9 months

oooooh, a meeeeeeme

Whilst browsing today, I saw a meme and decided, hey, why not? I have 5 minutes to kill before jumping on a bus, so here goes:

it's about me me me me meme

Now if you really want to know...

what was I doing ten years ago 1998

I was still being homeschooled; or rather, reading and studying whatever I wanted. I as taking a few courses over at the community college, probably theatre, perhaps tennis, maybe the anthropology course? I was going up the line in Rainbow, moderately involved with youth group (this may have been the year I went to Mexico? seems right.)

5 things on my to-do list today
-babysit Dovid and Feiga
-finish cleaning up the bedroom
-study for my Japanese oral final
-do some laundry (esp. those diapers!)
-actually sleep

snacks I enjoy
-queso fresco+guava paste
-cashews
-crunchy dill pickles
-gefilte + olive dip
-grapes

things I would do if I were a billionnaire
-travel
-get a nice little house
-pay for my siblings to go to college
-buy my dad a little plane :)

places I have lived
San Juan, Puerto Rico - Estate Tiperary, St. Croix - Corpus Christi, TX - Gilroy, CA - Ingleside, TX - Port Aransas, TX - Edinburg, TX - Sacramento, CA - Arcadia, CA - Santa Cruz, CA

6 people I would like to know more about?
I already feel like a voyeur as it is, but I suppose mostly relatives that I didn't get to learn much about. My Bibita, my great grandmothers and grandfathers, my grandfathers...I suppose that's already more than 6 :)

8 months

Daring Bakers:April

I did make the cheesecake pops, and they were FANTASTIC, but I made them back around the 12th and my main computer promptly died so I don't have any pics right now. Gah. Once I get a card reader I'll upload my bouquet-o-cheesecake pictures, but in the meantime I am going to make some more for a bbq coming up, since they were a hit with the neighbours and at Avi's going-away-to-Israel-again party. :) So good.

Hooray! I finally just got out the card reader for the laptop, as the main one is still defunct. Here is that pic of those yummy, yummy pops! DL and I are going to make them for Shavuot. whoo hoo!

Pesach!

I've just been plugging along, 1/3 of the way through the quarter and I passed my first Japanese test, have been engaged in very productive family therapy, and went to two seders. It's been intense, but really great. Too bad I don't have time for much else!

7 months

Dar ing bakers challenge!

This month the challenge was a party cake by Dorie :)
I did a small variation on the layer cake requirement. I made a mini layer cake. I made cupcakes, sliced and stacked them to make an itty-bitty layer cake. It was ok, but I put way too much alcohol in the frosting. I'll explain later. :)

:update time!: So, the issue with 'too much alcohol' was I made the frosting out of confectioner's sugar, cocoa and alcohol. It was barely spreadable, so I added 'just a little more' alcohol. It was definitely spreadable. Instead of just adding more sugar to it I went ahead and poured it over my cake. The taste was great, but those fumes were amazing. It was like chewing a shot. Just a little overpowering, to say the least. Good thing it was such a small cupcake! I ate the rest of the cupcakes for breakfast with a little butter; they were delicious.

Apron Swap

I'm going to start putting up my backlog of posts; maybe I should post without the pictures from now on? We'll see.


Anyhow, for my very first Swap-Bot swap I joined the Flirty Apron Swap. It was a lot of fun, actually, and I got to try out some new stitch functions on my machine. :) My partner was Heather, and since she seemed to enjoy retro styling I got to choose between some vintage-reprint fabrics I had culled from the remnants bin at Hart's. I settled on this kitchy print for the pockets and front waistband. For the main fabric I used a pretty swirly yellow, and then I decided to back it with blue, to make it a little more 'protective' of clothing. I'm afraid it may be too heavy. Anyhow, did some edging with red, added a 'flirty' ruffle and sent it off. I hope it's flirty. C said "hubba hubba" when I tried it on, but who knows. ;)

Finger Puppet Swap

This one was fun! My partner said she liked bat wings, but not pastels, and has a toddler girl, so I hope they like these!

I took a sock of mine (I don't want to say 'old sock' because that sounds worn-out and grimy; this was a 'formerly worn' sock.) and sewed the basic shapes out of one top, using the original cuff for the bottoms.

I left enough room for fingers and then sewed them off to be fat little bean-like monsters.

One of them I embroidered little horns on the back of the head; they look a bit like eyes though. :)

I really love them; I think I may make more, and they can keep K's monsters company.

six months old

happy!

I forgot about this happy little potato from last year. It was the last one in the bag, and it just looked so cheerful about finally getting cooked!

overalls

I finished these quite a while ago; I've actually almost finished one other pair and there are 3 more cut and waiting for my machine, but I really love these and E has just grown into them (they were the size small! How is 9-mo-size range small in an infant pattern?) so here's a pic! Hopefully, more to come.

