Unconventionally Amazing Soap...a Fabulous Etsy Find!

Grumpygirl's lollipop guild soap is a total treat for your senses!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vt_related_2&listing_id=16207163



When putting together a treasury a couple of weeks ago, I knew in a heartbeat that I HAD to HAVE IT!

Just looking at this soap made me feel like a kid presented with a new box of crayons!

Wait! It gets better...


...when this soap arrived at my house it was very neatly packaged in a rainbow of recyclable shredded paper & the bars were carefully wrapped in printed polka dotted tissue! I could smell it as soon as I opened the box...reminiscent of childhood days with a giant rainbow swirled lollipop! The scent was spot on perfection!

It has been such a feast for the senses!
Nobody said baths have to be boring, & I highly recommend it to anyone!

A Preschooler's Imagination...It's a Beautiful Thing!

When you have kids, I believe the secrets of the universe are unlocked for you & you see everything in a whole new way!

Everyday I'm amazed with the things my kiddos come up with....and even though I teach them...they usually end up teaching me something in the process.

This is not a costume for my little girl...it's a whole world of possibility & food to feed her imagination! She actually becomes a fairy when she's wearing it!

This is the beauty of chilhood.

Remember to live joyfully in the little moments that really matter the most!

Celebrating Halloween Early...with Cupcakes!

Nothing fancy here really...just made up a Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix...baked it into 24 cupcakes...we used Halloween liners sent to us from Grandma (thanks Grandma!) ...and iced them with milk chocolate frosting, Halloween sprinkles, & festive Halloween cupcake decorations (also from Grandma).

My 4 year old did all the decorating & is proud as a peach!

His little sister really appreciated his efforts...as you can tell by her expression!

We don't keep a lot of junk food in the house ...so this is a real treat!

Bugs...they repulse & fascinate me at the same time!

Just saw this creepy little thing clinging to the window screen & had to take a macro photo. I'm sure I'd pass out if it landed on me...he's pretty big...nearly an inch & a half long.

Does anybody know what kind of buggy this is? Please leave a message if you do! I'll read up on our little visitor!

I'm especially freaked out by the little sharp spiny things on it's back. It reminds me of the art of H.R. Geiger http://www.hrgiger.com/

:¦:-•:*'""*:•.-:¦:-•*STROMBOLI RECIPE*•-:¦:-•:*'''''*:•-:¦:

Stromboli is Fabulous!

Ham, mozzarella cheese, & pepperoni rolled up in a loaf of bread...a real treat & great alternative to pizza!

Ingredients:
For the bread dough:
1 1/3 c warm water
1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
4 cups plus a bit more flour

Mix water & yeast...add shortening, salt, & then flour one cup at a time...you might want to use a pastry blender to cut in the shortening. When dough is a good consistency & not too sticky, then you've added enough flour.

Knead it a bit & then roll out to about 1/4 " thick or so.

Filling ingredients:
1lb. ham
1 lg. pkg. mozzarella cheese
pepperoni....usually 30-40 pieces works good

(I've also done a veggie version with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, green pepper, onion, black olives, & pesto...you can experiment with anything you would normally top a pizza with)

lay the filling ingredients on in this order...ham then cheese then pepperoni. I did the cheese as the first layer before...and got a hole in the bread as it baked...& was such a mess!

Roll it up like a jelly roll while pinching the ends & edges closed all around. You can wet your fingers with some cool water to help it stick.

Let rise for 2.5-3 hours.

Bake in preheated oven about 40 min. @ 375 degrees fahrenheit.
When crust is a nice golden color...it's generally done.

Slice up hot & serve with marinara sauce either on the side or poured on top. Delish! You'll thank me for this recipe...it's THAT GOOD!

;^D

Creepy-Cute! Tis the Season of Witches & Hobgoblins!

I posted this little creation of mine over @ Craftster for some feedback.

