was back to the drawing board.

Suddenly it was the week before Christmas (uh-oh) and I uh...needed to get a move on and I was battling the evil cold that swept through town. It was time for me to brave the pencil and draw those fellas myself. Thank goodness I was going for silhouettes for when I tried to add features the poor fellas looked like they were three sheets to the wind. But buckle down I did and I sketchy-sketched both Bert and Ernie onto their own bit of scrap paper and prepared to make stencil for some sponge painting.

I prepped the plaques with a coat of white paint and then painted each edge in their signature colors. After an excruciating hour eeking out their silhouettes with a sharp blade I decided I was nuts to think I could paint them evenly and hit the suitcase (the big blue one stuffed to the gills with all sorts of paper and scraps) to see if I had any usable paper.

Score! Fate decided the process once again and this time I broke out the scissors and snippy-snipped those happy shapes out. Add a healthy dose of mod-podge and a twisty-turn, flippy-flip, I had myself an awesome pair of silhouettes drying on the kitchen table.

I did it!

a rose by any other name...

2012-01-09T09:12:00.001-08:00

Back in mid December, us girlie a-go-gos headed out for what we imagined would be a tea adventure. There was a crazy mix-up (all sorts of I thought, you thought, didn't they and all that....) and no tea was adventured but we did finally make it to Ruby Rose, a lovely vintage shop in town.

So lovely, I lost myself in taking pictures and chatty-chat-chatting with the shop goddesses themselves. There were globes and lovely paintings and a crazy awesome hot pink wool tapestry that if not for my allergies would be under my feet in the new tiny casa right now. I was not able to make a purchase that day but goodness know I will be back. Everything is all dreamy-swoony and the ladies of the shop are just as delightful. If yer ever in the San Luis Obispo area, check them out.

up to my usual distractions

2012-01-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

My to-do list for the new year so far is quite long. And, like the old fuddy-duddy I am, I lean towards adding to the list with a nice medium point pen. A lot of adding...not much doing. Or at least, not much doing that is on the list. Instead, I distract myself with watching 80s flicks and various documentaries on Netflix or I transfer my massive collection of embroidery thread from a metal drawer to an enormous jar because everything looks cheerier in a jar, or I bake a batch of scones or hard-boil a dozen eggs. I suppose I should have added all of the above to my list then I might feel accomplished, no?


cereal for lunch


happy dishes


they suddenly popped up all over

So, as I work on adding to my list (which gets all the muck out of my noggin, at least) I also work on keeping myself entertained which then encourages me to think a wee bit more creative. I did empty two smallish boxes and move a bag of pom-poms from in the casa to out of the casa. See? Progress. Oh, this reminds me that I have a pile of photographs on the bed and a sleepy mister who might want me to move them before tomorrow. I bid you adieu with a little peek here and there of some of my recent distractions. Happy weekend!

orange bits of happy around the casa

2012-01-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

I've been pinning all sorts of orange goodness for my Tangerine Tango board as a part of a contest with Chronicle Books when I realized, goodness, there is all sorts of orange happy floating about the casa. So here is a wee bit of orange eye candy from me to you.

a new year, a new year's bed

2012-01-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

For some reason, January is when I pull out the blue bedding. Perhaps it is media conditioning, I'm not sure but isn't it purdy? I also whipped up a New Year's noisemaker garland to keep things festive (almost anything can be jabbed with a needle and dangled from string). The mappity map up there is the fabric covered puzzle I made for the cover of Mixtape in 2010. Happy January!

The January Bed 2010

The January Bed 2009

Crafting for Craft: Cutting Board Organizer

2012-01-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

Here's my first craftzine project of the year, I hope to offer up many more. Happy 2012!

72 things i made last year: part two

2012-01-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

*crepe paper lemonade banner

*fabric tape decorated suitcase

*pink lemonade cake

*painted newspaper star garland

*paper log cabin notebooks

*fourth of july wreath

*pretty giftwrap using fabric tape

*strawberry black pepper scones

*little taggie clouds party favors

*pom-pom garland

*new dining set (ok, the mister did most of it)

*jek's wonder cookies

*fabric scrap garland

*my first Goodwill window

*my second Goodwill window

*halloween dilly packs

*chocolate covered candy corn cookies

*seeing stone garland

*halloween wreath

*slip pretty "curtains"

*a return to making the bed

*i like big bundts ginger ale cake

*gingerbread icebox cup cakes

*tiny needlebook tags

*put all my vintage gingham in the shop

*see, ALL of it

*a holiday garland

*coffee bean sachet tutorial

*package up a giftcard a la dilly dilly

*coffee sleeve how to

*cups of dilly

*pretty giftwrap

*scrap happy gift tag

*bert and ernie silhouettes

*a stocking in a bag

*whiskey caramel bacon bark

january 2

2012-01-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

There is such a thing as a bad scone. I had one today but the coffee and company made up more than enough that I could overlook that $3 loss...

I spent almost four hours hanging out with an L.A. friend today. Four hours of happy jibber jabber that when we parted ways, I felt sad for a moment that it will be a while before I see her again and so happy and grateful that she and her mister made time to visit with me. May 2012 be the year of good visiting. That said if any of you good people are in the central coast area, please gimme a shout...we have a lot of good coffee places in town and a right dandy donut shop as well.

72 things i made last year: part one

2012-01-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

I baked a little here and cooked a little there. i crafted for myself and friends and created tutorials for valentines day, mother's day and just because. i also went on a major cake batter adventure!check it all out:

row one:

*wasabi doodles for rad megan's in words and pictures

*floral infused sugars for indie fixx's joie

*grandmother's pocket

*diy dress up a tanagram puzzle

*cloud nine valentine

*valentine swap through the pink couch

row two:

*happy little cloud pin

*scrap happy tags

*wee felt birthday cake

*the first cake in the cake batter adventures

*the first pack of dilly in the shop

*simple and pretty newspaper stitched wreath

row three:

*a garland for Japan

*doily trimmed shorts

*spool garland

*spice dyed eggs

*stitched paper vase covers

*lavender layer cake

row four:

*scrap happy tags in purple

*simple stuffed bunnies

*making the bed postcard packs

*fun with water colors

*dyed paper doilies

*blue dilly packs

row five:

*wish chimes for indie fixx's joie magazine

*mother's day herb garden

*cake batter blondies

*cake batter cookies

*just because medals

*yo-yo bot for the long thread

row six:

*textured baby cloths for the long thread

*mother's day succulent in a teacup

*cake batter scones

*cake batter donut holes

*three minute cake in a cup

*cake batter sugar buns

happy 2012!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

a little mood music: happy new year!

2011-12-31T18:04:00.000-08:00

my CRAFT year in review

2011-12-31T08:51:00.000-08:00

wowzers! i had no idea i put together this many tutorials for Craft. pretty cool.

capelet from ikea throw

scrap happy disc necklace

pattern tissue night light

mojito floats

fancy piñata

truffle party

ms. pac-man screen cleaning set

pillowcase turned table settings

scrap happy needle books

spool gift tags

new year's cocktail

(nifty organizer to be shown in 2012)

the rest is filler...Happy 2012!

crafting for craft: caddy cocktail a-go-go

2011-12-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

If you like yer boozy drinks to be more desserty than not, hop on over to Craft for my take on a Gold Cadillac. It's perfect for the New Year! Pluys, I show you how to turn a jam jar into a cocktail shaker. Too cute!

the a-go-go tradition continues

2011-12-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

i made the mister his Bert & Ernie this year...

and he made me a Sock Thinker monkey! aack, I lurve it!

scenes from christmas

2011-12-26T15:44:00.000-08:00

there was frost in the morning and a blurry blur of unwrapping gifts. there were wee gifts and sweet gifts and things from the list (yay pastry blender and brush) and not (whoo-hoo back-pack!)

there was fancy wine, cheese and crackers and oodles of butter fudge (i got three boxes of it...heehee)...and quiche and cookies and so much food!

there was Rudolph and card playing and the popping of holiday crackers.

there were half-way naps and video games played and robot fights galore. there was also mucho time spent with family simply hanging out. all in all a very nice holiday save for our no longer working car and my sick, sick, sickiness. happy boxing day folks!

merry mustachemass!

2011-12-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

today was a doozy

2011-12-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

the extend of the holiday decor, it just didn't happen.

Today, the mister and I decided to go through all the boxes of crappity-crap in an attempt to organize and make the new tiny casa more like home (a clean and organized home). At some point I could tell the mister was losing it. Heck, I was losing it. There was stuffity stuff here and crappity crap there, it was so overwhelming I wondered how I would feel if I simply gathered it all, all, ALL up and tossed it. With each glance out the window at the mister in the carport attempting to organize suitcases of paper of all things, I could see his shoulders slouching lower and lower. We a-go-gos are pretty harmonious but today I tell ya, was not exactly a happy-go-lucky kind of day. Man, I have too much stuff. Not even stuff stuff...more like craft stuff. Some of it is easier than the rest to organize. Ribbon goes with ribbon, yarn with yarn, etc. But how do you organize a box of die cut shapes, glittery letters, laser cut keys and bound book innards? If you ever see me enter a craft store I give you permission to slap me. And it is not as if I purchased every last bit of craft crap, a lot of it yes but I also inherited oodles from my mamos and my granny. A good bit of it came from my old swapping days and other bits are thrift finds or craft scraps I cannot bear to part with and as I sorted and reminisced I found myself imagining my future as a withered little lady in a dingy dark space surrounded by old used gift wrap and books tied together with scraps of yarn that have been knotted together to extend their use. I will trip over cereal boxes I am saving for some use to set up a lovely tray of lemonade served up in old peanut butter jars. And then it hit me...I will be surrounded by crappity crap that is TOO PRETTY TO USE.

