Lemon Bars Recipe

I made this lemon bar recipe last night and they are yummy!
Every recipe I have tried from Baking Bites has been delicious.
I used Meyer lemons.

Give a Hoot!

Since January 2010, San Diego county has been famous for it's owl cam in San Marcos.
People can view a live feed of what's happening in the nest, and comment on a forum.
It's pretty freakin' cool.
Sadly the news reported today that the male, McGee, appears to have died.
The owl mates are named Molly and McGee.
Hopefully Molly will find another mate.

My mom has about two and a half acres, and an owl would be a welcome tenant to keep the gophers under control.
Those gophers are cute as can be, but they're turning my garden into a quicksand zone.

I've been wanting to get an owl box for awhile, and serendipity had me drive past a guy selling some amazing boxes out in Jamul today.
By FAR these are the nicest boxes I've seen--they even have shingled roofs!

The website is Custom Owl Boxes.
Take a look.
These are even nicer in person.
He also makes bat boxes (bats eat lots of icky insects like mosquitos).

Dogs

AMAZING photos by Seth Casteel

Gift Ideas

Some of my favorite gifts, both to give and to receive, are stocking stuffers.
Fun candy, I-tunes gift cards, gold coins, wool socks, art supplies, kitchen gadgets...
Here are a couple more ideas:


If you have long hair, this brush is a MUST HAVE.
The Wet Brush blows a comb out of the water. It is awesome!
And affordable.

I like these dog leashes that loop around to form their own collar.
This one is at LL Bean.

Hee Hee....Dog Slobber Hand Sanitizer
At Perpetual Kid.

I didn't mean to turn this into dog-related gifts, but I've just happened upon some cool stuff.Doggie water bottle adapter


T Rex tea strainer, at Fred Flare

What is on MY "gimme" list this year?
A food processor
New pillow (a chiropractic type)
Chanel foundation
curling iron with a wide brush, like this
a vintage Polaroid. Maybe the SX-70 (see this)
Fermenting class, from Nourished Kitchen

Geez, I finally sewed something again

I finally dusted off my sewing machine and made a gift bag for a friend's birthday.
(Jen, if you're reading this, look away....at least until I give this to you this weekend!)



I first came across this gorgeous grape fabric by Martha Negley for Westminster Fabrics.
Jen is a wine aficionado, so I figured she might like this.
Initially I just thought I'd make a simple drawstring bag, but my projects always tend to get more complicated, so I decided to make the Slouchy Yard Bag (tutorial on Lazy Daisy Cottage).

That meant another trip to the fabric store to find more designs in the Autumn Medley fabric line, and I ended up liking this Bright Mix even more.
So the grape fabric that started me on this project became the lining

I got the grape vines in the green colorway (it's called Burst Twigs) for the interior pockets.

I decided to use a wide purple satin ribbon for the handles.
I'm hoping maybe she can reuse the bag for light shopping.

Inside, my favorite gift to give friends right now: a soy candle from Bottlehood.
Bottlehood is a San Diego company that takes trash (bottles from restaurants, bars, etc) and cuts them into reusable bowls, vases, pendants, goblets, lamps, and candles.
They also make flattened bottles into cheese boards and spoon rests.
Eventually they hope to even turn glass into countertops.

They use unusually shaped bottles, and/or bottles with permanent designs (etched designs versus paper labels).
Most of the bottles are rather manly designs, like Stone Pale Ale's Arrogant Bastard.
But I love the harder-to-find Dolce wine bottle for feminine gifts, with its gold swirls and cascading grapes
I love supporting recycled projects, mom and pop businesses, and local businesses.
Bottlehood sells at San Diego Farmer's Markets, and also have a shop on Etsy.

Work Out Ready

I just bought some clothes to work out in.
Finally!
Now there's no excuse!

Heart and Core is having an awesome sale--check it out.
Two sisters started this company when their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and couldn't find comfortable sports bras to wear.
So these are products for women, made by women.

Along with sports bras, the company has a ruched top that looks good on everyone, and some capri-style athletic pants as well (more products and colors to come in the future).

How Do You Wish To Sparkle?

I am absolutely fascinated by the idea of taking the
Sparkles class
offered by Jamie Ridler, and including many guest teachers.
We all still have time to sign up, but we have to hurry.

And I certainly need some sparkle in my life!
I want to be glittery and shiny.

Several years ago, I bought a friend of mine a little tiny glass bottle filled with "fairy dust".
The stopper top was connected with a little tiny spoon (wait a minute...was it a wand?), and you could scoop out the glittery dust and blow to the wind...and cast your wish.
I wish (no pun intended) I had bought one for myself--what an amazing little treasure!

