new pet beds

i know, i know i have been writing endlessly about the animals these past weeks but we have a lot going on with them.

this week, as a little present to the animals of the house hold,  we got new beds for everyone.  for the cat boys, Ginkgo and Bamboo, i made kitty cushions for their baskets and stuffed them with camping foam.  they were super easy to do and after i sprinkled a little cat-nip on the beds, they were in love.  i simply measured the basket size and added two inches to each side (if you are using poly-fill you can add only one inch) when cutting my fabric.  i added the extra inch all around because of the thickness of the foam i filled them with.  a zipper was added on the top for wash-ability and wa-la, two new cat beds.

for the pups i contracted out.  Rainier is tough on dog beds and we wanted on that would last so we went back to Bow Wow Beds who has an Etsy store as well as a website you can find here.  Amberlii uses canvas, in an awesome selection of colors, to create zipper-less beds.  We have had one for Rainier for two years now and it has gone across the county with us and is still in decent shape.  We ordered one for Baker (size Large) and one for Rainier (size X-Large).  Bow Wow Beds even stencils the pups name on the bed - too cute.  You can see Rainier enjoying here bed below.  Doesn't she look tired.

So within the next week the whole crew will have comfy new beds, on which to lay their little heads.  JD and i can only hope they sleep!

here comes baker...

yep the week has arrived.  the baby comes home thursday and boy are we excited.  we stopped by to see all the puppies this weekend and boy oh boy are they cute.  they were all competing for attention and love.  it was too much.  we spent a little quality time with Baker and worked out the specifics of his pick up.  tonight we are going to drag the crate out of the basement and get it all set up.  we need to stop and get puppy food... and we have a couple of toys for him.

Rainier gave us the up and down smell upon our return to the car - she has no idea that her life is about to drastically change.  hopefully she gains her best friend - that is our hope anyway.

new dog collars

with Bakers eminent arrival we have been searching for that perfect collar and leash that will be his, mark his personality, and of course coordinate, however we have been unable to find one that was just right.  i love the one Rainier has now it is a green hemp/fleece collar from planet dog and it is wonderful but it only comes in two other colors, purple and red.  neither would be right for a white dog with brindle spots.  so this weekend i ventured into making some fashion collars for my pups.  since i don't know how big baker really is i started by making a collar for Rainier.  i think it came out very nicely for my first attempt although it is not adjustable in size.  seems i didn't buy the correct part.  the collar is cute all the same and she likes it.  i sewed her fabric onto webbing so that it was a bit more sturdy for such a big dog.  Rainier is below showing her new wears off!

here is the collar from the side.  isn't she adorable.

the day has zoomed by (and so has my vacation)

i am fascinated how quickly my vacation days have passed. they went much, much quicker than a typical work week... ahhh. i have also realized that as i got used to being at home, i could spend much more time getting less done. i know that might sound confusing but starting on christmas eve i had a list of about 15 things i needed to complete; make meatballs, make lasagna, wrap presents, clean the house, take out the recycling... and all of it got done. today on my 5th day from work my list was comprised of 2 things; hem pants and hang some picture frames. i didn't complete either. i did however go and visit Baker (he comes home on Thursday!) and we took Rainier to the dog park. that is about it... nothing accomplished. i know, i know that is what vacation is for, relaxing. i, however, am not good at going through a day without getting something accomplished. yesterday was a sewing day and although i didn't get all the projects done that i had intended i did make progress. today there was no "progress" just playing with the pups and watching tv... oh well. so tomorrow after work, i will rush home to hem pants and hang pictures. well hopefully anyway. but for tonight i will sign off from my pj's... just relaxing.

happy holidays

hey yo.... long time huh.  i have been vacationing in my house... working on projects and visiting with family.  catching up on some merry making.  this christmas was really wonderful and i got so many crafty, handmade gifts.  i will share them with you i promise... i first must take pictures!  speaking of pictures i got a new rebel EOS digital camera for christmas (thanks dad and mom).  they still spoil me.  hopefully this will help my blog pictures out and i can better show you what is going on around these parts.

christmas day was a wonderful procession of tea, coffee, stockings, breakfast (baked oatmeal with apples and cranberries), getting dressed, gifts, cheese plate, gifts, then dinner... everything was wonderful except the fact that i cut my finger while making up the cheese plate.. grrr.  then i almost passed out. (i am so not good with blood)   after 15 min or so i bounced back... and the presents continued.

i hope you had a wonderful holiday... i will be back more regularly i promise.