This needs to stop. I need an intervention. I managed to throw away actual trash and fill a box for donation. I teared up in frustration at my codependency with crafting supplies. I apologized to the mister so many times he blew his top and rode off on his bike to pick up a sandwich for us to share. I need to live near other crafty people so that they can come over and use up my supplies. I need to learn how to socialize so that I am not buried by buttons and itty bitty fraying fabric scraps. I need a new me. A better me. A me who is still me but can clear her noggin and create nifty creations and not hold on to things. Seriously folks, I threw away business cards from old crafty friends of years gone by and I felt guilty. I found old pX postcards and liberated them to the recycling bin with an apology to their sender. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading and revisiting so much of this and I was and am excited to have rediscovered crafty bits I thought had run away but I also felt weighed down, I DO feel weighed down so I need to think, think, think of how to move forward.

Of course, during this whole day, whilst greeting old forgotten fabric scraps with giggles and hellos, wanting to tear my hair out over the enormity of it all, my mind started to wander to my closet and the clothing I am holding onto and an idea to start anew and...and...and...

Slaperooni! Hold on a sec while I shake my head vigorously. Maybe THAT will clear it out. Drats...it didn't work. I will try again tomorrow. How ridiculous is it that I titled this post to write about the super nifty rummage/antique store I finally visited but instead documented the mundane day I and the mister had. If you are wondering, things are calmer. He made dinner and I sorted stationery and then we watched a little netflix. He's here on the sofa next to me as I tip-type away. He, huddled under a gray blanket and me in a polka-dotted bathrobe and mis-matching socks. I'm still ick with sick (it has morphed from cold to chest ick) and hack, hacking up a storm. We've got all our holiday stuff finished and a plan for tomorrow. So other than my magpie tendencies and his lack of magpie-ishness we're good. Tired and cranky, but good.

Hopefully tonight will not be as cold as last night (it was COLD) and tomorrow I will actually get the butter softened enough to bake gingerbread and some wonder cookies. Merry Christmas Eve Eve friends and Happy Hanukkah. Smooches from me to you!

christmas wrapping

2011-12-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

I have a thing for gift wrap. A major THING. But knowing that the pretty only lasts for a few moments and then it is tossed into the trash makes me feel all ickified inside. I have a few rolls I purchased moons ago that have carried me over for a while and other than that I stick to pattern tissue (thrifted), brown paper (from packing materials, etc.) and other bits of pieces that float about the casa. This year, I purchased two skeins of yarn and broke out some of my coffee filters as well...it's pretty nifty how pretty you can make gifts with a few snips here and a few snips there...

making snowflakes

2011-12-21T15:31:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing that I know where my scissors are. not only did I find my scissors, I found my coffee filters and some nifty cupcake liners. Using my tutorial from last year I went to work. This time, I added a few paper punches to the mix.

H a p p y H o l i d a y s!

{mis}adventures

2011-12-20T12:18:00.000-08:00


always love an arrow


surprise pinecone


on Garden St.

I'm currently camped out on the sofa sick with an ick that I hope is only a cold. Gah! There are still craft boxes to sort. I got two of them open last week and started sorting items into groupings of similar things but those groupings have decided to throw a rave and are now ALL OVER the darn place. I have way too much crafting stuff and should never step foot into a craft store again. Oy.


at Nautical Bean

the holiday carousel

christmas carp

Before I got sick, we lady a-go-gos headed out for a {mis}adventure where we thought we were going for tea but it was all a misunderstanding (more on that later). Instead, we split sandwiches at a favorite cafe, wandered about downtown (which I really never do), discovered a nifty retro store with walk-in brow waxing (whoo-hoo!) and enjoyed our day. I also picked up (and since returned) a pair of shoes (the search continues).

We wandered around and passed by the mission where I admitted I still needed to visit. Looks like the mama a-go-go and I will have a date soon as she hasn't been either. We live in a pretty nifty town. Wandering is always pretty and parking is a deal. I need to wander more often.

And, because I rode my bike from the tiny casa to the homestead, the mister tied my new shoes down for me and I pedaled back home to wrap gifts and work on projects (and let the mister get back to monkey making) before the light faded away.

make a stocking in a bag

2011-12-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit fiendishly obsessive about stocking stuffers. I used to share the fiendishness with Easter baskets but I have since lost that addiction...er...habit.

Not having any kiddos to play Santa for I felt bereft until I learned of a common phenomenon amongst my mama friends. Most of my mama friends act as Santa's helpers and so on Christmas morning, when it is time to dive into the holiday socks, they are left with a limp stocking, partially filled with items they bought for themselves and a candy cane or two from Santa. Combine that with my tiny kidless casa and some lackluster holiday socks as well and hopefully, you can get the picture. A few years ago, Ms. Za and I started exchanging stockings. From using and reusing pretty stocking stockings to filling tiny suitcases and/or vintage tins, we've gotten our creative fiend out and filled up all sorts of happy. This year, I am adding a new mama to the mix and because she isn't really expecting it and probably already has her own stocking, I am sending her a bag filled with goodness. This is also a nifty way to send a series of tiny gifts to a friend far away who may already have a traditional sock to hang. I suppose we only really need one stocking, right? I still have and use the one my Mamos made for me when I was born. I even made one for the mister in the same style so we could match. Mine is bit more motheaten than his bu I love it all the same .

So. grab some burlap, felt or other fat quarter sized fabric you may have on hand and let's get to sewing, shall we?

Materials
*fat quarter sized (mine was actually larger) piece of felt, burlap or other fabric
*1 large rectangular doily, 1 medium round doily and 1 small round doily
*small patch of red fabric (I used a t-shirt scrap)
*sewing machine
*large button

Cut your fabric into a large rectangular shape using your non-happy fabric scissors if you are cutting burlap. My burlap piece is about 25"X15". Press with a hot iron to flatten it out. Fold over the edge of a short end about 1" and press to hold shape. Repeat for the other side. These will be your hemmed edges. Bring the fabric to the machine and stitch those hems down, trim threads.

About 5" down from one hemmed edge, pin a row of pins to mark where the other hemmed edge will come up to create the pouch. Think of it as a large envelope.

Estimate where you want your rectangular doily and super pin into place (hemmed sides facing down). Doilies can be tricky to stitch on with a machine as they are wont to dance. You can do this by hand as well but the machine makes the stitching happen a wee bit faster, so make sure you get all pin-happy with that lace. Of course, you can use any shape doily you like.

Pin your medium sized doily over the top of one of your hemmed edges so that half is on the burlap and half hangs over the edge. Introduce this new bundle of happy to your machine and stitch the doilies to the burlap using a small zig-zig stitch. Take your time and unpin as you go if you find yer pins butting heads with the foot of your machine. Trim thread. when you stitch the round doily to the burlap, you will only be stitching half of it on, so yep, that's correct, the other half will hang over the edge.

Cut your small piece of red fabric (or other color) and pin to your almost-stocking. Pin the smaller doily on top and use your machine to anchor all that happy on.

Fold the bottom of your happy piece up towards the top edge leaving about 5" for a flap. Pin in place and use a running stitch on your machine to sew down either side thus closing your bag. Give yourself an inch or so on the side-seams so that you may fray those edges by gently tugging on the excess burlap.

Flip the doily top over and estimate where a good place for a button would be and hand-stitch your button on. If your doily has a loose lace you will not need to create a buttonhole. If you do need to create a button hole...have fun!

Fill your happy pouch with wrapped stocking stuffers (click here for suggestions on how to stuff a stocking for under $25), close the top and wrap with a contrasting yarn or rick-rack for added pizazz. Pop it in a box and mail it off to your very lucky friend.

Not up for stuffing a stocking or two but still want to give? You can pick up a few new-in-box toys, games, or kits and donate them to your local toy drive such as Toys for Tots or perhaps pick up some canned goods for a local food drive, our local markets sell coupons for meals so that you may pick up a few and your dollar donation will help feed those during the holiday season. Happy giving!

pinterest pretty: whiskey marshmallow bacon bark

2011-12-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

I have quite a pretty Pinterest collection (at least, I like to think so). It's not hard really what with all the pretty that is out there. From crafty bits to home decor to happy recipes, there is an overflow of fun floating about (with proper credits, of course). This week, rather than tackle the mondo pile of boxes full of fabric and bits, I thought I would bake up goodies bags for my co-workers at job-o number one. Not wanting to bake up cookies (even though I am a master cookie baker) I thought I would go for something a bit more fancy when I spotted this pin on Pinterest and immediately added it to my holiday list. I had all the ingredients save for the whiskey and since I think whiskey is a good bit o' booze to have on hand, I hit up the market for a bottle of Honey Jack (so good!) and got to work.

This crazy bark is amazing. Addicting amazing, but the effort results in such little yield I'm not sure I will make it again, anytime soon. Nest time I make it though, I am going to skip the meringue part and just add the crumpled bacon to the top, no sugar glaze, just salty bacon. Recipe can be found here at Endless Simmer. Enjoy!

might i recommend...a wee bit o sweetness

2011-12-15T13:26:00.000-08:00

There's a gal I know who is a bit of a dabbler. She's one of those who dabbles a little here and a little there and does it so well that you find a wee bit of envy creeping into yer noggin. Her newest bit of dabbling, methinks, is here to stay and like everything else, she's mighty good at it. What is it you ask? Why, it's Confounding Confections, Boiled Sweets for Singers of Shanties and Perusers of Tomes, handmade vegan hard candies made in California with natural ingredients.

Each little bit of wrapped goodness is full of flavor and staying power (trust me, I sampled a few). With sweet collections such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Seafaring collection (the scurvy sea dog is quite tasty) there are all sorts of nifty flavors to choose from. Now, for the holidays your happy order can be wrapped up in a nifty tin and they are vegan (the candies, not the tin)! A perfect gift for oodles of folks in yer life. Don't miss out!

