Dec 30, 2011
New Years Eve, what to wear...
Dec 29, 2011
Old Photo Thursday
Dec 28, 2011
What's cooking?
I found this recipe at Simply Recipes and I have adapted the techniques used from a variety of different places.
Perfect Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water
3.) Continue cutting butter into flour with pastry scraper. Slowly add water 1 Teaspoon at a time to help the dough clump together. 4.) Once dough is mostly clumped together form into a round disk.
5.) Begin to roll the clumpy dough adding flour to keep it from sticking. 6.) Fold the dough over a few times and continue to roll.
7.) Roll the dough very flat, using flour to keep it from sticking. 8.) Fold the dough up into a square.
9.) Wrap dough in plastic and place in refrigerator for 1 hour. Dough can be used after 1 hour or frozen for future use. (I love to freeze a couple of these for when the spontaneous need to bake arises.) When you want to use the dough, simply take it out, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes and then roll it out to the size needed.
10.) Pie (or pi) is complete with flaky crunchy crust. It's perfect, I told you!
Dec 27, 2011
Sugru
"sugru is the exciting new air-curing rubber that can be formed by hand. It bonds to most materials and turns into a strong, flexible silicone rubber overnight."
This incredible silly-putty type of hardening rubber can be used for anything. People are using it to fix things, adjust things, make things stronger. Some people are putting it on their shoes, on their cameras for better hand holds, on their tools for better grip...etc. It is like the cure-all flubber. I love to find new things like this that we are able to create with science and technology!
Dec 26, 2011
Egor Shapovalov
Egor Shapovalov is a new artist to me. He is only 23 years old and comes from Russia. I love the lonely yet calm feelings he evokes from his photographs. I also enjoy the color and depth, and how each one is very different, yet alike. Enjoy!
Dec 23, 2011
What's cooking?...Christmas Cookies
I found this recipe on the Peppermint Plum blog. She calls them 'thick soft sugar cookies', and that is exactly what they are.
Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.
ENJOY!
Dec 22, 2011
Old Photo Thursday
Dec 21, 2011
Healthy Stocking Stuffers
So that said, Andy and I enjoy filling each others Christmas stocking's with healthy fun snacks. I have so much fun going to Yes Organic Market or Whole Foods and perusing the isles for fun munchies. We're also not huge on stuff and junk, so by doing snacky stocking stuffers, we don't clutter up our house. Rather, the stocking-stuffers are eaten in the follow weeks after Christmas.
Here are a few of the things that will go into Andy's stocking this Christmas:
Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper is just a part of the Holidays. It is never something I give much thought to, and is usually just newspaper. I love the look of gifts wrapped in black and white newspaper with a colorful bow on it! Unfortunately, we have just moved so we don't happen to have any newspaper laying around...and if we did, we tossed it on a trash spree while unpacking. So I went to Target in search of wrapping paper. Let me tell you, I was overwhelmed!! There where three whole isles just for wrapping paper! Finally after looking at ALL of it...and almost buying some $10 stuff that was silver with a beautiful design on it, I decided since it gets thrown away at the end of the day I'd opt for the cheap stuff...$2. I like it enough, it is colorful with peace signs on it. When I went to start wrapping though, I noticed two things right away, 1. LINES, and 2. it is recycled paper. How cool! I am so satisfied with my wrapping paper purchase. I don't know if I'll ever use newspaper again if I can buy paper with cutting lines on it.
Dec 20, 2011
Special Utensils
Dec 19, 2011
Proteigon
PROTEIGON from BURAYAN on Vimeo.
This short stop-motion film is great. Steven Briand created this stop motion video with paper animation. I love the things that you can do with film and stop-motion. He has created a whole fantasy world based around paper and shapes.
Modern Gifts
I think this is so cool. I want one for myself! This is a Clap USB Mini Camera available from Paul Smith for $55. I think that is a decent price for a little spy camera that can be quickly plugged in and uploaded. It runs on a little lithium ion rechargeable battery and can shoot 1280x1024 resolution images. Not too shabby, and the perfect gift/stocking stuffer for almost anyone.
Dec 16, 2011
What's cooking?
Andy and I have been in huge vegetable moods these days! I would say we are about 90% vegetarian. Not that we try to be, it just happens that way. So this weekend we were driving around Maryland and we came across a Korean market. We've been to a few before and they have awesome produce for great prices. So we bought a shopping cart FULL of vegetables! Yes, we're just a little out of our minds. So I am pretty excited now to cook up some simple yet tasty veggie dishes.
This is a favorite that I like to whip up because it is so simple. We can actually make this a meal, and no we are not birds, we like to pile it high on our plates with maybe a piece of whole grain toast. Mmmm!