Baker is growing fast!

isn't he the cutest.  i think so anyway.  only two more weeks before he can come home.  don't you just want to eat him?  ok not eat him but you know what i mean... kiss and cuddle.  well he is mine... and you can't have him.  in two short weeks he will become fur-baby number four and all will be right with the world.

Eating In - classic risotto

on cold snowy days like we have been having... warm comfort food is defiantly needed.  to answer that craving the other night we made a basic risotto from giada de laurentiis, everyday italian.  it was delicious; warm, cheesy, yum.  so tonight if you are chilly and need a good, comforting, home cooked meal... check it out.  i paired this with my bacon, walnut, brussel sprouts... mmm mmm good.  i will save that for another day.

basic risotto

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborior rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

bring the broth to a simmer - keep over low heat

melt 2 tablespoons of the butter... add the onion and saute until tender (3 min)

add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated (3 min)

add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost absorbed (2 min)

continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a tim (about 20 min total)

remove from the heat - stir in parmesan and the remaining tablespoon of butter and the salt and pepper.

serve... yummmm.

frosty, frosty, frosty

it is frosty here in seattle... quite different from the norm. so we are taking full advantage of the snow and even enjoying the ice (well until the commute anyway) we played in the abandon street, shoveled the walk , and met many of our neighbors. we were all out partaking in a beautifully white day. it is rumored that this might last through the holiday! oh please... please... pretty please.

it's business time - cookie business time

today the snow fell and we stayed inside and did projects.  i wrapped gifts, we baked, i did a little sewing.  it was the sort of day that we needed.  as the snow piled up outside, we de-stressed inside.  this year we threw caution to the wind and decided to try all NEW cookie recipes in hopes that we might find a new family favorite to make again next year...  so today we made almond crescents, almond thumbprints with bittersweet chocolate filling, espresso short-breads, and nutty caramel thumbprints.  the dough is in the fridge for some raspberry and lemon curd ochio di buois but we need to come back to those tomorrow.











the cookies are delicious and have made the house smell so wonderful.  i love snow days.

this years ornament

today JD and I took Rainier out down town... we went to the pet store to buy a few items for Baker's home coming (Rainier picked out a bone which she is currently gnawing on in the living room).  after the pet store we went to find our ornaments for 2008.  i picked the jolly santa pictured above... i love him.  it is a miniature snow globe for the tree.  JD didn't find anything - we will try again another day.  we also stopped by the grocery store to pick up some cookie making provisions.  it is to snow again here in seattle tonight and the grocery store was a testament to how crazy people can be about weather.  the lines were 10 people deep per cash register.  

thank god we are home now.  

aprons on.... let the baking begin.

Christmas has changed

this year Christmas has just snuck up on me; all of the sudden it is next week.  i have been searching to figure out why, this year, the excitement is lacking.  to that end i have come up with a list of reasons (i am a list person)

1.  i live 3,000 miles away from my family:
it is just JD and I here.  His brother and girlfriend live close but that's it... not that the 4 of us are not enough, but it just isn't the same not having a house hustling and bustling with the noise of family.

2.  we don't have kids:
children just bring a different level of excitement to the holiday.  Santa isn't as an exciting idea to 20(and 30) somethings.