**and just so ya know, I am not affiliated with Confounding Confections. While I do know the candy mistress in charge, I was not contacted to feast these sweets upon you, it is all my own doing. Lookie how pretty they are, how could I not? I simply find their product delightful.

my new scissors keeper

2011-12-15T07:27:00.000-08:00

isn't is dandy? got it from the thrift (of course) and because it reminds me of a valentine mister and I sent out eons ago...of course i have no pics of it...drats!

today i need, need, NEED to get the darn boxes out of the living room. as in unpack them. not move them to the bedroom. i also need to get the darn boxes out of the bedroom and set up some sort of holiday loveliness. if i do not, i believe my head may explode. then there are gifts to wrap and etsy sales to package (there are still fabric packs and cups of dilly in the shop)! i'm hitting the post office tomorrow folks so order, order, order (mister mike, thank YOU, you are nutty)! toss in some possbile baking or at least focus on recipes and my to-do list wil lbe slightly shortened. i still have a diy or two to post, one is finished the other is written out but not made. eeps! happy thrusday!

note to my giveaway winner, bonita rose, i need you to contact me, otherwise i will have to select a new winner. oh no!

make a retro tissue tree wtih scrumdilly-do!

2011-12-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hop on over for the details! Happy glueing!

winner, winner!

2011-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun. I will be giving away a wee bit of more goodness sometime this week so stay tuned! Bonita Rose, please email me with your color preferences and an address for me to send to. I am jekinthebox at the geeee-mail. You have until Monday then I pick another name out of the jar. Don't delay! Happy Wednesday!

diy scrap happy coffee sleeve

2011-12-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday Friends! Go take a peek into your scrap basket, box, pile, or shelf and settle i nfor this easy diy for a coffee sleeve by me.

Materials

*large scrap of muslin or other solid color fabric

*smaller scrap of flannel or other slightly thicker than cotton fabric

*assortment of tiny scraps

*sewing machine

*needle and thread

*scissors

*paper coffee sleeve for pattern

*pins

Grab your fabric and give it a press if it looks like it partied too much the other night. Lay out one of your muslin pieces and trim it a bit so that your paper sleeve fits on top (open your paper sleeve to create your template). Do not trim exactly, just cut your piece down a smidge.

Layer an assortment of scraps on top until you are happy, keeping in mind that you want will want them to fit within the shape and size of your paper sleeve. You can pin these in place if you like but I like to work with one or two pieces at a time. To keep track of their placement I rearrange the pieces as I like them on my right as I work on the sewing machine.

Free-form stitch your scraps into place with your sewing machine. To mix it up, change the length of your stitches or switch between running and zig-zag. Trim threads.

Flip your stitched piece, scraps side down on top of your backing piece. Lay your flannel or middle piece (for batting) on top OR under the bottom layer. Trim all your pieces to matchyour scrap happy piece.

Lay your now-open coffee sleeve on top of your scrappy piece in a manner that best showcases all that stitching you did. Pin into place. With a pen, mark your opening for turning right side out. I like to stitch on my marks to create a chute that will tuck neatly inside once I'm ready to close the whole shebang.

Bring to machine and stitch around the sleeve beginning with one chute marking and ending with the other. Unpin sleeve and use your scissors to trim and cut a handful of mini slits into the bottom curve of your soon-to-be sleeve. This will keep it from buckling once you turn it right-side out.

Turn your sleeve right-side out using the chute you created. If you need to, use a chopstick, paintbrush end or other slightly pointed object to shape out the corners. Tuck the chute into the sleeve and press flat with a hot iron and return to your machine.

Use a running stitch and stitch all the way around the perimeter of your sleeve. This will seal your opening. Next, get all quilt happy and go stitch crazy along your sleeve. I stitched a series of lines that run the entire length of the sleeve. Trim threads and admire your work.

Now you need to turn this happy cuff into a sleeve. To do so, loop it into your sleeve shape and pin into place. Use a needle and thread to stitch it together, knot it tightly and trim thread.

Ta-da! See how easy that was? I hope you have a blast, happy stitching and as always, gimme a shout if you need help.

make a mini yarn garland with scrumdilly-do!

2011-12-11T08:34:00.001-08:00

I created this fun mini take on a yarn bowl/garland for you and/or your kiddos to create. The details and fun can be found at scrumdilly-do! Don't forget about the Holiday Blog Hop and my giveaway. For the details click here and learn how to make a coffee bean sachet! Happy December!

diy caffeinated christmas gift {and a giveaway!}

2011-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Have you been enjoying our holiday projects and fun? I hope so! I actually had planned to post a DIY on an alternative stocking (that is a way to package up stocking stuffers not in a stocking, not an emo themed stocking) but that project still needs some pretty pictures so instead I will be sharing a nifty way to present a coffee card to those coffee lovers in yer life.

I recently had a Secret Santa gift exchange for job-o number one. Our limit was $10 and my person is quite fond of coffee so it made sense to go with a gift card (who doesn't enjoy a gift card?) but it needed to be dressed up a smidge. Lucky for me I have boxes and suitcases and tins full of fabric and bits so it was really easy to create this wee gift package without going over the limit. This is a great way to use up yer tiny fabric scraps (I know you have a baggie or box or tin stashed away somewhere) so plug in your iron, clear a work space and grab two pairs of scissors; one for fabric cutting and one for burlap cutting (never use your good scissors on burlap).

Materials

*paper coffee cup (w lid) from local shop

*1/3 cup whole coffee beans

*loaded gift card

*coffee sleeve (for pattern)

*two scraps of burlap 3"sq

*assorted fabric scraps

*sewing machine

*2 pairs of scissors (one good, one not so)

*tissue for wrapping

*scrap happy gift tag (optional)

*ribbon or yarn for tying

The first thing I did was hit up the local (one of many) Starbuckeroos. I do live in a town full of exceptional coffee shops but for the sake of easy access I went with a bigger name store. I picked up a gift card and coffee sleeve and instead of the box they like to give, I asked for a tall paper cup. I told the gal that I was going to add a scoop of coffee beans into the cup and nestle the green bit of happy plastic inside and she whipped out a silver scoop and gave me a dash of the sweet smelling beans at no extra charge. Whoo-hoo! She arranged the card just so inside and then grabbed her black pen and wrote out the recipient's name and type of bean inside just like they do when you place your order. She also graciously gave me a small handle bag and oodles of tissue before she sent me off on my merry way.

The first thing I made was the coffee sleeve (that DIY will be posted in a few days) but then I broke out a small scrap of burlap and a handful of even smaller scrappy scraps and got to work on a coffee bean sachet. The burlap has an open weave so the sweetness can shine, plus it looks mighty hip and pretty all at the same time.

Cut out two squares of burlap about 3". Wonky is fine, it is burlap after all. Do not use yer good scissors!Find some happy scraps and trim if you need to. Arrange scraps atop one of the pieces of burlap.

Beginning with the bottom scrap, stitch to burlap using your sewing machine. Keep stitching until all scraps are in place. Play with stitch length and style. Raw edges are just dandy, we're going for a rustic look here.Once pieces are stitched on. Sandwich your two burlap pieces together and stitch all the way around leaving one side open. Leave about a quarter of an inch allowance at the edge. We're gonna jazz it up a smidge in a moment.

Tuck about a tablespoon or so of coffee beans into the open end of the sachet. Bring back to machine and stitch closed. Trim all edges so they appear more even than not and then pull out excess burlap strands. The open weave makes for easy unraveling and any strands not anchored into your stitching is fair game.

Ta-da! Happy shabby fringe!

Which makes for one happy little coffee bean sachet! Your recipient can keep this in her car or on her desk for a refresher. It can also be used as a pin cushion or light paper weight. See? Multi-functional!

Never one to not go a wee bit overboard, I also make a stitched paper garland which I wrapped around the gift card and anchored with a wee clothespin.

Tuck the card, garland and sachet into the cup and pop the lid back on.

Nestle the sleeve onto the cup and you now have an original take on a gift that is difficult to fool people.

I wrapped up the whole bit of pretty in the tissue from the shop, tied it with a brown ribbon and added a scrap happy tag (DIY also to be posted soon) to finish it all off. I hope the receiver enjoys this bit of fun! I know I would!

Leave a comment here at scrumdillydilly on this post here or this post for a chance to win a dilly-made coffee bean sachet, sleeve, paper garland and gift-tag pack (gift card not included). To make it more interesting, I would love to hear/read what your favorite project from the four of us was. I know it's kinda hard to choose (at least I think so, mine not included) but I would love to know what you think. I'll announce a winner Tuesday morning. Winner will have until Monday, December 19th to contact me otherwise a new winner will be selected (I want to mail out the gift pack asap). Happy Holidays from little old me and as always, be kind!

it's time for a holiday {blog} sock hop!

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend folks! Let's pause a moment to get comfy, shall we? This is a party after all. Unwind that happy scarf, grab a cup of egg nog (or if you are like me, add a shot of egg nog to your cup of coffee), put on some holiday tunes and join me and three other lurvely ladies for a holiday blog sock hop stuffed silly with all sorts of handmade, tutorials, inspiration and dare I say it....g i v e a w a y s !!

If you are anything like any of us, you love the holiday hustle and bustle, are itching to create something festive, and have a smaller than small budget to work with. Sure, the days are passing by faster than it takes to bake a fruit cake and your to-do list is longer than Santa's but there is a happy pile of fabric over there, in the corner and you just picked up a doily or two during a recent thrift run. You are itching to break in that new felting needle and have a basket full of lovely roving and all those river rocks you collected over vacation really would look quite cute paired up with that tea-cup full of googly eyes. Not to mention, you have a zillion secret Santa parties with $10 limits and have run out of ideas for packaging up yet another coffee gift card. Join us today for a little blog hop full of inspiration, we've got oodles of fun and our recent posts should be enough to give you an extra kick of holiday spirit. I promise I won't break out any mistletoe and I will only allow itunes to play two versions of jingle bells. Cross my heart.

Later today I will be posting a nifty DIY for wrapping up a coffee gift card. Until then, enjoy the craftiness of some super crafty ladies and pay attention to the details, there are prizes to be won!

Tara Anderson of the pink couch

Megan Andersen of radmegan

Jennifer of The Felt Mouse

jek of scrumdillydilly

(hey, that's me!)

