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Monday, July 9, 2012
This Week DC: Handi-hour at the Renwick
Calling all DC crafters: If you're free this Wednesday evening, come check out the Handi-hour at the Renwick Gallery. For $20, you get two beers, live music, and all you can craft. The theme of this Handi-hour is all about mail art. For details, check out the Renwick Gallery's calendar page or see below:
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Beach Week: Craft Inspirations Day 2
No trip to the beach would be complete without collecting some seashells by the seashore. It's always interesting to see what you'll find washed up ashore.
Here are some of my finds for this beach trip:
In addition to shells I found some awesome-looking sea glass - would make for some great new Ring Bling rings :)
I used some of the larger shells for display in a round glass on a wall ledge. I was curious to see what other craft projects utilized shells and found a good roundup on the Better Homes and Gardens and Martha Stewart sites. The possibilities are endless!
My wall ledge (and shells!)
Shell wreath
Sand jars
Seashell candles
Shell lights
Shell stationery
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Beach Week: Craft Inspirations Day 1
I was so excited to go antiquing yesterday, though to be honest I didn't expect I'd be buying much if anything. Living in a small studio apartment, I'm constrained for space (not to mention budget!). But most of the thrill of antiquing is through the hunt, and I found a couple of fun finds.
As an Archie comic book aficionado in my younger days, I felt the nostalgia hit as I combed through a stack of old comic books in one shop.
I picked up a Chili comic book, which looked like a precursor to the Archies. Wikipedia tells me that Chili was a redhead who was a nemesis to Millie the Model, whose comic series ran from 1945 to 1973. Chili received a spinoff series that ran from 1969 to 1973.
My other great find from antiquing were these lovely vintage keys:
I love the shape and detailing on these. Even though the first is a little rusted, I'm hoping to spray a silver finish to make it look good as new. I'm hoping to turn these into some sort of jewelry, but what? Seems like a perfect Pinterest project for me!
As an Archie comic book aficionado in my younger days, I felt the nostalgia hit as I combed through a stack of old comic books in one shop.
I picked up a Chili comic book, which looked like a precursor to the Archies. Wikipedia tells me that Chili was a redhead who was a nemesis to Millie the Model, whose comic series ran from 1945 to 1973. Chili received a spinoff series that ran from 1969 to 1973.
My other great find from antiquing were these lovely vintage keys:
I love the shape and detailing on these. Even though the first is a little rusted, I'm hoping to spray a silver finish to make it look good as new. I'm hoping to turn these into some sort of jewelry, but what? Seems like a perfect Pinterest project for me!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Zoku Quick Pop Maker: A Review
I received the Zoku Quick Pop Maker as a gift from work, and it was perfect to take along with me to my beach week trip. As excited as I was to make my very own pops, I have to admit the warnings I read from online reviews and the user instructions were intimidating. No unsweetened pops, minimal alcohol in pops, must freeze unit for at least 24 hours, no filling past the line, make sure unit is completely dry before freezing...break any rules and I run the risk of not being able to pull out my pops or, even worse, breaking the pop maker itself. For such a happy little product, there were a lot of things that scared me.
From the Zoku recipe book, I decided to try the recipe for the S'Mores pops, which involved making a fudge base and alternating with layers of mini marshmallows and graham cracker. For my first batch, it became a little messy as I tried to pour the fudge mixture into the narrow pop slots (see Exhibit A).
I learned that a funnel or spout to pour the liquids vastly improved subsequent results. After filling the molds and with about 10 minutes of waiting, out came this little guy:
Verdict: Delicious! Very tasty and not at all artificial. I was so happy about how this turned out that I didn't mind all the extra hassle of reading through the do's and don'ts before starting. And I love how the Zoku maker lets you play up your creative side. I have a feeling the Zoku blog, filled with recipes and how-to's, will soon make its way to my favorites list.
Here are a couple other tips I learned through my first batch of pops:
- For the second and subsequent batches, it will take progressively longer for the pops to freeze. I even put the unit back into the freezer for the second batch to make sure it froze properly.
- It's also helpful to cool/chill the liquid for the pops (in my case, the fudge base) prior to filling the molds.
- If a pop gets stuck in the maker, just let it thaw out in the unit and then start over.
- Have a chopstick or other blunt object on hand to push down/pack in the ingredients, especially if you have something like marshmallows or toppings that can create gaps in the pop mold. You want to keep the pop packed in dense to make sure it doesn't fall apart.