This is Sin-dy...my Goth doll. She's soft with a bit of wire armature for slight posing...kind of like a rag doll with bones! LoL! (crack myself up with that mental picture) Anyway, I usually sew cute (which is my profile name for everything...isewcute or I Sew Cute, but just had in mind to create a goth softie...so here she is.

I embroidered the eyes...and love how they turned out!


I am currently working on extending her wardrobe as well as making a coffin carrying case.

Hey Elton John...Wanna Buy a Quilt? Got your 'Candle in the WInd' right here!

I don't sew much in the summer months...unless it's something for a swap, freelance toy design projects, or a little something for my babygirl.
To me, sewing just feels like a fall through spring craft to be doing...more cozy like. Now that fall is upon us, I'm feeling pressed to dig out this project of mine from this past spring...to finally quilt & bind it...but when will I have the time?
I might be more motivated say if someone like Elton John called me up saying they wanted to buy it from me. Then I'd have a concrete deadline to get her done by at least!
I love this project dearly...and really couldn't part with it...unless it was going to someone who appreciated Marilyn Monroe as much as I do...and since Joe Dimaggio is gone...well, maybe Elton John might call!

Ironing in my kitchen...why my projects always end up in the kitchen...I just can't explain.


Detail of the back...there were so many pieces to piece!


Hanging on the line...while I tacked the backing fabric to the front....red satin...ooh la la!


Someone on craftster dot com mentioned that I should have an electric fence around my clothesline. I really got a great laugh from that!
Thank you craftsters!

It measures just under 60"

;^D

A Fan Letter to The Tiger Lillies ...and a sketchy inspired by their music

Dear Tiger Lillies,

You all are amazing & wonderful! (of course you are & probably hear that a lot!)

I love the performance art & music you do! (why shouldn't I...you're so talented!)

Being able to meet you all in person a couple of years ago in Chicago was one of the biggest thrills of my life (as it should be), & I've been so inspired that I created this little doodle of you all.

I hope you are flattered by it & that it captures 'Tiger Lillie Essence' since it's more of a cartoony representation rather that a true to life portrait.

Keep doing what you do...I love your work & look forward to your next album!

Kind Regards,
June

To anyone looking for something truly unique to listen to...I'd highly recommend the Tiger Lillies. If you have the opportunity to see them perform in person...you are dang lucky!
To read more about them, click on this link: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Tiger-Lillies
or visit their official website:
http://tigerlillies.com/2003/index.php

Rice Pudding...making it now and my house smells A M A Z I N G!

This is almost like Heaven on earth!


Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
1 heaping cupfull of River brand rice (uncle ben's long grain white works too)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
nutmeg...to taste...I use at least 1 Tbsp...usually closer to 2 but I like nutmeg!

cook milk & rice on stove top on med. heat while stirring a lot & keep stirring until your hand gets tired!
Add sugar & vanilla ...then stir more.
Sprinkle in your nutmeg... & bake in the oven uncovered for a couple of hours at 325 degrees.
You'll know it's done when a 'skin' forms on top.



You can eat it warm or chill it in the fridge. I like it both ways myself!

I Love Customer Appreciation Photos!

I received a wonderful suprise today from one of my Etsy customers!

This is an adorable baby I did an embroidery pattern of awhile back.

Custom baby & animal portraits are my favorite to do...but I will create a pattern of most anything...if someone has the urge to stitch it up!

It makes me feel validated as an artist/crafter...when folks come back weeks later to let me know what they've done with the patterns I've made for them!

Right now I'm on cloud 9! ;^D

And Now For Something Completely Different...my unique jewelry display!

The problem for me was how to display my new earrings...showing how they hang without actually sticking them into a human ear to photograph them. It creeps me out when I shop etsy and see the earrings I'd like to have hanging from someone else's lobes...even if they are attractive lobes. I know they can be cleaned...and even most times...the earrings shown are not the ones you'd be getting, but even so...just creeps me out. So I decided to draw me a model. Being that the earrings are Halloween themed, I thought a femme vampire gothy gal would do. It worked just great...drawing onto a heavy piece of watercolor paper with a sharpie pen..then taking a yarn needle to poke little holes into the ears for the earrings to hang from.