Oh, and I ordered a new machine. Because I deserve it. Also? The QUOTE for repairs on my other machine won't be ready for another week. Just the quote, not the repairs. Are you kidding me?

wine box into makeup box

My mom had an old wooden wine gift box that she gave me to stash my utility knives in. Except they didn't fit correctly. However, I did just order some new supplies from E.L.F., and I realised that the new brushes kit would fit perfectly in the 'neck' portion of the box. So I recovered the top with some contact paper to match my decor...

Then I took out the wooden 'neck' holder and flipped it upside down, just to better define that smaller area. I nailed a piece of elastic across the inside top, and then used packing tape to create a little 'box' across the lower 1/4 of the top, so all those little doodads wouldn't fall down every time I shut the lid.

I think it worked out pretty great! All the tools are in the small area, except for lip brushes, which are up above with the lip sticks, and the eyeshadow brushes, which are up with the eyeliners and such. In the main area I have all my compacts, powders, foundation, etc. Next I'm trying ot find my roll of sticky-backed magnet tape, so I can repurpose an altoid tin to house some leftover makeup samples that don't have any sort of case.
Oh, and I still need a box for those knives. Easily accessible razors+increasingly mobile infant=very bad.

A success!

Yesterday I drove on over to Gilroy and was quite productive. First I borrowed Dad and picked up a convertible crib, which matches all the other furniture we have for E, and it is very cute and the family that sold it was also very cute and I am very happy. The only problem is I had to choose between driving home with the crib or with E, so the crib is still in Gilroy :)
Second, turns out K found the family pattern stash and wanted to toss it all in the recycling! So I claimed it instead. I am keeping a few for myself, and the rest I'll probably put up on Etsy for a couple bucks a piece. 2/3 are from the 80s, 1/3 from the 70s, so it's a nice mix. the majority are either super cute or super dated, so I think they'll find appreciative homes soon.
Third, I got some supplies to make some alphabet posters for my friend's daughters, and a few for E, inspired by a poster I saw on ohdeedoh. Mine are a lot smaller; the ones for Cara's girls are going to be 11x11, including chipboard frame, and E's will be about the same size. I'm doing 3 for E; one Roman alphabet, one Katakana and one Hebrew. I may do one in Russian, too, but since I didn't take much Russian that one may take a bit longer. I'm also doing the girls' in pink, white, and brown to match their room, rather than the white and rainbow colors I'm using for E. I'll try to remember to post pics when I'm done.

fabric ahoy!

I mentioned the other day that I had gone to a FANTASTIC fabric store; well, it's Hart's Fabrics (hooray website!) and I bought some really, really great remnants!
This first group is for the living room; the floral fabric I've already turned into cushion covers; at least, almost, but my machine broke! The three on the left will be part of a 'throw quilt', combined with some neutrals and other aqua/turquoise fabrics I have. The canvas, well, I think I may have to make it into a bag, or something, because I love it but have no idea what to do with it!

This next group are going to E. The top two are a super cute animal print that I am turning into a cover for his bed, the other two are going to become bibs, I think. We'll see!

These two, again, I have no idea what to do with! They are canvas, so I think they will also become bags of some sort, but I have to wait for the machine to come back. Oooh, maybe a headband!

Finally, this cute little cotton print. It remind me of a show I used to watch about gnomes; one was a doctor and helped hurt animals. I can't remember the name and no one I have ever asked has the faintest clue what I am talking about! This might become some summer bibs, we'll see, perhaps a cute lining for something for me, another headband, etc.


I am going through my horrendous stash though; I'm going to destash pretty soon, getting rid of anything that isn't natural fibers, or just not my taste. I have 3 bins that are entirely vintage, so that should be fun for someone! Then I'll go back to Hart's; I have my eye on a couple of things :)

Hooray for Monday!

What a weekend! 300+miles and 2 birthday parties later, I am home and exhausted. E is next to me happily licking a rattle while I am ready to go back to bed. Again. :)

We drove up to Brentwood Saturday morning to meet up with Cici and head up together to Isabella's party (my mother-in-law's husband's daughter's daughter; = E's cousin). She is turning 1 on Wednesday, and since Noah's party was the next day they decided that just having a weekend of birthday parties would make it easier for everyone to make it. Anyhooo; very cute party. Jen (Isabella's mom) has a cute little townhouse...

interruption: difference between townhouse/apartment/condo? I really need to look this up. continuing...

and Isabella enjoyed opening her presents. However, it felt borderline high-pressure, especially since I have E's first birthday coming up to plan and I'm way too competitive. I think it was the fact that she had hired help there? Taking professional photos? Otherwise it was really sweet; she had a large frame and mat for people to sign with birthday wishes, and I LOVE that idea, and cupcakes instead of a big cake which I am definitely doing. Afterward we went to Little Gym with her, and it scared me. I am sorry. Isabella loves it! Unfortunately her cousins had already had a long day (and cupcakes. and candy) and we had to leave before the time was up. E only cared about his shoes the whole time anyhow. A learning experience; check out a couple sessions before enrolling! will do.

