Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Vote Early, Vote Often


So most states have now offered early voting and absentee ballots and here's just some of the reasons you should get on it.

On Nov. 4th at 5:30 PM you won't have to say "Oh Shit! Today's voting day! Where do I go?"

You can sit down with the voter info book and a dictionary at your kitchen table and write it down as you go, instead of trying to remember which referendums are yes worthy.

When ever some one pushing flyers or bugging you on the phone to "blah blah blah..." you can just say "I already voted" And give them a smug look, glad to be free of all that bickering, partisanship, and just plain lies.

There, don't you feel good? You've done your once yearly input in the the democracy machine, now sit back and watch while they screw it all up, and wait for the next chance you get to vote out the bums!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Stuff I Won't Sell...

'Cause I like it too much!! Bad girl, craft time us always business time!
I've been making a bunch of gothic cuffs, as I aquired a large amount of lace over the years. Not to mention, I can't be the only hippie-who- likes-to-dress-up/ goth-kid-who-wants-to- save-the-earth out there, right? Perhaps there's an etsy team for this...
It just so happens that these cuffs are so cute I can't bear to sell them!
Some wanna be silk that looks like it was destined to be ties is the base, and sparkly lace on top. So easy! Of course if I keep everything cute I make we'll need a bigger apartment, so this is the last, really, I swear!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Mad Scientist

Muah-ha-ha! I love setting grommets!!! It's a little like surgery or something. @.@ Makes me think I ought to get into jewelry making or such, but I think if I pick up any more hobbies my head will explode.

Now, I'd like to share a few tips with you all on getting mechanical.
1. Buy a grommet setter! Most craft stores offer grommet packs with little metal "stamps"... they suck, they're worthless, shell out for a setter and leave the hammer in the tool kit. Trust me. For cleanly set round holes in exactly where you want them, the setter is key. I got mine from a garage sale for a buck-fiddy, and it came with a bag of assorted grommets. Many of them are also good for two-part snaps.
2. Use the pointiest scissors you own to make holes just barely big enough to force the grommet through.
3. Make sure it's in the right spot and facing the right way, before you squeeze. Once they're in, they're designedLinkd to be really hard to get out.

And most importantly-use them every where!! Even if you don't have anything to thread through them they are an excellent embellishment. And once you've bought a setter, you'll need excuses to use it right?

The corset bag, BTW is available here.

Dead Ties

The tie is not dead, but it may be on it's way out. Not many men wear them on a daily basis anymore. The upside, it that used ties are cheap and common on the thrift-garage circuit. My mother bought another bag for me, colorful ones this time, and some really sweet textured fabric.
I'm getting to have too many, hanging up in the closet there's not much room for me to sit! they're hitting me in the back of the head!
There will always be ones that make you wonder, would anyone ever actually wear this in public? With a straight face? There's one with a printed computer...circa 1992, and some truly terrible Easter Bunny pics. Ick!

But then there's this little piece, a beautiful head band made from the ends of several pink ties. It's adorable!! And it was 50cents. Who knows what was done with the rest of the ties, but I'd have some ideas!

Monday, October 13, 2008

Ghost in the Garden!


BOO! Way cuter then jack-o-lanterns, and a lot less messy! These are the curcubit decor of the year around my house. Believe it or not, we actually planted Patty Pan Squash. They're s'pose to look like little UFOs, flat and round with crenelations around the edge.

And small, I've never seen a big Patty Pan. Well, the seeds are commercial and we planted two hills, the soil is really rather terrible there but something must have gotten them going... 'cause they're HUGE! Long skinny and white, just took a few seconds with a sharpie and voíla! Little ghost! 

The best of course, is that these have lots to eat and are worth while even if you have to peel them, so leaving them out a few nights for decor doesn't waste any home-grown goodness! Loads better then carving giant zucchini into sharks...yes...we've done it.

Yeah for Halloween!!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Winter's Preview

Bleary day in the mile-hi city. Good news for the crafter, I'm gonna lock myself in the sewing closet and be productive.
For that matter, the markets are closed so I can't even distract myself with watching the stocks tumble. ^.^ I hope they have EMTs standing by to defibrillate the over-stressed brokers as their hearts 'splode.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

101 Things to do with a Zucchini (A Many Part Series)

Oh the joys of Fall, the beautiful foliage, the lovely weather, crisp nights, and zucchinis hiding under the leafs until they grow to immense size... No matter how vigilant, no matter how many times a day you check the garden, they're always there. One foot, two feet, 5,10,15 pounds!! Monster zucchinis that just keep coming. A friend of mine once made one a little hat, drew a face, swaddled it and left the "zucchini baby" on my door step.

  But one need not fear the Zucchini Babies, a few hours on a weekend afternoon will fill your home with zucchini goodness. 

    Our first project is the most obvious, who doesn't like Zucchini Bread? Dense, moist, chewy, deliciousness, and it's got green vegetables in it, so it's good for you right? The best part is the versatility, make it how you like it!

       Required ingredients: Zucchini (duh) flour, sugar, eggs, leavening

See? Isn't that simple? Now here's a long but certainly not exhaustive list of add-ins.  Nuts (almonds are my favorite), seeds (flax, sunflower etc...) Dried fruit(great for soaking up all the wetness from the zucchini), chocolate chips and other candy pieces. For this batch I'm using almonds flax seed and dried cranberries.

Now, I don't have any measurements here because I don't use them. Don't be afraid to make your own recipe up, and create it as you go! It's not as hard as most cookbooks would have you believe.

First shred your zucchini. Mine is a "winter variety", that is if I pick it and leave it it will get a shell like a pumpkin and keep through the winter. This one is still fresh so the skin is tender. It however has very developed seeds, so I'm going to scoop them out, season them and toast them like pumpkin seeds. I then send it through the shredder attachment of my quisinart, one could of course grate them by hand just watch your knuckles! (Red zucchini bread is not so appetizing)

It will seem quite dry, don't be fooled this vegetable is mostly water and will get soggy soon! My zucchini made several cups of shred, so I'm going to add three eggs, just enough to start coating the shred. I then add my chunky yummy things and mix them in. As you mix you will notice liquid magically appearing from the shred. Now start adding flour, a cup or so at a time. With the first cup of flour add a tablespoon or so of leavening (baking soda or baking powder) I've actually forgot the leavening and had wonderful bread, but too much will impart a metallic taste, so too little is better then too much. Continue adding flour until the batter looks like heavy cake batter. It's ok to be a little stiff as the zucchini will continue to release liquid as it bakes.

Grease and flour your pans. and apportion your batter between them. The batter shouldn't be more then three or so inches thick, this bread is dense and will have trouble baking compleately if it's too thick. Your oven should be between 350 and 400 and preheated. 

Put the bread in, and go take a nap. Seriously, it'll be a while. I've never managed to over-bake zucchini bread, and it will be a while. It's a little tricky to decide that it's done, you can do the toothpick test, thump it for radar sounding, insert a thermometer... What ever you do, when you think it might be done, leave for ten more minutes.

Voíla!! Goodness in loaf form. Make a dozen and freeze them. Give them as gifts. Eat them with every meal. But no matter how good they are don't plan to plant extra zucchini next year so you can have more...