Stir-fried Zucchini & Mushrooms
-2 large zucchini
-1 package mushrooms
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste
-about 1 teaspoon dill
-about 1 teaspoon dried basil
Slice everything and place it in a wok with the olive oil. Once things get to simmering add the salt, pepper, dill and basil. Cook until everything is tender. And of course the seasonings can be adjusted to taste. Enjoy!
Dec 15, 2011
Old Photo Thursday
Dec 14, 2011
The ORB
How does it work you say?
The website says this:
"The ring vibrates, alerting the user to an incoming call, text message, or event reminder. The user can glance down at the finger and see a horizontal streaming message of caller I.D. or meeting schedules. If accepting an incoming call, the user twists open the O.R.B., slips over the ear, and begins the conversation. If declining incoming calls or texts, or dismissing event reminders, the user can simply push the cancel button with the O.R.B. still idle on their finger. When not in use the ring serves as a time device/alarm clock. If the user would like to silence a call he/she can simply touch a button on the band."
Pretty crazy! I'm sure we'll all be using these things in 5 years. We all knew it was coming...
Dec 13, 2011
My Projects: Mosaic Plant Table
Andy and I had quite the busy summer. We have an active alley behind our row-house with all sorts of trash. We love it! It's like they say, 'One man's trash is another man's treasure.' You won't believe all the valuable furniture people throw away. At one point our back porch was overloaded with bits and pieces of furniture that we had hopes and project plans for. Alas, we only had so much time, so unfortunately a lot of that was sent back into the alley by the end of the summer. This is one particular project that made it though. I call it my plant table.
The main part of this table was a counter-top that had been tossed in the alley. Andy sawed it in half for me with some curves...at my request. Then we nailed Home Depot legs on it and put up some barriers around the edges so that I could have a well inside to pour concrete. Then I mixed the concrete (with my hands, I will NEVER do that again!) poured it inside and laid out my mosaic work. The concrete was pretty fast drying, especially in the heat of the summer, so laying the mosaic tiles happened quickly. I wasn't able to be as much of a perfectionist about it because of that, but it still looks ok.
Costs:
-old countertop: Free
-wooden legs: $2 each, $4 total
-wooden edges: $4
-cement: $8
-tile, old plates found in thrift stores: $4
Total: $22
Dec 12, 2011
His Christmas list
2. Casio sport watch, $55
3. Men's Moccasin Slippers - L.L.Bean, $59
4. Chunky Wool Socks, £16
5. Silver Super Dot Money Clip, £25
6. beer holster with bottle opener, $30
7. Apple iPod shuffle® $45
8. car trunk organizer & cooler, $50
9. Gregory Imlay Pack 22, $100
10. PHAIDON India: The Cookbook, £30
11. Whisky - Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1000ml
12.Wii Console (White) (with Remote Con Plus + Wii Sports...
13. MATADOR™ Teriyaki Beef Jerky
14. Solar Panel Charger
15. Nerf gun by Dung Nguyen at Coroflot
16. Apple - iPad 2 - The amazing iPad apps, built right in.
17. Whisky Stones: Chill your liquor without diluting it.
18. Slackline Kit-15 meters REI.com, $79
19. Leatherman Style CS Multitool - REI.com, $19
Dec 9, 2011
What's cooking?
Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash
I found this on the Modcloth blog, but they got the recipe from Real Simple
This recipe was so enticing that I had to try it for myself. It was easy too! It makes the perfect snack, or side dish for a meal. Since today was rainy I thought this would be the perfect thing to make. Unfortunately I used my husband's (Andy) acorn squash that apparently he was saving...for what?! He was upset to find out that I was using it, but once he tried the finished product he wouldn't stop raving about it.
Try it and love it!
1 2-pound acorn squash — halved, seeded, and sliced 3/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the olive oil, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.
3. Roast the squash until golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Dec 8, 2011
Old Photo Thursday
Dec 7, 2011
Mustache Gear!
So to brighten this ugly DC day I have picked mustache gear! I can't believe how much mustache stuff is out there. I know that hipsters are all about rocking the 'stache, but now it is everywhere! I'm glad my husband can't grow one because I think they are butt ugly. I do enjoy the fake mustache gear though, what fun!!
Mustache Mug...so you can try them all out
Dec 6, 2011
Holiday sparkle!
On a happier note from the last post, here is a fun sparkling frock! I have a few Christmas parties to attend in the next few weeks and this is just what I am looking for. With all the lights that the holidays have to offer...tree lights, house lights, candles etc... I feel that a sparkling number would be perfect. It will reflect the lights making the holiday cheer all that much brighter. Aren't I getting into the season!