I don't find anyone else on etsy doing this...& am so proud that I've come up with my 'point of difference' ...at least until everyone else starts doing it!

Most of the current items in my shop have been photographed while laying on a page in my sketchbook...so I simply just took it to the next level.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5776012

Admittedly I'm proud as a peach & very pleased with the results!

I'm thinking I should make these displays available for sale in my shop to other jewelry sellers...but until then, they're all mine! LoL!

Nobody Told Me!

I wondered why this item just flew out of my shop...& found out it was featured on the Front Page of Etsy!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15913578

I'm online alot...& check the front page more frequently now...to get more favorites to Christmas shop from and also hope someone found one of my pieces pretty enough to grace the FP!


So it's happened twice! I found it through the etsy front page flickr pool. Here is the link: http://flickr.com/groups/etsyfrontpagers/


If you have an etsy store...just go there & type your store name into the search to see if anything comes up! Funny thing is the other FP I was on was not listed in their pool...so I added it. If you add to their pool, you must tag the photo with all of the artists featured...so the search can pull up the page by each store shown.

Now how fun is that?
;^D

Betty White...Golden Girl...or Senior Moment?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9bfpu9jWVY
You can decide for yourself!


That interview was so amusing ...either way...& cracked me up!
She's not just some cheap piece of meat! Priceless!

An Elvis for My Angel...Not for Sale!

I was angeled because of an unfortunate accident my original partner was in. Thoughts and prayers are with her family, husband, & little girl. I hope she loves the blanket I'd made for her. Such a tragedy. If you're going to drink ...do NOT get behind the wheel of a vehicle! Take responsibility for your own actions!

(I'm an easy going person...but really now! Sheesh! Ok off my soapbox...just a wee bit of venting!) On to happy things!

This is a unique creation I made for my Elvis/Marilyn Monroe Swap angel at craftster.org.

Regretfully it is not for sale, as the sticker used in making it is under copyright by the company who makes them...& they do not grant permission to use their images in items for resale. (I looked into it because this turned out awesome if I do say so myself!) They said it was ok to use it for gifts & for personal use though! Yay!

I love it so much I made one for myself with another color glitter ...but think I might need to make a pink one too! Ah, Elvis! What is better than Elvis and glitter?

The Recipe...not the one the 'sisters' talk about either...this is cinnamon rolls baby!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. warm h2o
2 pkg. yeast
1 1/2c. scalded milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2c. shortening or 1 stick margarine
7-7 1/2c. flour

Mix warm (not hot) water & yeast together. Scald milk & let cool...so it doesn't hurt your yeast...I put a little cold water in the sink and just set the pan of milk in until cooled. Beat eggs...add sugar, salt, shortening, & milk...then yeast/water mixture. Mix well and add flour in 1 cup increments until it's a nice soft dough.
Knead it a tad & roll out about 1/4-1/2" thick or so.

Filling:
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg (yum)
1c. sugar

Melt butter & brush onto dough. Mix together remaining filling ingredients and sprinkle all over butter...roll up like a jellyroll.

Follow the easy-peasy cutting method in yesterday's post. ;^)

At this point...you can put them in a 9X14 glass pan as they are & let them rise for a couple of hours to bake at 350 for 25-30 min. or so...with loose tinfoil placed on top to prevent burning....OR....you can make icing to put in the bottom of the pan before placing the rolls into it.

Cinnamon Roll bottom frosting:

ok...here's the easy-peasy sauce:
1/2 cup of cream (half & half is ok too)
3/4 lb. box of powdered confectonary sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

You mix it all together and then spread it in the bottom of a 9x 12 pan...and then put your rolls on top...then bake.
Heaven....sheer heaven! ;^P

Enjoy!

Nature's Colors...decorating for Halloween too...

An October sky...I love how blue it looks against the foliage!


Sunlight makes these leaves really glow!

I took this one in the morning while it was still hazy and overcast.