Seriously folks, these talented ladies are oozing with T A L E N T . They are more than an Egg Nog latte topped with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg. More than a happy batch of homemade fudge. More than the fresh piney scent of a gorgeous green Christmas tree and they are giving their goodness away! So get to clicking, visit those blogs and don't forget to come back to little old me for a diy on coffee card presentation and a tutorial for making a wee coffee bean sachet.

Leave a comment here at scrumdillydilly on this post here or this post for a chance to win a dilly-made coffee bean sachet, sleeve, paper garland and gift-tag pack (gift card not included). To make it more interesting, I would love to hear/read what your favorite project from the four of us was. I know it's kinda hard to choose (at least I think so, mine not included) but I would love to know what you think. I'll post the winner Tuesday morning! Winner will have until Monday, December 19th to contact me otherwise a new winner will be selected (I want to mail out the gift pack asap) Happy Holidays from little old me and as always, be kind!

dilly cups are in the shop

2011-12-07T07:07:00.001-08:00

I do believe I am crushing BIG time on these happy, little, mad cups of dilly. Each mug has been filled with fabrics scraps, new and vintage crafting bits and other bits of fun. A perfect little gift under $20 including shipping! Which one will you choose? Check out my flickr set for more details and of course, pop on over to the shop for a looksie as well. Happy Wednesday!

it's only tuesday?

2011-12-06T07:44:00.001-08:00

already this week has been a little nutty.

i woke up at 5am. actually, the mister woke me up asking if i ran a bath yesterday. what? he leaves super early for work so that he can bike home before it gets dark and as he stumbled into the bathroom to shower he was met with a full tub of very cold water. if not for him being present it would have spooked me out to no end but it appeared to be the bathwater of the upstairs neighbor. ick! at 6am he jetted off to the depot for a plumbing snake (since we had been thinking of getting a smaller one for the whole family to have on hand) to do the job-o. after an hour the clog was unclogged and the mister bundled up to bike to work. now i have a tub to scrub and good thoughts to send the mister's way.

did i mention how COLD it is here? not east coast cold but our wheat colored lawn has been frosted over each morning and the past two nights, we could hear the wind machines whirring to keep the citrus from freezing over at the college. so yeah, COLD and mister bikes in that cold. i got him an early Christmas present to wear for his biking mornings and he looks like a mad marauder of sorts (i think the chicken helmet keeps him from looking too suspicious). and writing of early presents i am now wearing my polka dotted Christmas robe because yesterday, we woke up with slight headaches and wondered if it was because the tiny casa has been sealed up tight to keep out the cold. we live in a 1950s apartment building with 1950s appliances. we just had the heater serviced but are now wondering if it possibly could be sending out some CO (we are not prone to headaches but they could be for any number of reasons; i'm wearing new glasses and he's been stressed out). nothing to joke about at all, we know. we realized there were no detectors in the casa so now have one up and to air out the casa have opened up a window in each room so inside is COLD as well. we're not feeling any other symptoms (headaches are gone) but will be calling in service this week. two days into this week and already i am tired (but warm, this robe is warm; but i need some slippers, the toes are cold).

yesterday i got a wee bit of blog crafting finished, four loads of laundry washed and even did a little home organization (the december bed is far from pretty. it is warm, but not picture-worthy...yet). last night was our weekly breakfast for dinner night at the homestead and today i get to do more crafting, cleaning and writing. first i have to make myself get out of the robe and into normal people clothing. all i really want to do is read...

gingham fat quarter packs are in the shop!

2011-12-05T07:46:00.001-08:00

Phew, finally! it took me forever to get these cut (thank you mr. a-go-go), folded, tied and photographed. The fat quarters are a wee bit larger than 18"X22", almost perfectly square. I do hope someone finds these lovely. They are authentic 1970s vintage. I've got oodles in my etsy shop. Enjoy and please spread the word, I do gift wrap!

wee accomplishments

2011-12-02T08:20:00.001-08:00

First of all, I had NO idea the wind was so crazy down in Los Angeles and such. Now I feel all silly about my palm frond photo. Sometimes I can be quite dramatic. Chalk it up to being the youngest and having been born in February. I am nothing if not a Pisces.

Here's a repeat of yesterday's list with the little bits I accomplished crossed out. Go me!

*eat

*coffee

*bake

*tags

*photos

*market

*bank

*gas

*home by 3pm

*cheescloth

*dinner

I never got to baking...the darned chocolate kisses kept jumping out of their cute little red pyrex dish. The market was abandoned as I felt pretty confident we had enough to cook up for meals for the next few days. Besides, I only wanted to go pick up salmon. Fish, schmish. Aaaand...I was home by 2pm. I did not get to take pics of any vintage shop items nor did I finish with the gingham packs but all in all I was pretty productive. Yikes, look at the time, I gotta git to job-o number one! Happy Friday folks!

whoosh!

2011-12-01T08:04:00.001-08:00


view this morning

The wind is blowing something fierce outside. Has been since last night. There is a taller than tall duo of palm trees that clack about just above the tiny apartment building we live in. Add the carob (we think) tree and it's sadly weakened branches (it's not a healthy tree) and you get quite a symphony of clackity clacks and whooshie, blithery bits. And of course now, NOW that I am typing this, the wind is suspiciously quiet (like children when they are up to something). Makes me nervous. At least when it is still I can exit the tiny casa without fear of a palm frond induced concussion.

fronds everywhere!

I have been saturating myself with Christmas music these past few days. I'm sure our upstairs neighbor is delighted (he prefers the bass-y woof of techno, it's the soundtrack to his video game). I don;t listen too loudly, having grown up in a home on the third floor, I learned how to live consciously around others. Though at the old tiny casa, you might have disagreed but my neighbors there weren't others, they were more like family so got to witness all the bad habits, we ALL had them and shared.


dilly cup contents

I'm still finishing up shop stuff; gotta wrap and photograph my goods. Yesterday, I semi-cleared off the kitchen table to use as a workspace for threading on needlebook tags to my cups of dilly. Today, the threading on will commence, as well as more photos of gingham fat quarter packs and if I am really on it, some vintage items. Honestly though, I have brownies on the brain, along with the December Bed and ideas of enormous newspaper mistletoe, bows or log cabin squares. I also have to work on some book reviews that really, really need to get finished (but I have misplaced the cheesecloth which is yes, needed for one of the reviews) not to forget another diy project for this here bloggo and some others for the 'do. But, as always, when there is much to do I am done in by blogs or Pinterest or an imagined grocery list. Does this happen to you? Today is a day off from other jobs so I really need to buckle down. Periodically I will wag my finger at myself and say (outloud even, in a voice not unlike Superintendent Chalmers)

JESSICA!

And then I shake my head to clear the haze, get a swig of water and run around like a mad woman doing odd chores such as sweeping the bathroom floor, laundry, folding tissue paper or reorganizing my closet, thus, ignoring the mad pile of fabric in a heap on the living room floor or the (still) unpacked boxes of craft c(r)ap that block the sunlight from filtering in through the front window.

SIGH.

Okay so, here's the plan and please call me on it, check up on me and wag a finger if you must. I will eat some breakfast other than the apple I finished off two hours ago. I will process my cold brewed coffee and get it into its happy glass pitcher so that I may enjoy it. I will get the tags threaded onto the cups and final photographs edited. I will bake something from a mix like scones or brownies. I will make sure to actually eat lunch (and it won't be cereal) and I will cook up the darned cauliflower that has been camping out in the fridge for too long. Tonight we will have indian food for dinner! What else? Um...I will hit up the market for some fish (there is a 1pm special on salmon I should take advantage of) and while I am out I will pick up cash (no credit card shopping allowed), put gas in the car (poor Rodney has been a bit hungry these past few days), do a store return and be home by 3pm to finish up crafty bits. Oh and I will find that cheesecloth! You got that? I'll take pictures to prove productivity.

*eat

*coffee

*bake

*tags

*photos

*market

*bank

*gas

*home by 3pm

*cheescloth

*dinner...CAULIFLOWER CURRY!

I can manage that, right?

crafting for craft: vintage spool gift tags

2011-11-29T13:00:00.001-08:00

Hop on over to Craft for the nifty details!

a simple sunday

2011-11-27T15:49:00.001-08:00

There is an almost empty bag of cherry cordial kisses resting on its side near my left hip. I swear it was full not five minutes ago. Someone please come and take it away from me. I exaggerate, I've only eaten maybe a dozen or so in the last three hours but yes please...will someone come and take it away from me. That way, I can bribe you with baked goods so you will help me fold all these fat quarters of gingham I keep tripping over here in the new tiny casa.

It's not even four and already the light is failing me. I just spent an hour taking too many photos, working as fast as I could of the mad cups of dilly that will soon be in the shop. The windows are all open and I can hear a woodpecker in the cocoa tree out front. Yup, the windows are open. It was a smidge under 80 degrees today and it was so very lovely. We spent the morning with the mama a-go-go wandering around ancient oak trees searching for mushrooms and crashing our noggins into too low branches. After we found our way back to the car the mister and I dropped off the mama and headed to the thrift in search of treasure and, more specifically a red t-shirt or two for a project that has been kicking about my brain since yesterday. I saw the most amazing treasure of a tea tin but sadly it was in someone elses box. Drats! Instead, I picked up two ts, one record without a jacket (for another project) and a burnt orange Swingline stapler. The mister found a work light and we got out of there for under $5.

Next stop, the craft store in search of a large picture frame for a gift. We got a call from one of the sisters-a-go-go and walked across the parking lot to meet up with some family for a pizza lunch. It was a nice break from turkey and a nice visit lunching in the sun. I managed to remember to look for and find some freezer paper and then off we went home again, home again. Mister mopped up the floor and cleaned up the ants (we've been under attack as of late) whilst I worked on laundry and edited my mushroom pics. After our chores were finished he headed out to the homestead for more garage work and so I sit here on my own, tip-typing away about our day as the peck, peck, peck of the woodpecker almost keeps time with the holiday tunes I have on. The light is fading even more so, there is only a scant wedge draped across the Sunkist crate I'm using for my shop photos, the four o'clock bird has just chimed and it is time for one more cherry cordial kiss before I log off for a little netflix to keep me company while I fold those checkered fat quarters.

shop wips...shwips?

