To Mod Podge or not to Mod Podge

I have got some massive, not size-wise massive, but you know like massively time consuming, projects going on at the moment and a large chunk of them need Mod Podge or some sort of decoupage goop.  Ugh, Mod podge-we have a love/hate relationship. And don't get me wrong, because I really do love Mod Podge, but I just don't like the price. I was going to grudgingly go and grab some at the store the other day until I stumbled across this: Homemade Mod Podge. And the inner crafty me demanded that we had to try it right then and there!

A little sneak peak of things to come

Ok, so I didn't really try it 'right then and there' because I was hanging out at my brother's place doing laundry and making mac and cheese using almond milk (it is different) with an unsurprising lack of crafty goodies around me. Sure I had water and a container and ribbon that wouldn't help at all, but I lacked the glue aspect. But I did try it a couple of hours later. And this stuff rocks! Seriously, it does an amazing job and if I didn't know better I would think I had dumped my Mod Podge into a random container for who knows what reason (and it wouldn't surprise me at all if I did one day). Instead of the 1:1 ratio I did end up doing a 2 part glue to 1 part water ratio, to the best of my eye-balling measuring skills. Tell me if you can tell which one of these is Mod Podge and which is the Mod Podge wanna-be

Can you? Are you sure about it? Really? Did you pick the one on the right? Well, then you guessed right and I am massively impressed by your skills. The only reason I can tell the difference is because I wrote on the back Mod Podge one.


And I have to say a big thank you to Bridget over at Babblings and More for sharing the recipe!

Meet Me on Monday

Meet Me on Monday

1. My current weather is ________?

Sunny and 64 degrees at the moment

2. What is my favorite sound?

My favorite sound is rain on the roof and thunderstorms. Which reminds me of a funny story. I sleep with a white noise maker set on a thunderstorm and there have been times when I half way wake up and get really excited because it makes me think there is actually a thunderstorm. Then the rational side of my mind kicks in and reminds me that it isn't. So anyway, a few weeks ago (I think), I was watching a movie before going to be and all the sudden heard thunder. My first thought is, 'Well that was silly turning on the white noise before I started a movie' before I realized that it was an actual thunderstorm!!!! It was so exciting!

3. What is the worst flavor of ice cream?

Personally I can't stand pistachio ice cream, but worst ever would have to be watching Bizarre Foods and seeing Andrew Zimmern eat octopus flavored ice cream.

It looks so pretty, but yuck! No offense to anyone who likes it,.

4. What magazine do you look for when you are stuck in the waiting room?

People magazine if I've forgotten my book or crochet project.

5. What is your favorite condiment?

Either dijon mustard or ranch dressing.

Mad Hatter Day!

Today is Mad Hatter Day! So let us celebrate the character we have all come to know and love. So act crazy and have a Mad Hatter tea party if you would like. Or make a hat. Or just wear a crazy hat!


And just a little tidbit of trivia: The term mad hatter doesn't have a definite origin. It is thought to refer to the fact that hatters used to use mercury in the making of felt used in hats which led to nervous system problems causing hatters to tremble and appear insane. Thus mercury poisoning was also called 'Mad Hatter's Disease'.

Bows and clips

Have a few other projects in the works, but these are the two finished ones I have to share at the moment! Er, well, the bows aren't 100% done I still need to attach them to hair ties. But what can I do? Other than find my white hair ties...I'm planning on wearing them one day during the 3-Day for the Cure. I'm thinking about making some korker bows (the curly puffy ones!) in different shades of pink for one of the days. Any ideas for the third day? I have nothing against insanely crazy or ridiculous bows/hair accessories!

 The clips I am planning on giving them to my baby cousin. Of course I may wait until her first birthday and keep adding on to the collection so she has tons! I'm also working on a ruffle onesie for when she is 1 or when she hits the 12 month clothing mark. Whichever comes first.

Funny shadows next to the white/yellow ones

Have a great day!

9/11 Never Forget

My condolences to anyone who lost someone on that terrible day. And thank you so much to all of those who rushed into help and gave their lives from the firefighters to the emergency responders to the soldiers. Thank you. 

I think most of us can remember exactly where we were on that September morning ten years ago. I was sitting in my 'Math in the Arts' class watching the news like we always did during the first class of the day while working on our projects when we heard the first reports of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. It was one of those things that just doesn't seem possible even when they are broadcasting the video of it. I think only one or two other classes had know for what ever reason because meeting up with friends in the hall on the way to second period, many didn't find it possible to believe. It was second period when the school final had an announcement about it. The rest of the day went by in a haze. I don't think the hallways of my junior high were ever that quite before or after that day. If the classroom you were supposed to be in didn't have a TV the teacher would take us to a room that did. 

Sneak Peek

So, as you know from my last post (or was it the one before that?) I had to leave my spinning wheel at my parents', however I do have my drop spindle with me! Here is a little peek at what is being spun up at the moment.

Any guesses as to what the fiber is?

Empanadas!

I've been wanting to make empanadas for a while and yesterday my brother and I made them together. It was so much fun! The recipe I used if you want to call it that was a mash up of three different recipes I found and the only thing I want to change the next time I make them is the dough recipe since it was a bit crumbly. But the filling was awesome! Pictures first then the recipe.

Filling:
- a little over a pound of lean turkey (you could use pork/beef or whatnot, but I only eat turkey and fish, and somehow fish didn't seem like a tasty idea)
- 1 large onion
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 heaping cup of black beans (canned, drained and rinsed off)
- 3 medium-ish cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp of chili powder
- 1 1/2 slightly heaping cups of cheddar cheese


        Cook the turkey in a pan over medium-high heat until browned (beef, pork...), stirring frequently to break up the meat. Add the green onions and garlic. Cook until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder into the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and beans. Let filling cool and snack on the extra cheese you spilt all over the counter while measuring it out.


So I had this all typed up and everything at the end of May and thought I had it scheduled. But I didn't, or rather I did, but for next year...