xmas roundup!

i scored big this year...crafty-wise!!

it was a fab-u-lous holiday!

my loot!
body shop hemp hand protector (best stuff ever for really messed up and cracked hands)
lemongrass goats milk lotion
vanilla lotion
$40 MAC gift card
flight of the conchords cd (foux du fa fa!)
digital photo frame & 1 g memory card
cammo chef hat
indian cookbook & spices
porcelain coffee mug for travel
certificate to get my nails did
everyday foods cookbook (glee)
$30 cash -merci grandma and santa!
chili salt, rosemary salt and sea salt
solar lights

2 pieces de resistance:
!!!!pankcake puff maker!!!!
(i'm using leftover mashed potatoes to make potato and cheese puffs for lunch tomorrow)
!!!!sewing machine & accessories!!!!

an amazing moment happened when i made my boyfriend tear up. i gave him a blown up photograph of his great grandpa and his navy buddies...i had no idea that it would affect him that way. it touched me very much, haven't seen that side of him in a long while.

hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday!

things to do on a snow day...

here's some goodies i made for a catering earlier on this month.

coconut dream bars.


celery and apple salad (caraway & pink peppercorn dressing) in a panchetta cup.

since there's a gigantic snow storm covering my area of the world, i decided not to leave the house today.
i made a pillow for grandma filled with orange potpourri.
my fingers are still crossed for a sewing macing for xmas. it's getting mighty tiresome making everything by hand, not to mention time consuming... this took me 1.5 football games to make in it's entirety. but i think it's pretty. smells good to boot.
i know the themes don't match, but i really wanted to use this fabric. (thanks amy)

backside

front

sideview
i hope everyone is ready for xmas. i think i am. looks like things are falling into place the closer the big day comes.
made my record bowls, an indian spice mix for a few people + i'm going to write out my recipe for chicken curry and jer's going to write out his recipe for butter chicken (using that homemade spice mix), made 3 blankets, one pillow, 2 relaxing eye pillows, 3 brooches and 3 rings. pretty content, excpet for the things i got for my parents, i never am. they have everything, and it's always the same ol' stuff. slippers, houe coats, tea cups, popcorn, chocolates blah blah...i'm out of ideas. for all other events (b-days, anniversary mom & pop's day) i make them dinner and it would be a cop out if i did the same thing for xmas, no?
we're having my mom & dad over xmas eve for supper. they are coming from ottawa, so i hope the waether lets up soon. they're staying over night because we go to my grandma's on xmas day and she lives closer to us than them.

i've got a super menu planned for supper. it's very unconventional, but then, that's what they've come to expect for us.

• hors d'oeurves- cheese, crackers & roasted red pepper dip, chips (maybe an atrichoke dip)
  
• spinach salad with grape tomatoes, red peppers, toasted pita with a hoisin & honey dressing
  
• pork tenderloin stuffed with basil, s&p, guldens mustard and (possibly) roasted red pepper & goat cheese.
• curry and green pea risotto
  
• caramelized brussel sprouts with panchetta and onions
• maple glazed baby carrots
• mom's bringing dessert..but i made fudge, lemon squares and coconut dream bars. + raspberry puff pastry pinwheels.
  

eventhough i'm deathly disgusted by bananas...

i really want to try this:

Riduan’s Almond Milk and Banana Energy booster drink August 7, 2007

Filed under: Episode 03, Recipes — barebeauty2 @ 4:00 am

For 1 person

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Materials:
- Blender
- Knife
- Chopping board

Ingredients:
2 bowl almonds (soak in water for 2 hours)
1 large banana
1 tbsp lime juice.

Method:
- Fill the blender’s jug to half level of water and blend the almonds
- Strain to get the almond milk.
- Put 1 glass of almond milk back into the blender
- Add in the banana and lime juice, and blend till smooth.
- Drink immediately.

**i will be brave**

yarrr...blanket and brooches..

avast mateys!!

another blanket.
even haley loves it!



here's some new brooches i made too!
leopard print fur, studs, ribbon, felted balls, beads, quartz and garnets....



thanks to amy, i now have some rad ass owl fabric!!
it's going to go on the back of grandma's xmas pillow!

candy wonderland...

jer and i sat down on sunday, listened to some music, consumed some bevvies and produced this masterpiece.

maison du gingerbread

kitty on the horizon.....

aerial view...

candy cane tree...

walk the pez pathway...

it's starting to look a little like xmas!

homemade xmas

this year, i figured that most of the gifts i give this year will be handmade.
this has become a lost art and it's a terrible thing. our culture has escalated this season of love warmth and harmony into an out of control holiday about crazy out doing each other and seeing how much money we can spend.
what's this 'money' you speak of? i certainly don't have it at this time of year, or at any other time of year.
to some, a playstation 3; expensive perfume; gift cards or a huge piece of jewelry encrusted in diamonds and gold is most preferred. how does that say that someone loves you? that they were willing to go into debt to give you something extravagant?
i find it sad that handmade gifts are perceived as a cheap and unimpressive way to give. on the contrary, this means more than anything. i know thought and care has gone into what was given to me. in fact, it was probably made with me in mind and the person making it gave a lot of thought about what to do..

i think we should change our ways of thinking.
here's some ideas:

-give to a charity in the names of your loved ones. adopt an endangered animal ( keeping in mind a charity that they believe in) simply give them a card stating the donation and attach some home baked cookies. voila.
-have a dinner party. having the people around you that mean to most should make the season brighter.
-if you're skilled at something. (ie. fixing a car, cooking, plumbing, computer savvy...etc..) give your skills as a gift. make a little coupon card and put 'this is good for one...insert your skill here....'
-a recipe book of your/their/family faves
-a ready to bake cookie kit (put all the ingredients, minus the wet ones, into an air tight container, add a list of directions..voila)
-homemade jams, sauces, pickles etc...put in a decorative basket..
-personalized calenders with dates important to that particular person
-this might take a bit of planning-- a memory jar- ask the people that care for the particular person to write something (or a few things) nice/a memory/ tidbit about them, even photos of people, places, things. put them on little cards in the a decorative jar. when they're feeling low or just need a boost, they'll pick out a card, read it and have a smile.

we all have too much, i think it's time to give back to those who need 'stuff' more than we do.
make yourself happy as well as the people around you. give a bit more thought, and less money this year.
try it, you might like it.
i know i'm going to.

here's something that makes me happy.

think about it.

fantastic news & a new craft

***FAB NEWS ALERT***

a friend of mine (thanks jan!) bought the 'epitome of perfect' cocktail ring from me.
she wears it a lot. one day, she was in a local craft shop. (angels family books & gifts 609 pitt st. cornwall ontario) the owner asked her where she got her ring. she said a friend of her made it...that's ME....
she sent me an email with this fab news and i contacted collette immediately. i sent up an appointment with her and her husband. i brought my work for her to peruse and she seemed very interested. it's something new for the shop, but they were willing to give it a shot!
i have 2 months on consignment with them with the possibility for longer, if they sell well.


my friend told me about this blanket. her mom makes her one each year for xmas or birthday
it's basically 2 pieces of same sized fleece and knots..put it together and...
voila, a blanket....





it took me 2 hours, start to finish...and it was pretty much the easiest thing i've ever done.
seriously, the hardest part was picking coordinating fabrics.

**shameless plug alert**

please go check out my rings at Angels Family Books & Gifts 609 Pitt St. Cornwall, Ontario
and if you're not in the area...here's etsy, one more time...