2011-11-26T21:22:00.001-08:00

proof

2011-11-25T09:17:00.001-08:00

As promised (or maybe that post hasn't been published yet, is it ever a good idea to write when yer feeling REALLY lousy?) here is a picture showing a partial me in something other than jeans. I did it folks! I put on tights AND lipstick and even curled up the hair and didn't stick it in a pony-tail until it was time for food. Go me!

Thanksgiving was nice. We did nothing but hang out and eat. Pac-man and Galaga were played, Buckaroo Banzai was watched (as well as a few youtube cat videos...anyone a fan of maru?) and I found that even if I did like wine, I wouldn't make it through a glass I'm such a light-weight.

Today the plan is to sew, sew, sew and take more pictures than I wish to so that my shop, come Monday won't be so very empty. Happy Friday folks and thank you for sticking around!

the confessional: when the frumpies attack

2011-11-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

(disclaimer. i was under assualt of the frumpies and it was ick, ick, icky when i wrote this (oh, two days ago). and not that i don't still feel this way but the tunnel is not so long as it was. i am owning my moods mind you and so i share. i hope that this reads a little amusing, more dysfunctional than not but true, true, true and i promise i am not fishing for complements or pep talks. i just gotta be meeeeeee...carry on. oh wait, let's cal this the post-confessional, okee dokee?)

i spent last weekend with favorite people in favorite spaces. we wandered for hours around a school fair where the children looked like they stepped out of the pages of a european magazine and the women all around me wore such heavenly layers i couldn't help but feel i was at the wrong party. everywhere around me there were the most lovely ladies in the most lovely layers, including my favorite stacey who blended in so seamlessly, my heart thumped with jealousy and i felt frumpier than the frumpiest i have ever felt (and believe me, i am really good at feeling frumpy).

i know this is a perception of mine and that there are some who agree and some who do not. the important part for me to remember is that this is honestly how i feel. my feelings. they may be warped and carnival-mirror-twisted but as i feel them, they are real. as for the layers, i must confess i have lost it. my fashion sense. my quirky style lay in a puddle in the back of my new closet damp and too sullen to be wrestled in this larger shape of mine. i am stagnant. there is no reason for me to be stagnant but i am.

there are some who when stagnant smack the snooze button and get cracking on things. they get out and simply DO. me? i keep myself awake at night planning a master plan only to snub my nose at my alarm and pull the covers back over my head. there are so many items on my to-do list i pretend it doesn't exist and i do everything but. and by everything i mean i do nothing, nothing at all. i don't even take pictures any more. not really. not like i used to.

i'm sure there are oodles of reasons for all this freakified frumpiness. a soupy soup of bad-brain produced chemicals, residual hurt feelings caused by someone i like, the uncertainty of this new life and insecurities in attempting a social life. i love being able to live where we live but i feel lonely and scattered and unsure of any redeeming qualities i may have. i know a handful of people up here who are pretty awesome but my stupid shyness rears its contradictory self and i'm a blathering mess. who would want to hang out with that? i know i am too critical of myself but knowing and changing are two different things. i'm working on that, on trusting in myself and seeing something good and worthy in me. i like to think that others see something and sometimes i really think they do but then that brain of mine hunkers down on one shoulder and ruins it all. it's like the frumpy fairy has double doused me with her fairy dust. triple doused. dosed?

so i'm writing this down, to get the bad thoughts out. to purge and to cleanse and to remind myself that it is time to get out of my comfort zone. to reach back, back, back into that closet and put on a dress or a skirt or two and get all tangley-twisted in a pair of tights (there has got to be at least one pair in there that will fit). ignore those extra chins and jiggly bits and find out where the mascara went and get reacquainted with those lipstick skills you used to (semi) rock. maybe, maybe if you got yer fashion back, the frumpies will head out of dodge. at least a little. do they still make girdles?

rolling with it

2011-11-23T21:03:00.001-08:00

mister is asleep on the sofa next to me as i tippy-type various angst-filled posts that may or may not sometime be published. his breathing is slow and deep as his crossed arms over his chest twitch every now and then. i feel ever-so-slighlty train wreckish and i think it's just a cycle i go through. call it depression or moodiness or simply the holidays, it is what it is and it hits like clockwork.

it's not surprising really. at least to me. my mother went into the hospital around this time just before she died. i had no idea she wouldn't be coming home. none. i think about her last Thanksgiving in a lonely room so far from her home and her comforting objects and my chest tightens. heartsick. i still feel so young. i feel like i shouldn't have to feel this way. that i am too young to not have her alive. we were close. crazy close. and i miss her. there are times when i miss her so much tears simply fall and other times i am so angry at her for things that cannot be changed. then there are times when i am so very mournful of what she went through, opportunities she lost, and the burden of her illness that my mind goes blank and i refuse, refuse to think anymore on it otherwise i might wail and wailing takes me to a place that i fear so very much.

so yes, it's the season. the season of sad. it can be bittersweet. it usually is. i gather up all my good memories of my mother and my family and the holidays and i fling them about in hopes that i can feel the warmth and charm of my mother. sometimes i succeed, mostly i do not because when i open myself up to it all, it lets all sorts of other into the mix. nothing like the holidays to remind you that you are the last of your traditions. i hold onto them so so so tightly. i wonder why when i know there is no point, no one, no child or children to pass them along to. ick, that sounds so desperate. but here's the thing, my best memories circle around those traditions my mother gave to me. those traditions that she shared even though her heart was broken. her person was broken. i need to share them but am unable to. at least in the manner i wish.

yet, through all this muck. this sad. this ick. i feel grateful and thankful for what i do have and how i came out of it all for the most part, intact (sad raccoon be damned). yes, there is melodrama and whininess and sad rants and such. i make no excuses for that. anyone who never feels these things is taking too many pills. i'm putting this out there because it is what it is. i feel sad. i feel blue. at some point tonight, i am sure i will laugh at something. i will feel inspired and i will write down an idea. i will smile to myself and i will remember my mother without tears. i will smooth back the hair that flops over the mister's forehead and feel my heart burst with all sorts of good feelings and i will slip into a pretty bed with velvety-soft vintage sheets, hippo under my arm, this song stuck in my head as i slip into slumber full of wonder and joy for all that i have.

the week of the mundane

2011-11-23T15:30:00.001-08:00

I have been swamped with nothing and everything all at once. The casa is still, still, still a jumbled mix of boxes full of who-knows-what. I have half finished projects on all available surfaces and even more in my head that are itch-itch-itching to get out. There are ants in the kitchen. So annoying those ant and fabric bits cluttering up the floor.

Laundry has been laundered thank goodness, and tomorrow's stuffing has been baked and I'm just about ready to whip up some sort of desserty-goodness. The light is fading fast so no more pictures until tomorrow and I think it is time to admit defeat that I will most probably NOT get anything into the shop this weekend. Zoinks!

I still have at least five more picture book posts to write up and craft for but am thinking that maybe I'll just add the pics and a link and call it a day. How, how, HOW did November get away from me so quickly? What's up November?

As for the picture up top, hippo has been rediscovered and yes, I am happy and yes, I do sleep with him tucked into the crook of whichever arm is attached to the shoulder facing up. He is a really good hippo. REALLY good and I am not the only one I know who sleeps with such a cutie. Better than them pillow-pets, cuter too (though not as square)! Happy almost-Thanksgiving!

See ya Monday!

2011-11-18T08:02:00.001-08:00

I have a sooper busy weekend planned. Completely forgot to prepare a post or two so happy Friday and I'll see ya Monday! Until then, here's another wee thrift score...$1.75 for two hankies, lace scarf, teacup and kiddo art in frame.

thrift score: containers and such

2011-11-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

The grand total for this lot was under $4. UNDER! I do love our Goodwill Outlet. Scores are always good and depending on who is ringing you up and the time of day, etc the score can be even better!Mister found the mallet and the smallish metal box. I discovered the rest and even found two shelves I almost purchased at a different store but decided they weren't worth the $5...soooo happy I didn't get them then.

I've been looking for cloth bound books to turn into shelves. The Wonder book was purchased mostly for the paper cover. I have no idea what I am going to do with it but yay!

These are the two shelves I originally put back. They are small but I think I can find oodles of fun to display on them. They will be given a coat or two of paint. I still need to do that.

This metal cabinet has a handle on top. Mister is going to wax the doors so they open better and then we're gonna hang it somewhere. What shall we store inside? not pictured is the small vanity suitcase. That too will become storage of course. How could I pass up a suitcase?

rainy days and rainbows

2011-11-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we had a rainy day. It began with blue skies but began to rain sometime around eleven or so. The mister and I headed north to another tiny town in search of nasal spray. I know, thrilling, right? We wandered around the town in the chilly wind and hit up a couple of thrift stores on the way back home. Purchases were made at a few and we headed home for lunch.

I lazed about looking at Pinterest while the mister worked on various projects. He headed out to shake paper bits off the bedspread when he was greeted by a happy, happy rainbow. It continued to rain off and on until the next morning but the mister and I were all cozy, cozy in our new tiny casa and our big splurge...Netflix.

Some days are full, simple, lazy and pretty all wrapped up together.

Happy Bundt Day!

2011-11-15T16:54:00.001-08:00

For National Bundt Day I baked up a ginger-ale cake. Not wanting to use a box mix for my cake or a zillion eggs, I made up my own recipe that the mister seems to like as much as I do and since he is the one with the working sniffer then I think it's a keeper.