Happy popping!
From the Zoku recipe book, I decided to try the recipe for the S'Mores pops, which involved making a fudge base and alternating with layers of mini marshmallows and graham cracker. For my first batch, it became a little messy as I tried to pour the fudge mixture into the narrow pop slots (see Exhibit A).
 |
| Exhibit A: My first attempt at pops, a hot (or rather cold) mess |
I learned that a funnel or spout to pour the liquids vastly improved subsequent results. After filling the molds and with about 10 minutes of waiting, out came this little guy:
Verdict: Delicious! Very tasty and not at all artificial. I was so happy about how this turned out that I didn't mind all the extra hassle of reading through the do's and don'ts before starting. And I love how the Zoku maker lets you play up your creative side. I have a feeling the Zoku blog, filled with recipes and how-to's, will soon make its way to my favorites list.
Here are a couple other tips I learned through my first batch of pops:
- For the second and subsequent batches, it will take progressively longer for the pops to freeze. I even put the unit back into the freezer for the second batch to make sure it froze properly.
- It's also helpful to cool/chill the liquid for the pops (in my case, the fudge base) prior to filling the molds.
- If a pop gets stuck in the maker, just let it thaw out in the unit and then start over.
- Have a chopstick or other blunt object on hand to push down/pack in the ingredients, especially if you have something like marshmallows or toppings that can create gaps in the pop mold. You want to keep the pop packed in dense to make sure it doesn't fall apart.
Happy popping!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Summer Prep
If you're ever having a bad day and need a nice visual pick-me-up, I suggest checking out the tumblr All Things Girly & Beautiful. It's so lighthearted and summery, it's bound to make anyone's day just a little brighter.
I thought of this tumblr as an inspiration for my latest Dome ring collection at Ring Bling. These rings are girly, preppy and perfect for summer.
The ring in the second photo is The Sparkler, a fun, multi-colored glittery bauble. And the bottom two rings feature Chevron stripes, which are absolutely my new favorite print. I figured, if they're popping up on everything from fabrics to upholstery, might as well add them to jewelry as well!
Whether you wear them to the office, to the beach, or out on the town, they're sure to bring a touch of summer shine to your look!
I thought of this tumblr as an inspiration for my latest Dome ring collection at Ring Bling. These rings are girly, preppy and perfect for summer.
The ring in the second photo is The Sparkler, a fun, multi-colored glittery bauble. And the bottom two rings feature Chevron stripes, which are absolutely my new favorite print. I figured, if they're popping up on everything from fabrics to upholstery, might as well add them to jewelry as well!
Whether you wear them to the office, to the beach, or out on the town, they're sure to bring a touch of summer shine to your look!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Channeling Your Inner Librarian
This just in..four new titles to add to the hollow book safe collection on Ring Bling. Who knew this would be our most popular item? But I love making them, and I love receiving all your positive feedback! Here are the latest additions, which will be added sporadically over the week to my Etsy shop (so check back often!):
1) Tan Lines by J.J. Salem
About the book:
2) Creation in Death by Nora Roberts (writing as J.D. Robb)
About the book:
NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save-and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged "The Groom"-because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.
When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case-a move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures.
3) Bubbles Ablaze by Sarah Strohmeyer
About the book:
Agatha winner Strohmeyer provides lots of madcap fun in her third book (after 2002's Bubbles in Trouble) to feature budding reporter/detective/hairdresser Bubbles Yablonsky. Lured into an unused Pennsylvania coal mine, Bubbles and her "Mel Gibson dead ringer" photographer boyfriend, Steve Stiletto, narrowly escape harm in a cave-in right after they stumble on car-sales magnate Bud Price with "a six-inch bloody hole blown into the middle of his chest." They also find the abandoned car of Bubbles's cousin-in-law, Carl "Stinky" Koolball, the cartographer for McMullen Coal, the company that owns the mine. And now Stinky's missing. The plot thickens like a vat of kapusta as more and more ingredients are added-perhaps too many. On top of her crime-solving, Bubbles must deal with her rebellious teenage daughter, her biker-chick mother's vendetta over some stolen Polish recipes, and a clean-cut stud named Zeke who keeps following her.
4) Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
About the book:
The hero of Charles Frazier's beautifully written and deeply-imagined first novel is Inman, a disillusioned Confederate soldier who has failed to die as expected after being seriously wounded in battle during the last days of the Civil War. Rather than waiting to be redeployed to the front, the soul-sick Inman deserts, and embarks on a dangerous and lonely odyssey through the devastated South, heading home to North Carolina, and seeking only to be reunited with his beloved, Ada, who has herself been struggling to maintain the family farm she inherited. Cold Mountain is an unforgettable addition to the literature of one of the most important and transformational periods in American history.
1) Tan Lines by J.J. Salem
During one unforgettable season at a Hamptons summer share, three women's
journeys unfold thrill by thrill and shock by shock, in this addictive story
about the illusions of glamour, the dark side of success and the elusiveness of
love.
Liza Pike--She's the It Girl for topical feminist spin--beautiful,
successful, and ferociously fearless. But as the media props her up to be the
millennium's new Gloria Steinem, she's falling into all the old traps she
cautions other women to avoid...
Kellyanne Downey--She's been holding out for her big break as an actress
while enduring a series of dead end jobs and playing mistress to a rich
developer. But now she's wondering why the phenomenal looks that were supposed
to take her all the way are leading her to the edge of nowhere...
Billie Shelton--She's the indie-rock bitch goddess with an appetite for
self-destruction. Men are candy, drugs are fuel, girlfriends are disposable
commodities, and in her world, looking out for number one is the only way to
live...
Tan Lines portrays the passions, triumphs, and heartbreaks of modern
women with a sly intelligence and wickedly sharp prose that will hook you to the
last page.
2) Creation in Death by Nora Roberts (writing as J.D. Robb)
About the book:
NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save-and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged "The Groom"-because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.
When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case-a move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures.
3) Bubbles Ablaze by Sarah Strohmeyer
About the book:
Agatha winner Strohmeyer provides lots of madcap fun in her third book (after 2002's Bubbles in Trouble) to feature budding reporter/detective/hairdresser Bubbles Yablonsky. Lured into an unused Pennsylvania coal mine, Bubbles and her "Mel Gibson dead ringer" photographer boyfriend, Steve Stiletto, narrowly escape harm in a cave-in right after they stumble on car-sales magnate Bud Price with "a six-inch bloody hole blown into the middle of his chest." They also find the abandoned car of Bubbles's cousin-in-law, Carl "Stinky" Koolball, the cartographer for McMullen Coal, the company that owns the mine. And now Stinky's missing. The plot thickens like a vat of kapusta as more and more ingredients are added-perhaps too many. On top of her crime-solving, Bubbles must deal with her rebellious teenage daughter, her biker-chick mother's vendetta over some stolen Polish recipes, and a clean-cut stud named Zeke who keeps following her.
4) Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
About the book:
The hero of Charles Frazier's beautifully written and deeply-imagined first novel is Inman, a disillusioned Confederate soldier who has failed to die as expected after being seriously wounded in battle during the last days of the Civil War. Rather than waiting to be redeployed to the front, the soul-sick Inman deserts, and embarks on a dangerous and lonely odyssey through the devastated South, heading home to North Carolina, and seeking only to be reunited with his beloved, Ada, who has herself been struggling to maintain the family farm she inherited. Cold Mountain is an unforgettable addition to the literature of one of the most important and transformational periods in American history.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Earth Day Update
It's been a long week, but I wanted to do a quick post to update on how my green onions are blooming (see original post below). I'm happy to report that they've grown like crazy over the past two weeks! I can't wait to add them to my next meal - and really, what dish wouldn't taste better with some green onion sprinkled in?
Day 16:
Day 16:
I didn't want to chop them up before writing this post, but even my yummy dinner from last night would have been enhanced with some green onion...
Lately, I've been feeling more inspired by this go-green movement (in a variety of ways) and have been trying to incorporate more veggies and cut out more meat from my diet. Last night, I made my own adaptation of the Hot-and-Sour Peanutty Noodles with Bok Choy from Self.com:
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz whole-wheat linguine
- 2 1/4 teaspoons tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 1 lb baby bok choy, roughly chopped
- 1 package (14 oz) extra firm tofu, cubed
- 3/4cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
PREPARATION
- Cook pasta as directed on package with 2 tsp salt until just tender. Drain and rinse pasta with cool water. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook shallot, stirring, until just brown, 1 minute. Add bok choy, tofu, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until bok choy begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add stock, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar and continue to stir and combine for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add pasta, peanuts and pepper flakes to pan. Toss to combine; serve.
Here's how it turned out for me:
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