We broke out our Halloween decorations last week. I don't have them all out because some are too spooky for the kids, but these great vintage lights really make the place a little more festive!


My boy gave me his approval...saying, 'they're not scary mama...they're decorations!' ;^)

Cinnamon Roll Secret...

Here is a side by side comparison of the results you get from slicing the rolled up dough the wrong way with a knife & the correct way with either a length of fishing line or dental floss.
You simply take the string...slide it under the end of the rolled up dough as far as you would like (I did mine at about 1.5 inches)...and then bring the ends of the string to the top of your roll and cross them over each other...then pull...like you are closing the loop going around the dough.

Ok so it's not a secret...but it is a clever way to slice the dough once it's rolled up so you don't end up squishing all of that yummy filling out while slicing the rolled up dough into rolls!

Now to go bake these sweeties! Yum!

*credit where credit is due...thank you to my sister in law who taught me this trick!*

I Wish I Could Dance....

I hurt my back about a month ago...and after having it 'manipulated' by my dear family doctor...am doing much better! The burning piercing pain is gone...but it's still tender...so for now...dancing is out of the question! At least I can still draw someone else dancing! This is a drawing I did of Ellen Degeneres...and although it may still need tweaking here & there...it pretty much looks the way I hoped it would!

The Cat is Out of the Bag...and Up a Tree!

While having a playdate at a friend's house, their crazy big kitten ran up a tree while I was taking photos of the kids...and I couldn't resist capturing this 'wild thing' on film!

It's that same cat from a few posts back which actually knocked my little guy over. His name is Tigger...and has so much energy...but he's still cuddly & loves to be held!

Little boy has sophisticated taste when it comes to photography!

Ok...so he likes dogs & loves trains...and when we did a search for trains while shopping together on etsy...we came across this gorgeous photo by a new etsy shop (wideEyedPhotos by Breana) ...and we couldn't resist it!

Everyone has their own perception of what is beautiful. My son loves his photo for the subject...and I love it for how beautifully it was composed...how the subject was lit, and how gorgeously it was printed. (besides, dogs are pretty cool)

This is just an appreciation photo of the artwork hanging in my son's room...to see the actual image, just follow this link to WideEyedPhotos' etsy shop.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15773673

She can print her work in any size from 4x6" right up to 11x14"...and she shipped our photo so quickly too! It's good to not keep a four year old waiting!

Our only regret is we didn't get the larger size...so it's hanging by his door rather than over his bed. It works better this way...as now he can see it when he wakes up in the morning!

Every Girl Loves to be Pampered...even little girls....and sometimes boys too!

If you really want your little girl to feel like a princess...or to just have a few quiet moments where she isn't bouncing off the walls like a monkey...why not give her a pretty pedicure?

I put my girl in her highchair...to keep her contained as well as to raise her up so I am comfortable while painting her toesies.

The color we went with this time is Opi's 'Not Really a Waitress'...one of my favorite reds. We usually do pink...but this time went with red for fall. She keeps quiet and still...watching the whole process & we are sure to count each toe as it's painted...so she gets a little number knowledge...hey, learning IS fun!

She couldn't wait to show her pretty toes to her big brother...who felt a little left out...so I went ahead and gave his tootsies a clear coat as well!

My little guy doesn't mind a beauty treatment once in awhile!

Is Glitter Collectible? ...Or perhaps I have a problem...

...seriously....more glitter than I know what to do with...& whenever I'm shopping for supplies...I have to check out the variety available to see if there is something that I might be missing.

When working on some new creation...I stand back from it and ask myself, "does this require glitter?" ...and even when something has glitter on it...I wonder if it could use more glitter!

This is how my kitchen sink looked a couple of weeks ago after a big craft a thon while my babygirl napped...

It was all cleaned up before my husband got home. I really try to get the glitter under control...so he doesn't have to live in it. I keep most of the glitter in this great 3 gallon sized glass container...which I think I found at Ikea years ago.

It looks wicked pretty sitting on the shelf in my craft room!