3.  i'm no longer a kid:
i still love Christmas but now that i am an adult i don't have to wait and ask for things.  i just save up and buy them.  i still enjoy the making, the buying, the giving... but somewhere, sometime it has changed.

i am looking forward to Christmas don't get me wrong - this year is just different.  we have gotten a ton of snow here today so hopefully it sticks.  snow will help.

wouldn't it be nice to go back and have one christmas as a kid again?  waking up to find that santa had arrived as you slept, lugging your favorite gift down to grandma's house to show the family... those are the things i now know to relish.  one day, when i do have kids, these are the things i need to remember so that i can make their christmas just as special as mine were growing up.

hopefully you have snow.

this just in.

yes, yes i know it is late and i have been AWOL all day... but it has been one of those days. we were to the dentist first thing this morning, then for a coffee before work. then work... then off to pick up some last minute christmas presents. back home to wrap presents and get shipping boxes together. will they even make it there on time? your guess is as good as mine.

ahhh what a day.. dentist, coffee, work, shopping, wrapping, packing and now cat cuddling.

at least it is good way to end such a hectic day.

Rainier holiday ornaments?

yep you read correctly... Rainier is famous.  well not "famous" but famous enough.  she has made it as holiday ornament bling.  the Ravenna Girls have immortalized Rainier in a custom holiday ornament.  this baby now hangs on my tree in all of its rustic glory.  next up one for Gingko, Bamboo, and Baker.  Check out their etsy shop for all of your vintage items or rustic ornament needs.

Eating In

on cold, blustery days like yesterday I like to cook.  it fills the house with a cozy warmness that is hard to achieve with take-out.  so after a morning walk with JD and Rainier (and two mugs of hot co-co) we returned to the house to make chili.  i don't have a chili recipe and my versions vary each time depending on what i have in the fridge and cabinet.  this time though, i think i will try and remember it because it was GOOD.

i broke out our new le creuset dutch oven which we recently purchased with wedding money.  (thank you wedding)  i had high expectations for all food cooked in this expensive pot.  well i have to tell you - it came through.

Winter day Chili

1lb hamburger
1 onion minced
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery

1 can of black beans
1 can of lima beans
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
chili spices

sour cream
cheddar cheese

1.  Combine the hamburger, onions, carrots and celery - let cook on on low until the hamburger is cooked and the veggies soft.

2.  Add the canned items... add what you like.

3.  Add the chili spices.  I used a pack and a half of an organic chili spice mix, but it is easy to mix your own as well.

4.  Let cook - be patient.  I let everything cook down for at least an hour and a half on low, low heat.  Letting everything simmer really thickens the chili and makes it super hearty.  Although you could probably eat the chili after 15 minutes you would have a much runnier sauce.

5.  Top the steaming hot bowls of chili with cheese and a dollop of sour cream.... mmmmmmmm.

Good...

web work

hey kiddies i am updating wordpress so if something strange is happening... just stick with me.  i am certainly no computer expert but i try.  stay tuned and cross those fingers.

holiday idea #2 - steampunk cufflinks

another holiday idea for you... check out these super cool cuff links from London Particulars.  they have earrings, rings, cufflinks, and necklaces for you to check out.  i love them and they are based right here out of Seattle.  check out their Etsy shop - you know you want to.

snow day!

since it is such a rare (RARE) occasion that we have snow in seattle i just had to share the joy.  the snow started around 8 and it is now a bit after midnight and it is still snowing!  oh joy.  we were just out with rainier playing in the snow again.  2 years ago days after we got her we had a similar scene.... but she was much much smaller.  i will have to find those photos... it was rainier's first snow day.  tonight as we play in the snow; i think she remembers.

Birthday Gifts

so sorry... i have been so busy this week i just lost track of time.  we had a fun celebration out on Thursday night.  I have pictures of the food but will save it till another post.  i got some beautiful gifts this year... the most precious being Baker who hasn't come home yet.

i am very excited however about the new sewing book JD got me for my b-day, Seams to Me.  you can see the picture above. oh the new projects awaiting me.  i think i am going to make the apron first, but who knows.

my mema (mom) sent me these beautiful glass bird ornaments for my tree.  i'm not going to lie... i love them so much they made me cry.. (a little bit anyway).  a picture of one is below.

i also received a beautiful pair of ceramic earrings from yasha butler.  i wrote about her work back on Dec. 02 here.  my girlfriend jacks sent them to me and i already wore them out to dinner.

last night i got a very crafty gift; a walking foot for my sewing machine.  watch out quilting here i come.  it was a fabulous birthday and i can't thank everyone enough for all the emails and good wishes.  tonight we are going out one last night to celebrate my 30th b-day; dinner and drinks with friends.