We stopped by Vikki's and Garrison's house on the way back, and Cici convinced them to keep all three of her kids overnight so we could prepare for the party the next day. So we drove down with only E, and proceeded to eat tortellini and watch School of Rock (YEAH!). I think she ironed a tablecloth? I dunno. We are productive!
We did clean up and set up the next day for Noah's party; it was Cars themed (again! Hooray convenience!) and a lot of fun. Oh so much food.

I made Noah a little cloth backpack/stuffsack with dinosaur buttons on it, and packed it with a kaleidoscope, some dinosaur window stickers and some learning trading cards. I honestly felt really self-conscious leading up to him opening it, since he was getting SUCH! COOL! store-bought presents (Cars toys, basketball hoop, slot cars (I want!) etc.) but he actually loved it! Even the other kids loved it! They kept taking turns with the kaleidoscope, so I definitely feel motivated to do more home-made and simple presents. I really should have taken a photo of it, since it was a cute little bag. Maybe next time I'll remember.

Right afterward I headed back home, dropping of Kat (my sister-in-law, not my sister Kat. Their names are 1 letter off) at her new house in Campbell, picked up Cam from work and got home. Ah, sweet relief! Just kidding. Cam stayed up all Saturday night playing WoW, so he passed out. I *nearly* had a tantrum, but it wouldn't have done any good(since he was asleep), so I made dinner instead and felt a lot better :) He did make me breakfast this morning, so I think we're even. Not that I keep score. Much.

Oh! I found a FANTASTIC fabric store here in town! I am in love with this store. I raided their remnants bins and came away with some fabrics for E's room and some to make cushion covers. I'm so excited; I want to go back! First I have to clear out my stash though. I have 12 bins of fabric. I'm serious. The majority of it was handed down, but still, I need to do something about this! I also have a huge bin of unfinished projects, and bin of mending, and a bin of yarn (acrylic, but with good memories, so right now it's staying). So no shopping! Today. C has the car anyhow. ;p

cupcake hero? YES.

I have made my boozy cupcakes. I call them: Toblerone-Schnapps Cupcakes. Although maybe a better name would be alcohol-enhanced box-mix cupcakes. They are delicious.

To Begin!
I took a package of Toblerones, melted them, added about 1/4 cup of Buttercotch Schnapps and then froze them in an ice cube tray to harden. Freezing was probably unnecessary.

Next, I took a package of Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix (on sale! $1 each! Score!) I followed the instructions except I subbed 2/3 c. of Creme de Cacao for 1/2 the water. Next time, I'm thinking I'll sub ALL the water with creme de cacao. yum. I also threw in a bag of walnut baking pieces, because I had them in my pantry and that's how I roll; just throw everything in the pot (or bowl, in this case) cook, and eat. I placed my toblerone-alcohol bites on top of some of the cupcakes to hopefully serve as a filling.

Finally, I took a container of Betty Crocker Whipped Chocolate Frosting and stirred in 1/4 c. of butterscotch schnapps and creme de cacao (total, not individually).

I frosted the cupcakes and then found some bright blue sprinkles and added those! (Again, that's just how I roll. I'm an impulse cook.)

Verdict: The cupcakes are light and tasty, but you can't really taste any alcohol in the cakes themselves. The filling is a little gooey, as intended, and the frosting, oh, so good. Just boozy enough, in my opinion. I am definitely making these again, although next time I think I'm going to use creme de menthe instead of butterscotch, just to mix things up a little. :)

rock the vote

Or at least get out of the house and get to it! The three of us did manage to get ourselves over to the polling place, finally, even though it really is about 2 blocks away. we are so lazy. Anyhow, it was fun, Ephraim got to see his first electoral process and we got to politely and firmly decline way too many "I voted" stickers. It was weird; they really didn't tell us how to fill out anything or submit our finished packets, and I even had to find myself a pen, but they were ALL ABOUT those stickers. Weird. Anyhow, I wore my new coat and the SHOES that Mariko sent me! I love these shoes. LOVE THEM. I would wear them too much, but I don't leave the house that often ;p. I DID wear them to the Cheesecake Factory in Union Square on Monday; I felt oh-so-stylish. Until Ephraim had his very first meltdown! yay! He did pop out a tooth in less than 24 hours though, so it was understandable.

five months old

cupcake hero!!!

Oh my Word I have to do this month's cupcake hero challenge! I must! pardon me while I get completely shnockered in the name of cupcakes. and booze! lots of booze. LOTS.