Ginger Ale Bundt Cake a-go-go

*1 cup sugar

*1/2 cup brown sugar

*1/2 cup unsalted butter

*2 eggs

*1 cup ginger ale

*3 cups flour (more or less as needed)

*1 1/2 tsp baking soda

*dash o salt

*1 tsp ginger

*grind or two black pepper

Cream butter and sugar until it sticks together. It gets crumbly, just keep mixing it up. Add eggs and beat for three minutes. Add half the ginger ale and mix. Mixture will appear curdled. Fold in half flour mixture then remaining ginger ale then the rest of the flour mixture. I cannot remember exactly how much flour I used. I know I used more than two cups, eeps!

Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes (or until toothpick comes out crumb free) at 375 degrees F. My cake got a smidge overbaked so keep an eye on yours.

Once cake is cool, make your glaze and drizzle over the top. I tend to wing it and was a little impatient so my glaze is a bit lumpy. I used about 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of ginger ale and a teaspoon of black pepper. It's spicy!

For thirty awesome recipes, hop on over to The Food Librarian's blog and check out her I Like Big Bundts: 30 Days of Bundt Cakes. I need to try that eggnog cake!

same but different

2011-11-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

Back before Halloween, the school I work at hit up the pumpkin patch with oodles of kiddos and parents in tow. There were all sorts of pumpkins and gourds. Some were quite large while others were quite small and it seemed our tots favored the wee ones. Those they could carry, not one, but TWO in their hot little hands. While we all traipsed about the rows and rows of almost overripe pumpkins, one of the kiddos spotted this awesome orb spider chillin' low to the ground. It was pretty big and at that time it was the largest orb spider I had seen being slightly larger than a quarter...

Cue Monday waffle night at the homestead where I was jibber-jabbing all about the ENORMOUS spider when the mama-a-go-go told me there was a pretty large one in the yard...

Oh my!

Now this one is the largest orb I have ever seen. About the size of a fifty-cent piece. Fat, slightly furry and so happily full of stripes. She's a beauty. He? I don't know. Not long after that I saw a pretty large spider showing off its web in the setting sun as I drove home from the job-o number 2. I saw it from the car while chillin' at a stop sign. I saw it across the street it was that noticeable. I think this is the year of the orb spider...pretty cool.

goofing off

2011-11-14T13:43:00.001-08:00

Last week was a pretty busy week. There was work and cleaning and more work and more cleaning but still we managed squeeze in a we bit o' thrifting, visiting and mucho bits o' fun. Here is an outtake from a family shindig...we a-go-gos are just a laugh riot. snort!

beware of falling {vintage} kitchen implements

2011-11-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

You may have already surmised that we a-go-gos have a lot of stuff. Okay, okay, truthfully it is I who has accumulated the stuff. The mister is just along for the ride though, whenever I decide to purge, it seems the items I deem let-go-able, he had grown attached to. Aack! These vintage kitchen items were my mother's. They hung in her country turned Pee-Wee's Playhouse kitchen (courtesy of my brother) on a narrow wall paneled top to bottom in peg-board.

Everything on that peg board was used in some way. From baking to cooking to making dough ornaments for Christmas, our kitchen gadgetry dangled within reach for years only relocating from their spot when a new {old} gadget joined the family. Sometimes though, the gadgets fought back. We had a condo kitchen. It was tucked into the front of the condo but accessible from all around. There was a sliding door that could be closed to inhibit entry from the front hall and door but we only closed that on Halloween when we would fill the mirrored hallway with candles, my mother's doll collection and a hand-stuffed dummy or two. Otherwise, the kitchen could be circled through over and over again. It was a great place for chasing the cat, dog or each other but if you weren't too careful, you could collide with kitchen gadgets and get bit, pinched or slightly grated.

Being a person who carries her history on her sleeve, I really wanted my own swath of pegboard to display the kitchen gadgets I inherited. Wall-space and moolah not on our side, mister put together this blue board of happiness and in keeping with tradition, we have hung it up on the ledge between the kitchen and the living room, a perfectly precarious spot in a state prone to shakes, rattles and rolls. Just don't stand under in case of a seismic dance party (note that nifty chopper, blades pointed down), otherwise, you are free to roam.

eleven eleven eleven

2011-11-11T14:51:00.001-08:00


no rain, yet.


but there was wind, cold wind.


juxtaposition


signs always make me happy.

11:11 on the 101


thrifting was involved.


a task all on its own.

rainy day work in progess which i began months ago...

thrift score: typewriter, fire king and more, oh my!

2011-11-10T16:45:00.001-08:00

The mister & I have begun a thing where we spend Sunday mornings poking around the Goodwill Outlet store here in town. We've found much for the tiny casa there and sometimes I swing by when I have an urge to thrift but not much cash on hand. I scored this batch o' goodness more than a week ago for the lovely low price of $6.75. the typewriter even has its own case. I lurve it all!

the november bed

2011-11-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's list never made it out of the noggin. It slumped there, halfway formed but kept fading like a puddle on a hot sidewalk. There were a great many things I should have done yesterday. Instead, I baked scones (from a mix), did laundry, wiped down the bathroom, sent in the application (position was already filled, grrr), pitched two new articles (success!), put away the STACK of picture books I had out, cleaned off the table, put an enormous stack of linens away, washed the dishes, made dinner, the bed, and a garland for the bed. Oh and I also watched a movie. Phew! That was a lot but none of it was really on the list. The BIG list, at least. That is, except for making the bed.

It is getting chillier up here on the central coast and thank goodness our heater now works, though I haven't turned it on yet, I just pile on the blankets and wear a sweater. It's not that cold but it gets cooler inside than outside so if I am not warm enough, I get lazy and resort to blanket lounging.So, since it is cool, we have been keeping the two quilts on the bed and I decided to stick with the ENORMOUS bedspread and added new pillowcases and a bottom sheet for contrast.

And, because I am all about dressing it up and garlands and a need for creating, I scrounged up a handful of origami paper from a large blue suitcase I have that holds my paper stash (it appears I am low on fun paper). All squares were the same size so I stacked them up, scalloped the bottoms and stitched them together with my sewing machine. Pretty, darn happy, no?

Oh, do you like the parasols? Getting those up an arranged just about drove the mister cuckoo but he persevered and put up with my hemming and hawing and now they look super happy. It helps that they also block out the too-bright overhead light and break up the expanse of white walls and ceiling.

Happy November and happy new bed!

the {new} tiny casa: too lazy to dye

2011-11-08T08:39:00.001-08:00

The slips are still hanging in the window waiting for their baths of pink, orange and/or yellow. They look so pretty, sheer and simple as the light of the day filters through them and scatters about the casa. I have been picking up oodles of hours for both jobs so have had little time to get the slips dyed or even think about it.

There are boxes to still unpack and organize, objects to photograph for the holiday shop, things to make, articles to write, jobs to apply for...the slips are so dreamy they make me feel content. Content enough to go with it, let is happen as it may, dyed or not...

There are scones on the stovetop waiting to cool for their glaze, a new bed to photograph and listy-list in the making that is so long, my head hurts thinking of it. I will take it slow. Take it lazy. I will enjoy this morning on the sofa, wrapped up in a cuddle of quilts and I will make that listy-list even longer. I will place it where I can easily get to it and I will cross at least five things off. Lazy or not, THAT is doable...the slips however will have to wait.

the enormous bedspread

2011-11-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

I love, love, LOVE this bedspread. It is wonderful and delightful and tacky and kitschier than the tiny dish soap aprons my mamos used to tie on our palmolive just to drive me batty. Oh wait, almost kitschier. Those aprons deserve a post of their own.

Back to the bedspread. It is gloriously crocheted in colors I have not really seen out and about on my thrifting and/or blogging adventures. The yellow-orange is particularly enticing as it is a favorite of mine. It also fits over the entire bed not like my black afghan that barely graces the foot when I tug it out and try to display its happy colorful glory. This afghan is a bedspread, an honest-to-goodness blanket of divine design and mr. a-go-go hates it.

The other night he declared it was time for another blanket on the bed. As I had kicked this bedspread to the floor a few days before (shhh...it's been busy and the temps have been HOT) I told him he could grab it up or eke out the blue polarfleece under the stack of linens on his dresser. He went for the polar fleece but it was so encased and flattened and loved under the stackiest stack of vintage linens (plus one metal hair clip, a wee nutcracker ornament, and an aqua colored belly-dance veil) he gave up in a huff and flounced (not really, but I like the way flounced sounded there) over to the bedspread and muttered with a harumph and a grump as he hauled it up to the bed "But it's not warm, it's just heavy and it hurts my legs."

"Yes", I replied but isn't it pretty?

I think I am most fond if it because of the loud colors and combos. It reminds me of putting together chinese jacks. Do you remember those? I wonder what we should be calling them now? I loved that game, LOVED it. I had set upon set upon set and would pool all those little candy colored links and create the most colorful markers and pieces ever. While the rest of my fellow players kept their sets separately, I was noodling around with mixing up my metallics, pastels AND brights. While my fellow players had markers in red, white and blue or pink and purple, my pieces would be monochromatic yet flashy and fun. Though, my favorite marker, it should come as no surprise, was a combo of white, hot pink, pale pink, two kinds of yellow and orange. It was one fat little jack, it was.

Methinks I need to unbury the blue blanket...sigh.

of chickens, sixlets and too much to do

2011-11-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

This chicken recipe holder had me swooning the moment I spied it at the thrift. I picked this up along with a wooden burger shaper thingamabob that had a cow painted on it and I skippity skipped to the car as happy as can be (we won't mention the awesome garnet colored sweater I scored that managed to collect all the pink fluffy-pilly-wooly bits from the wool sweater that danced with it in the wash that I am STILL attempting to de-pill, no we won't). Even now, looking at this picture I find myself smiling at its fantasticness. Pair it up with a wee jar of sixlets in my favorite colors and well, you've got a smile that should last all day.

