can that be? already?? wow, I know the older I get it seems time goes so much faster, but seriously, is it really September? Our weather is sure indicating so! Right now it feels so much like fall outside. It's sunny, and that is a good thing as I can tolerate cool temps as long as the sun shines, but I sure do wish that we had more summer warmth this year...I feel totally robbed of summer and here we are now, heading into fall.
However, that said, Fall used to be my favorite season. In actuality it really still is, I mean, the colors, the smells, the holidays...I love all that stuff, but, with the entrance of fall means the presence of winter on the way..and, we all know, I HATE winter!!! I keep counting down...three more winters and I won't have to take the torture anymore!!!
Alright...enough whining Cricket!! :D Back to fall!! With fall comes Halloween!! I really like Halloween...I mean, for this girl who loves all things horror and dark and twisty, Halloween is a great holiday, and fast becoming my favorite! I used to decorate a ton for the holiday and then I sort of slacked off, but this year I am really inspired to "do up" the house! I'm not big on the outdoor stuff, maybe a wreath and some pumpkins..more fall themed than scary, but the inside is going to get a real makeover and I can't wait! I've been losing myself each night in magazines devoted to all things gothic and Halloween (Martha's got a great mag out now on the holiday) and I've got a lot of cute ideas swirling about in my head! I even joined a Trick or Treat Swap!!! I'm so psyched to be a part of this!! It's given me some new mojo to create which was sorely needed! Check it out, link is on the sidebar ! Thanks to my girl Cinnibonbon for hooking me up! I've also been indulging myself in an art journal..loving that creative process as it combines both my love of paper and ink with my biggest love, writing! It feels really great to have a place to "put" both of those things together.
Another really big deal for me right now and one that excites me to my toes is my baking gig! Yep, after years of "dreaming" of being a pastry chef, I have the opportunity to put another of my passions into play! I have been hired on by this amazing cafe, The Wild Tree, to do some baking of treats for them! The Wild Tree is such a cool place to hang out, the community there is amazing and you can just feel all the "good vibrations" that eminate from within. Ivy, the owner, is such a wonderful spirit, very supportive and I can't begin to thank her enough for helping to make this dream of mine become a reality! While I like to bake tons of different things, right now I am focusing on doing Vegan desserts for her. Now, most desserts are probably considered Vegetarian because, well, there isn't meat in desserts really! LOL, but the main difference between a Vegetarian and a Vegan is the use of dairy and eggs. Vegetarians (myself) will still eat eggs and dairy (I cannot give up my cheese omelets or ice cream!) and a Vegan will not. So, yep, there are ways around those ingredients in the baking world. There are really awesome substitutions that I use and so far, everyone who has tasted or purchased my treats has said that they would never know they were Vegan!! Whew!! So, right now, I head down to the cafe once a week, after it closes and do my baking deal. My friend Mary (who was key in getting me this gig by the way!) comes along and helps out! We crank the tunes, turn on the oven, hang out and bake..it's a blast! I look forward to seeing where this adventure will take me!
More fall goodness....cooking! Yep, don't often cook too much during the summer, it's just to casual and hot out to bother..but once the cooler weather sets in, it's like a little bell goes off inside of me and the urge to cook comes to me in full force! Today I tried my hand at homemade vegetable broth to which I then made a veggie soup! You should seriously smell my house right now, I have my soup simmering on the stove and it is totally wafting (yes, I actually used the word wafting!) up the stairs to my sCRAP room! I can't wait to indulge in it. I was cutting up all these yummy, fresh veggies and said to myself "self, lets just go harvest something outta this little garden you got going"..so, with shears in hand, I headed out and picked myself a beautiful squash which is now cooking itself away in my lovely soup! I love my garden, I will be sad to see it end but look forward to an even bigger one next year!
Alright then, that's about it for me. Gonna add some tuneage back to the sidebar...sorry, I just miss the sounds...so hit the stop button if you don't want to listen! I'm loving my songbirds..something about a female singer just speaks to my soul..this song is one of my favorites, first heard in the movie "Sweet November" (love, love, love that movie).... Back to my sCRAP room and creating some fun Halloween treats while my nose enjoys the smells of that soup downstairs on the stove...