The birthday

Hey guys out with JD for a birthday celebration. More tomorrow I promise!

a contemplative day.

tomorrow i turn 30... yep 30.  it's a big one.  i have found that i am not as excited about this birthday, as i was the past 29.  JD can attest to my usual birthday excitement. the birthday celebration usually starts about the beginning of december and runs past my actual birthday.  i use the birthday excuse - "i don't have to it's my birthday soon" for weeks.  i just love birthdays.

this year i am not as excited.  it isn't because i think i am "so old" or thirty is the end of the world.  but i think it is because i have been doing a lot more thinking about where i thought i would be at age 30.  it is one of those years that is marked with expectation... i want to be married before i am 30...  i want to have kids by the time i am 30... i want to buy a house by the time i am 30.

i have achieved some of that "before 30 list" but certainly not all of it.  today while thinking about these things i am trying to adjust my time line.  what is my next big goal, when do i want to have achieved it?  those types of things, life things, are what are on my mind the last day of my twenties.

Hot Doggin it.

sometimes it is the little things that make you laugh.  JD, has that way of making me laugh, with his silly expressions.  (some of which are SO west virginian). no offense but he learned some interesting things when living there.. oh but on with my original train of thought.

a few nights ago... i heard a huge commotion, banging - paws of all sizes scurrying and running.  I ran out to see just what was going on... "is everyone alright?"  JD just sat there laughing.  He explained that Gink was trying to HOT DOG it up on to the couch and instead of missing the arm of the couch he over shot and landed on Rainier (our rottie).  this in fact scared the sh*t out of both of them and fur went flying in all directions.

the visual of the 18 lb cat landing on the 85 lb dog was funny in its own right but the thought that gink was showing off and trying to hot dog it up on the couch was too much...

so there... i have a hot doggin cat.  take that skaters.

the glass studio

the glass studio area is complete!  i love it ... love it... love it.  I can't thank JD enough for making all of this for me!  Rainier has graciously posed in this picture so you can see it.  the workbench has one final layer of homosote that needs to be added to the top.  the homosote is soft and doesn't burn so i can pin the my work right to it.

JD added a thin shelf right under the work surface for storage of projects during the working phase.  there is also a large shelf on the bottom that can store just about anything.



he also built the storage area for my glass right behind.  I have my smaller pieces of glass stored in scrap booking storage bins you can see on the right side of the top picture and below.



we also hung some lights that we made from candy dishes we found on sale.  we drilled each of the candy dishes under water with a low speed drill and added a light kit to make an inexpensive pendant fixture.  they are perfect above the work bench.

have a mentioned i love my new work space?

what are you looking at?

here is baker!  2.5 lbs and a little over 2 weeks old.  so so cute.  just wanted to keep you updated.  we have to wait 4 more weeks.  ahhh the agony, but he still needs his mama.  so we wait.

Meet Rainier, my cuddly puppy.