Happy weekend folks, I hope my confessional didn't scare you away. It didn't, did it? This weekend I have a CPR certification to get to, too many book write ups to tackle, some sample writing for a job thing I'm applying for and a tiny casa that still needs cleaning, unpacking and organizing. Yikes! Packed, I tell ya, packed!

friday's confessional: november 4

2011-11-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Aw shucks, I forgot what I was going to confesss (other than my intense feelings of jealousy towards, oh...everyone right now) so hows about a wee response to last week's confessional? In response to last week's confessional I wish to clarify that I was attempting humor to point out my ineptness at all things girlie. I am often confused when I receive super lovely letters after a post that tell me not to fret, that I am lovely and things will get better after a post where I thought I was poking fun at myself and my ridiculousness. I do love me a nice, encouraging word, believe me, it really boosts the ego (thank yous to the folks who wrote, thank you!); but I am so often confused that my tone is so often misunderstood. I often have people gush over what they see as my positive and sunny disposition (wha? really?) which results in two things. One, I smile and say thank you and then two, I give a guffaw because really, I feel like I am far too cranky all the time. But then, I write here thinking I am sunny and funny and honest and then I am told I am a bit of a downer.

See? Confusing.

So, here's the deal (and I promise, I'm trying to sound light here and positive), I have lived a quirky life fuller than full of tales of woe. Most of the time, I look back and think WOW, I'm still here, mostly intact and I feel pretty good about that. But then, the dark comes crashing in and I am sad and feeling mad and I go with it. There are ups and there are downs and I deal with it as we all tend to do. I write what I write because it helps to get it out of my head and then I think maybe someone else out there is feeling this way as well and maybe they won't feel as alone as I sometimes do. Don't you ever feel alone? I simply do this to keep myself sane, I used to write with a pen in a book but I got tired of my hand cramping up and the ink that would glomb onto my hand as I am a lefty. Also, when I write fast, there is no discerning what letter is which and what word is what, I'm a sloppy scribbler with poor penmanship, my typing isn't as swell either but thank goodness for spell check and the delete key.

This all goes back to perception. Even those close, close, close to me manage to mis-perceive my intentions. When that happens I fell all prickly and irritated and there may be an urge for some shin kicking. I feel even worse when I try to explain what I meant so instead I let it roil and boil about the noggin until I'm a bit heart heavy which has me crash, crash crashing down to bottom and I feel like running even further away than I have run already. It's a stupid cycle and I feel all of twelve all over again. I'm kinda feeling it now but I opened this can o worms so I can't complain. I guess what I want to remind people is that perception is a tricky thing. It's the song in the head that you cannot hear. It's what you bring to the party based on how your day has gone, and it's personal and real yet not real at all. Does that make sense? It's all relative.

I'm not sure I'm making sense even to myself but I do know that my brows are STILL a mess, more of a disaster really and I need to find a stylist up here in this little town and I need to figure out how to fork over the moolah to do it. I miss my gal down in L.A. Gals, really. They were great, shaped 'em up nicely and did not over pluck one bit. Here, people tend to wear their brows a bit on the skinny side so I am weary. Oh and thank you for your support and giggles in cheering me on. I'm not afraid of the work, just don't know where or how at this point. Oh and threading, yes threading! I used to get that done oodles and ages ago. Goodness, haven't had it done in more than a decade. I wonder if anyone up here does that. Good question. And like I said, I am not very good at this whole girlie business. You would think after 40 years I would have gotten the hang of it but I haven't. Eyelash curlers terrify me, shaving takes too long, lotion leaves my hands feeling greasy and I have no idea how to get my hair in an even part in the back when I put in pony-tails or knots. I also find myself staring at all the ladies around me. All of them. How do they get their hair so shiny? How? I have gel and shine and other sorts of goo but all it does is make my hair oily...oy! At least my grown out dye job is fairing up. Thank goodness the trend in hair color is "ombre" for once I fit in with my kooky dark roots. Go me!

mornings are for routines

2011-11-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to enjoy the mornings a bit more now that the casa is slowly turning into a home of sorts. It helps that the light is brighter as well. Brighter still, next week once we turn the clocks back. I'm a bit over the whole daylight savings ritual but I do still enjoy my morning routine.

I stumble out of bed and quickly make it up before approaching the kitchen and living room. First stop, computer...oh I do love my internet next I hit the kitchen and fill the kettle with water and set to boil.

I grab the four-cup pyrex and add a green tea bag. Tea bags are kept in the cup cupboard. If the box is almost empty, I tuck the loose bags into a vintage squirrel mug, if not there is a tower of boxes that tipple-topple about as I retrieve the jasmine tea. We have a small variety of teas toppling about but lately, all I want is jasmine. I am down to two bags and really need to scope out some more. Better remember to do that sooner than soon!

While the computer is waking up and the water rolls to a boil, I either get dressed if it is a workday or bundle up if it not. Plans for the day clutter up my head as I coax myself to wake up.

If I am on it, which is not as often as I want to admit, I am dressed regardless and chowing down on a warm bowl of oatmeal. If I am not, tastee-os it is with a dash of cinnamon. If I am really not on it, I reach for the pink snail shaped half-cup and dish out a dash of marshmallow mateys as well. A smattering of rainbow marshmallows can make almost any day a smidge brighter.

Thrilling, isn't it? What are your mornings made of?

apple{s} of my eye

2011-11-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

We've been hitting up the apple farm about every other week or so picking up around ten pounds of apples a pop. We always intend to bake a pie or make a crumble but somehow...

The apples get eaten up, bite by crispy bite as they were intended.

I have developed a fondness for a crispy, slightly tart apple with a cup of hot coffee, cream, no sugar. It seems an odd combination I am sure but I find it delightful. Perhaos if my nose worked, I would think differently but until then...

An apple a day it is....

clap on, clap off

2011-11-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

I am often in the habit of losing things in the tiny casa. It drives mr. a-go-go quite daffy. I don't intend to lose my keys or my inhaler or um...camera cord, I simply am prone to scatteredness (or perhaps we have a bad case of duendes).

Saturday, I misplaced a tiny box of homeopathic sinus medicine. The mister was out purchasing wood and I was home puttering about hwen I realized it was time for my next dose. I went to the table where I had left the box but it wasn't there. I then checked the sofa, the bedroom and the bathroom but I couldn't find it anywhere. I wandered about the tiny casa lifting up things the box couldn't possibly fit under and muttering to myself. As I wandered from the bedroom to the kitchen and back to the bedroom I found myself doing something I generally do when I lose something...I develop a crazy urge to clap. As in two sharp clappity claps. What? Yes, it seems I like to pretend everything that is lost comes equipped with its own clapper. Or rather, those mini alarms that attach to your keys that beep when you make a loud noise around them. Not only do I have a crazy urge to clap, I picture the old school commercial for the clapper, them song and all.

Once I realize I am in clapper mode, I realize it is time to admit defeat. Usually this involves more muttering and a quick computer browse of Pinterest, Facebook or flickr and sometimes a quick game of sudoku. more often than not, it involves putting the kettle on and brewing a cup of tea while I hope, hope, hope the lost item resurfaces before the mister catches me looking for it.

The meds were eventually found in the dumpster. Crazy, I know but they somehow got into our tiny trash can just before the mister took the trash out. My allergies have been breeding the worst symptoms ever and I am SO HAPPY we found them, even though I really do wish we had a clapper.

crafting for craft: scrap happy needlebook

2011-11-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Zip on over to craftzine to see my most recent diy. All you need is a handful of scraps, cardstock, gluestick, felt and a sewing machine. What do ya think?

the {soon to be} pink slip

2011-11-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

I have nine pale slips hanging from a yellow crocheted hanger showing their laciness off to all who drive by along HWY 1. Nine of them. I have been holding onto them for years. It is safe to say that I may even have been holding on to them for more than a decade. Ever since I saw a bit of lovely slippiness in the home of Betsy Johnson. Seriously, I took one look at that magazine article and went thrifting. I believe I came home with four slips in an array of punchy colors.

The punchy ones may have left the building but these lovely bits of cream and lace have stuck around and soon my friends, soon I will be giving them the happiest of bubble baths tinted with bits of pink, orange and yellow. I am so excited to finally, FINALLY get this done.

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T06:02:00.000-07:00

oh man, did i have plans. plans that fittered away...i have bits and pieces of projects cluttering up the happy table, all sorts of projects. if i can get my game back, i will finish them up and save them for next year then maybe, just maybe i will have something festively spooky for you to enjoy.

instead, i have a pic of my unfinished holiday shelf and a happy skully garland from last, last week's farm visit. this year, we have no plans. we were going to dress up as a dia de los muertos couple but time got the best of us. we have a handful of movies to watch and will be spending the night in as our normally reclusive selves. wishing you all the happiest of halloweens!

Sesame Street: Batty Bat

2011-10-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

friday's confessional: october 28

2011-10-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I was almost late for work as in I almost left late. The lateness came about when I hit the bathroom for last minute primping, teeth brushing and perhaps a wee bit more. I was almost out the door when I thought I would add a dash of color to my eyes via a flick of mascara. Off came my glasses (which are sadly in need of replacing, stupid fancy coating that is now all peeling off and fuzzing up my vision) and up came the wand and as I leaned in to the mirror so close my nose touched glass (I am VERY nearsighted) I gasped when I saw the mess that was my eyebrow(s).

Yes my friends, I am a grower of unibrows. I would say it was a gift but since I have been growing them since childhood I'll just chalk it up to some kooky genes (sure, I don't have any hair on the inside of my calves but I do grow a mean Frida). Also, I am not much for the artistry of eye makeup and primping. Blame it on my sad raccoon syndrome but I really have no clue as to how to clean up. Lipstick is about all I can muster and even then I muck it up (stupid nerve damage left over from ages ago oral surgery).

I've sung operas on this topic before but I have to say I really need help here in the oculatory follicle region of my face. Sheesh. It took me five minutes to clean the mess up. FIVE MINUTES of torturous pluckity-plucking. And all of that action was centered on my center. Five minutes of excruciating maintenance and I am still in line for a muppet beauty contest. It is crazy how much better a person can look with the removal of a small number of even smaller hairs. If only I had a clue as to how to shape them I might even win a muppet beauty pageant.