Until next time,
Blessings!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Just....
in the mood to share my all time, absolute, most favorite (you get the idea?? LOL) song from one of my favorite bands...My Chemical Romance....enjoy! Yeah, I know...dark and creepy...just what I love!
Music Videos by VideoCure
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday night babble....
I'm bored. I hate when I want to do something but I don't know what it is I want to do, just that I know I don't want to do what I'm currently doing and that is nothing....ahhhhhh.....the mind screw of it all! I decided that I'd read some emails, surf the web and try to find some inspiration out here. I did. Yep, linked to a blog from a blog and that was all it took!
I love to write. In another life I would have been a writer. Heck, in another life I would have been a lot of things...but, seriously, this blogging, however strange it might seem to others out there, it sure is a great way for me to "write". I get to jot down little snippets of life here and there, and while I may not have the skills to be an actual writer of books and such, it allows me to feed that little need inside of me to put words to "paper" and to speak what I feel, and I don't care if I don't have every grammatical rule followed or if what I say appeals to the masses, I enjoy the act and that's all I need!
Alright, alright....off track...I know, my mind has been other places today and it's exhausting! So, yeah, I was bored and found some inspiration in my girl. I should realize that when I'm feeling restless or bored or uninspired all I need to do is look at pics of my girl and suddenly the wheels start to turn! I took this picture of Mandi awhile back, it's alright, in fact I think I've shared it here before...
I'm not a terrific photographer and while I keep on trying to get better, I figure Photoshop can help me out where my skills are lacking! I love the actions by Totally Rad Actions and since I now run Photoshop CS4, I can use them!! Big score for me!!! I pulled up this picture of my girl and decided to just play around with some of the new actions I have, see what they can do! Using one of them is cool, using 3 of them is FUN!!!
Now, I know, that this look might not appeal to everyone but for me it rocks my socks! I love it's dark, dirty, grungy-ness, and, if we are looking at things from an artistic point of view, one mans art is, well, you know what I mean!
So, there you have it, just a peek into what I spent some time doing tonight to ward off the boredom of a regular Wednesday evening in Lake Villa, that and some retail therapy by means of Etsy have helped to keep me occupied! Think it's time though to put my Mac to rest and call it a night.
Oh yeah, I know that a lot of blog readers hate the automated music on blogs, but, this is my blog man and I love my music, just don't get the same vibe off of here without it so it's back on! Been on a huge 60's old school rock kick lately, bought a fabulous CCR cd the other day so in honor of CCR and some rockin' good tunage, enjoy! (yeah, there's a hippie in my just dying to get out!)
Until next time,
Blessings!
I love to write. In another life I would have been a writer. Heck, in another life I would have been a lot of things...but, seriously, this blogging, however strange it might seem to others out there, it sure is a great way for me to "write". I get to jot down little snippets of life here and there, and while I may not have the skills to be an actual writer of books and such, it allows me to feed that little need inside of me to put words to "paper" and to speak what I feel, and I don't care if I don't have every grammatical rule followed or if what I say appeals to the masses, I enjoy the act and that's all I need!
Alright, alright....off track...I know, my mind has been other places today and it's exhausting! So, yeah, I was bored and found some inspiration in my girl. I should realize that when I'm feeling restless or bored or uninspired all I need to do is look at pics of my girl and suddenly the wheels start to turn! I took this picture of Mandi awhile back, it's alright, in fact I think I've shared it here before...
I'm not a terrific photographer and while I keep on trying to get better, I figure Photoshop can help me out where my skills are lacking! I love the actions by Totally Rad Actions and since I now run Photoshop CS4, I can use them!! Big score for me!!! I pulled up this picture of my girl and decided to just play around with some of the new actions I have, see what they can do! Using one of them is cool, using 3 of them is FUN!!!
Now, I know, that this look might not appeal to everyone but for me it rocks my socks! I love it's dark, dirty, grungy-ness, and, if we are looking at things from an artistic point of view, one mans art is, well, you know what I mean!
So, there you have it, just a peek into what I spent some time doing tonight to ward off the boredom of a regular Wednesday evening in Lake Villa, that and some retail therapy by means of Etsy have helped to keep me occupied! Think it's time though to put my Mac to rest and call it a night.