I have been bad... not posting.  yesterday i woke up, everything was peachy.  we started our day; eggs and toast...   we were headed to the basement to work on the glass storage area i wrote about a few weeks ago, but i was tired... so so tired.  you see, everyone and their brother has been sick at work this past week and i wasn't about to let it take my few days of PTO left.  so i went back to sleep.  i must have needed it because i slept all day long and through till today.  I woke up for an hour here or an hour there yesterday to watch a tv show or a movie... the best part of the day though, was Rainier, who never left my side.  she snuggled with me all day long.  even though JD was out in the yard sawing, banging, cutting she stayed with me to make sure i was ok.  i love this dog.  she is a wonderful friend.  this is Rainier.

one of those days...

today was one of those days....

you know, the kind where you just want some comfort.  these are the days i really miss my mom and wished i lived a lot closer to her - (3,000 miles is way way too far.)

this is the kind of day that requires a hoodie and stretchy pants.
this is the kind of day that requires comfort food - (something warm and cheesy).
this is the kind of day that requires patience - (i am not good at patience).

this is the kind of day that you think will be better as soon as you can walk in the door but guess what..?
Gingko pooped on the living room floor...
One of the pets spilled the water bowl everywhere...
Bamboo is puking in the hall as I type...
The fridge is empty...

i think i will go to bed early tonight.

ahhh tomorrow is another day.  another day with 2 (yep count them) 2 christmas  holiday parties!

a zillion magazines

i don't know about you, but i have a zillion magazines lying around the house.  i am one of those people who just can't recycle them after a certain period of time either!  i feel that i need to keep them for the recipes that live within the pages or the home decorating ideas.  i do this even though i have never referenced them for one of my projects (ok maybe a time or two, but not enough to keep stacks and stacks of mags).

a while back i started to rip out the pages that had info or pictures i wanted to remember or use again.  this plan has only caused a large pile of magazine pages floating about the house... but don't fear i have found the answer.



i found some hardback sketch books at barnes & noble (you can see them in the picture - covered by magazine pages) that i have started converting into my idea books.  the sketchbooks are cool themselves,  because they are a product created by b&n and students at the savannah college of art and design their web page is www.workingclassstudio.com .  anyway, i have started a few idea books.  one for holiday ideas broken down by holiday, one for home decor ideas divided by room type, and one for crafts and project ideas.  I also have started to expand my homemade cook book (already started in a moleskin) by cutting out recipes  and images to provide an easy reference while trying to decide what's for dinner.  a picture of the cook book is below; i separated the recipes out by food type (salad, soup, dessert).

i am digging my idea books.  they provide the ideas i want to save in an easy to reference book and allow me to recycle my magazine piles volume by volume.

the holidays #1 - things i want

tis the season! thus, tis the season for shopping!  i have been scowering the internet for things that will make the perfect gift for my family and friends.  i have found quite a few, but can't post on them until after the holiday (since they may be reading).  in lieu of that, i think, i will do a few post between now and christmas on the things that i am finding that I LOVE.  so... drum roll please.

yesterday i found yasha butler ceramics via heart handmade.  i love her work.  i immediately sent the link to JD encouraging him to take a look.  i want to reach through the screen and feel each piece.

oh.. little earrings how you would look dangling from my ears.

oh... little cup and coaster how perfectly you would fit on my desk.

yasha also has a blog yasha butler ceramics, check it out.  buy handmade.

BBQ... I am trying to learn to eat *like* it.

When I met my now husband, I knew nothing about bbq, save the bottle of Kraft sauce you can pick up at the market.  I mean I grew up in PA so the only thing we put bbq sauce on was chicken on the grill.

The Man, on the other hand, had spent some time in Houston and loves bbq... me not so much.  So he has been trying to ease me into the bbq scene.  We have been trying some pulled pork recipes at home...and have been trying out the local bbq once in a while.

I have so many problems with bbq like... 1.  why is it all cut up and pulled apart?  2.  why are there bits of fat all through it?  3.  how do you taste the meat with so much sauce?  I love condiments but it is dripping with sauce and is oh so messy... ahhh.

To further my bbq knowledge and expand my palette recently we tried out The Pig Iron here in Seattle.  Things I learned:
1.  The Fried Green Tomatoes there are amazing... and the sweet tea... oh lord.
2.  I sort of like pulled pork and think I could learn to enjoy it.
3.  BBQ sausage is still way out of my league.

I won't be moving to Kansas City or the South any time soon but I am going to continue to try and like bbq at least for my man's sake.  fried green tomatoes here I come... yum!