I am in desperate need for an aesthetician but I am far too mortified to allow anyone to come near me. Haven't had the Frida attended to since May 2010. I am not very good at being a girl. Not good at all. Oh drats! I just realized I should have left them all in and then I would not have needed any makeup to do myself up as Frida for Halloween. Drats. A ghost it is then...quick, get me a sheet!

monarch migration

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

We a-go-gos live almost, kinda, sorta, smack-dab-in-the-middle of two monarch groves. It seems those pretty orange and black butterflies really like our coastal eucalyptus and have been hanging out in two separate groves, one northish of us and one south of us.

For the past six years we have always managed to miss them but I think I can be okay with that since it appears we have our own tiny colony at the homestead thanks to a happily blooming butterfly bush. Some days, I can count more than a dozen flittering about. Aren't they dreamy?

this could be dangerous...

2011-10-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

we are bert & ernie

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I suppose this is evidence that I cannot live in a home of quiet color. Oh well, no use trying to fight my nature right? The trends may be on pale pales and pallet furniture but I suppose all I can muster up is a wee bit of harmony with white walls and a happy dash of pallet shelves. I wouldn't trade our Ert & Bernies for the world. Every year I gift the mister with a portrait and every year he gives me a sock monkey. I'm behind in finding and artist for this years' portrait. Looks like I'll have to muster up a paintbrush myself. I am so not a painter. Anyone wanna create one? I can offer up something handmade or cookies?

kitchen kitsch

2011-10-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

In the old casa, the kitchen was a teeny-tiny strip of a kitchen. More like a galley with its narrow strip of pitted linoleum that simply would not allow the mister and I to cook together let alone dance in its space. The cabinets were given a dose of red paint and every other inch, nook or crany was packed with all the kitsch you can imagine.

I used a bookcase to house cookbooks, yearbooks and all sorts of non-books. A metal kitchen shelf was stashed (sideways) into a narrow space between the tiny stove and the refrigerator whose average-sized door still had too much girth to open fully.

There were posters on the ceiling of my favorite children's books and granny's aqua colored tea-cart camped out under a board that the mister turned into a makeshift counter. It truly was a tint kitchen.

The new kitchen is completely its opposite. The floor is a happy checkerboard of black and white and there are more cabinets than I know what to do with. Oh and the drawers! There are drawers! In the old kitchen we had two drawers. One for silverware and one for the rest. Here we have drawers for silverware, storage containers, bags & papers and there is even one for linens and such. I am over the moon happy with the drawer situation.

With all this space and newness, we have had to figure out how to keep the kitsch without the crazy clutter. It wasn't too difficult. The first thing we did was install the happy light fixture that was our first housewarming gift. Next, mister built a shelf for our little people complete with hooks to keep our wee little lights in order.

Next, I found my much hunted for coat rack turned mug rack and then mister managed to squeeze one more shelf out of the extra pallet we found on our lawn. The finishing touch was to turn my happy Topo Chico water bottle (picked up in Austin while on the BIG road trip) into a soap dispenser and we were good to go.

Now, all we need is a working oven. Sigh.

bake a little halloween cheer

2011-10-22T02:00:00.000-07:00

Chocolate covered candy corn cookies! Hop on over to scrumdilly-do! for the recipe.

poppytalk autumn colours: brown

2011-10-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

I think the brown's are my most favorite. Looking forward to the next round during winter! Check out my flickr set for more colours weeks...if ya like. Happy weekend!

poppytalk's autumn colours week: gray

2011-10-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

To see more inspiring pics, check out Poppytalk's Colours week here and here and to see more of my pics, click here.

poppytalk autumn colours week: orange

2011-10-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

To see more inspiring pics, check out Poppytalk's Colours week here and here and to see more of my pics, click here.

poppytalk autumn colours week: yellow

2011-10-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

To see more inspiring pics, check out Poppytalk's Colours week here and here and to see more of my pics, click here. Happy Monday!

poppytalk's autumn colours week: red

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! I have been swamped with work so have had veeeery little time to go out and take pictures. I hope these will do Autumn Colours Week justice. To see more inspiring pics, check out Poppytalk's Colours week here and here and to see more of my pics, click here. Happy Monday!

three heads may be better than one

2011-10-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

but three BUNNY heads puts me over the moon!

sometimes he leaves me lurve notes in bananagrams

2011-10-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

the last of the summer markets

2011-10-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

We live in a fairly small(ish) town surrounded by other small(ish) towns on the coast of California. While not coastal exactly, we are about two miles from the ocean as the Turkey Vulture flies so we can get to the beach fairly quick when the whim hits.

The niftiest part of all this is the close proximity we have to all sorts of little beach towns and what they have to offer. A few weeks ago we hit up Avila Beach for its final summer farmer's market.

The weather was gorgeous, parking was found and a wander we did go.We listened to live music, dined on tortas and horchata and snacked ourselves silly on kettle corn.

When the crowd grew too crowded, we took a wander up the almost empty pier and enjoyed the sunset.

California, we do lurve you!

halloween packs of dilly

2011-10-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

Are now in the shop! Here's what ya get:

34"-40" of machine stitched paper garland wrapped around a happy sheet of paper.

1 vintage key and 10 assorted buttons in orange, green and black tucked inside a glassine envie affixed with a halloween themed label.

1 gothic journaling card

1 beglittered spider

1 patch-worked shipping tag w fabric scraps and vintage lace

1 handmade flower made from upcycled sweaters & fabric scraps

1 itty bitty wooden clothespin to hold it all together

Lookie how happy the garland looks over the October bed! I lurve it!

where my chickens roost

2011-10-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

mr. a-go-go is a right dandy fella who listens patiently to my raves about Pinterest and the like. He may not understand it all but he's amicable to helping me create a tiny casa that makes me smile. Though, personally, I think he just wants me to simmer down and put things away so there is not so much clutter anymore. One of the things that I think will help with my clutter is shelves and I am not immune to the love and fandom of a wonky shelf built from a pallet.

Lucky for me, someone tossed two ENORMOUS pallets onto our lawn (along with a mattress that came back more often than the cat). The mister took a look at them and found one to be less splintery than the other and got to hacking. Soon enough, I had a nifty pallet shelf for the bathroom.

It is perfect for an assortment of happy-go-lucky ckucky-clucks and maybe a random skeleton or two. The leftover wood from this project that was still viable became a kitchen shelf. Pics of that one coming soon!

aprons a-go-go

2011-10-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

One of the major discoveries I am finding as I unpack all the boxes in the new tiny casa is that well...I have a lot of...stuff. I am beginning to feel ever so s l i g h t l y smothered by it all even when it is pretty.

After discovering a treasury of aprons, I culled through them and pulled out the assortment that I wear, have had the longest and really, really like the most. These are now rolled and packed into a suitcase that will soon become a footrest if mr. a-go-go gets to it. I need to learn how to be comfortable around power tools, then I could get to it.

The other assortment will be pressed and photographed and added to my shop...someday. Let's hope I can get it done this month so the apron lovers out there can pick them up for holiday gifts!

Time for oatmeal! Happy Friday folks!

this and that

2011-10-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

I spent the entire day doing stuff yet nothing seems to have gotten done. Does that ever happen to you? Nothing got unpacked or put away but a floor was swept and a shop project was finished, all I need to do is photograph it. I did clean up my crafty mess and laundry was laundered and I actually remembered to eat food food and not just junk. I kept hydrated and even brushed my teeth and hair so I suppose all of that is better than nothing...right?

I've got some Halloween packs o dilly to pop into the shop this weekend and all sorts of wips for the 'do and such. Nothing has been finished, most of it hasn't even been started yet but as long as the plan is in the noggin it will be...soon, I hope!

I have to admit that I am quite tired of looking at boxes and piles and look forward to finding a dresser of sorts so I may put the rest of the clothes away. The mister's entire wardrobe fits into two drawers and mine kind of spills and tumbles all over the place with most of it on hold until it fits again. I am a sad and sorry gal, methinks. Hey, vintage is hard to let go of, is it not?

Here's hoping for another leap of unpacking to happen by next Friday. I'm hoping to have some sort of crafty shindig even though I know all of three people here in town. In order to have a crafty shindig, I will need to have rid of the piles and such, a working oven and easy access to said crafting supplies. Hopefully by writing this down I will be accountable and productive. Ahem.

Happy almost Friday folks! What do you have in store for the weekend?

if all the raindrops...

2011-10-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

It is raining this morning. Drops drip and fall and lightly tip-tap on the windows of the new tiny casa. There is dark and fog and I feel cozy after a return trip from dropping mr. a-go-go off at his work. Today is not a day for biking, even with reflector vests and flashing lights. I almost side-swiped a cyclist biking in the rain this morning. He wore a black hoodie and had his head down. There was not a single piece of reflective anything and he blended in with the shadows of the trees that blew every-which-way. The path in front of me looked odd. Too dark, too shiny and that one shadow...I swerved just in time, and then a young woman jogged right off the curb and in front of me also wearing all black. I'm not sure they are aware of how invisible they are in this wet, dark weather. Not sure at all.

The roof of the car-port at the new tiny casa is dotted with invisible holes that welcome the rain and wet and drip-droppiness. Good thing the mister anticipated the seepage so everything out there, in storage is in a protected bin or bag. Still, there are tip-toppy columns of smart, small cardboard boxes that have been designated to house the fabric a-go-go. So far, so good...at least they are empty for now.

I got my flu shot yesterday and now my arm is quite cranky. I am also on my last cup of green tea so now, my brain is quite cranky. Today I am at job-o number one, hanging out with oodles of kiddos anticipating the gems they will share with me. I am also in the middle of whipping up some wee packs of Halloween whimsy. There is mucho much to do and so very little time to do it all in...happy Wednesday!