Oh yeah, I know that a lot of blog readers hate the automated music on blogs, but, this is my blog man and I love my music, just don't get the same vibe off of here without it so it's back on! Been on a huge 60's old school rock kick lately, bought a fabulous CCR cd the other day so in honor of CCR and some rockin' good tunage, enjoy! (yeah, there's a hippie in my just dying to get out!)
Until next time,
Blessings!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary....
How does your garden grow???
Well, I'm not sure how said Mary's garden is growing, but just take a look at what is in mine!!
Yes, I have a tomato (well, had...as I promptly picked it, rubbed it on my shirt and popped it into my mouth!! yumm!!) and the cucumber...man, I LOVE cucumbers!! I actually had two that were ready to pick and so I gave one to my mom....I mean, come on folks!
This is my first year doing a vegetable garden. I have always wanted to do one, just never got around to actually doing it. This year I asked my girl Mary (who is not said Mary of children's rhyme but has an amazing garden none the less!!) if she would come over and help me get one started. Mary has amazing gardens in her yard, she is like the queen of gardening! She even has a greenhouse in her yard..way cool stuff...and grows all organic plants. She starts the veggies and then sells the starters at local fairs in the early summer. She came over and helped me plant squash (of which I currently have 3 growing), tomatoes, cucumbers (I have jillions started), broccoli (it's growing), and basil (doing great and smells wonderful!!). I was a bit worried as we have had such a stinky summer in the weather department and everything seems to be taking a long time to grow, but, it is finally starting to take hold and viola...some success!!
I am really enjoying this whole gardening deal...I love to go out, look at my cute little patch of fresh veggies and water them..it's like taking care of it and all...feels really earthy and good! I can't wait until I have a full crop of 'maters to eat and of course share with my mom (who is anxiously waiting their arrival!)...
Ozzi is loving my garden too...each morning I catch him going over to it (of course I have some wire fencing set up so he can't wander in the middle of it) and looking around..wondering what the heck is going on with all this green, good smelling stuff!
So, there it is....my first gardening success!!
Not much else going on. Took Daphne out today for a fashion shoot, however, her hat wasn't filling on her just right and she's asked me to do it again so that she can look absolutely stunning before I post her pics! Be on the lookout...she does have the cutest outfit evah!!
so, until next time.
Blessings!!
Well, I'm not sure how said Mary's garden is growing, but just take a look at what is in mine!!
Yes, I have a tomato (well, had...as I promptly picked it, rubbed it on my shirt and popped it into my mouth!! yumm!!) and the cucumber...man, I LOVE cucumbers!! I actually had two that were ready to pick and so I gave one to my mom....I mean, come on folks!
This is my first year doing a vegetable garden. I have always wanted to do one, just never got around to actually doing it. This year I asked my girl Mary (who is not said Mary of children's rhyme but has an amazing garden none the less!!) if she would come over and help me get one started. Mary has amazing gardens in her yard, she is like the queen of gardening! She even has a greenhouse in her yard..way cool stuff...and grows all organic plants. She starts the veggies and then sells the starters at local fairs in the early summer. She came over and helped me plant squash (of which I currently have 3 growing), tomatoes, cucumbers (I have jillions started), broccoli (it's growing), and basil (doing great and smells wonderful!!). I was a bit worried as we have had such a stinky summer in the weather department and everything seems to be taking a long time to grow, but, it is finally starting to take hold and viola...some success!!
I am really enjoying this whole gardening deal...I love to go out, look at my cute little patch of fresh veggies and water them..it's like taking care of it and all...feels really earthy and good! I can't wait until I have a full crop of 'maters to eat and of course share with my mom (who is anxiously waiting their arrival!)...
Ozzi is loving my garden too...each morning I catch him going over to it (of course I have some wire fencing set up so he can't wander in the middle of it) and looking around..wondering what the heck is going on with all this green, good smelling stuff!
So, there it is....my first gardening success!!
Not much else going on. Took Daphne out today for a fashion shoot, however, her hat wasn't filling on her just right and she's asked me to do it again so that she can look absolutely stunning before I post her pics! Be on the lookout...she does have the cutest outfit evah!!
so, until next time.
Blessings!!
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