The idea of wishcasting right now is serendipitous, because this is a big year of change for me.
I'm tired of being tired, so I'm concentrating on health and wellness.
I enrolled in a nutrition school, and am being trained to become a holistic health coach.
My first client is myself, and I'm going to learn all the ways I can to bring myself back to a healthy place physically, emotionally, spiritually.
Basically the school is my mentor, and then I will take all the things I learn on my path to wellness, and will be able to help others do the same.

So right now my focus and my wish is success on this path...the path I'm meant to be walking...my intended niche.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to include art therapy in my coaching, and I know this year is going to be a huge transformation.
I'm excited!

Mmmmm....pie

I love watching cooking shows on television, and reading cooking-related magazines.
One of the best of both is Cooks Illustrated Magazine, which is also responsible for America's Test Kitchen, and Cook's Country.
The great thing about all these is they go into their kitchens and test test test until what comes out is a recipe tried and true--and one you can trust is going to be excellent.

So when I heard that their Raspberry Chiffon Pie is one of their top ten most requested recipes, I had to give it a try.
I wasn't disappointed.
In fact, I made it for a get together of friends, in place of a birthday cake.

It's a sophisticated version of, surprisingly, a jello pie.

Get the recipe on Artic Garden Studio, just don't leave out the whipped cream layer.
And check out her link to Batter Splattered.

An Interview With Jamie Ridler

This is so inspiring.

An Interview With Jamie Ridler by the blog Your Courageous Life

For those of us who love shiny things

Winter Nest Fabric Panel

I just bought this gorgeous fabric panel by Kristen Doran.
I'll make a pillow for my bedroom.
The black is exquisite, but sold out currently, so I got the green.

Girly Tutes

A multitude of Fabric flower tutorials on Tip Junkie
How to easily make a tutu, on Cut Out + Keep (an easy-to-follow tutorial with lots of pics)

Or another tutu, this called A Fairy Skirt, by Lazy Mama Designs
Or here's a tutu by Cafe Mom.
I love the idea of using multiple colors of tulle and sparkly tulle
Simple Bandana Dress tutorial, by Joy's Hope
Super Sock Pig Toy!
Tutorial by q.d. patooties

Avast, me hearties!

Next weekend, my aunt (my dad's sister) will turn 95!!!
She lives in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, and she's throwing a Pirate Party!
I won't be attending this party, but I went to her 88th birthday party.
I took a bus ride from Tijuana to Puerto Penasco, about eight hours on a Mercedes bus with good movies in English.
The only bizarre part was the random stops so machine gun toting army could get on board and check out passengers.
Machine guns were also at each bus terminal, and all the toilets required pesos to unlock them.
I was so afraid of not hearing my bus boarding notices at stops, I just hung out by the bus.
If you don't get back on in time...they leave without you!
Even after all my years of Spanish classes, I still can't understand the language.

Anyway, at my aunt's 88th party, her mariachi friends played.
There were tables set up, and food cooking, and people were dancing.
It was awesome!

My aunt broke her leg not too long ago, and now she fears walking.
Sadly, a lot of elderly people become too dependent on walkers and wheelchairs and scooters, out of fear of re-injuring themselves, but what they really need is to keep moving! Keep walking!
Well, what kind of present does one get a little old lady who is almost blind, and basically in bed or a wheelchair?

My mom took my advice and got her the Homedics Sound Spa--a little machine that makes the sound of ocean waves, or rain, or (my favorite) birds tweeting.
My mom bought a bag of popcorn to cushion the mail journey (I said, oh no, you should have gotten Pirate's Booty! Oh well)

I decided to get her something she could wear to the party.
I spent hours looking at custom tee shirt sites, thinking I'd get some sort of image with "Show me Yer Booty!" on the front.
My aunt, you see, is a bit of a card.
I found some fun tees like a pink Jolly Roger with pigtails, or a rubber ducky with an eye patch, or a multi-colored parrot.
But I really wanted to add her name to the shirt, and I really wanted to be able to use Olde English script.

I ended up ordering through Zazzle.
I got a lady pirate with Tia Maria (Aunt Mary in Spanish).
I got the party card displayed above from Zazzle too.

When the husband of a friend of mine turned 50, she threw him a little kid's style party, with ice cream caterers scooping out yummy sundaes.
Upon entering, each guest also received a pirate hat, an eye patch, and temporary tattoos.
The fun thing is their last name is Yahr, so all night everyone was saying, "Eye be garr, yarr..."
Pretty funny.
But I love the whimsy of it, the tongue in cheek, the good old-fashioned fun.

Other gift or decorating ideas for an adult's pirate party:
*treasure boxes filled with gold coin chocolates
*scroll on parchment paper (with burnt edges of course) perhaps as part of a scavenger hunt
*or use a scroll for the invitation, using bottle invitations (see my tutorial). Place a handful of sand in 12-ounce plastic bottles, with perhaps a few rhinestones, and a scroll marking the party destination
*food served might be rough and tumble, like a whole pig, or turkey legs
Obviously rum drinks or these cocktail recipes.
More cocktails here.
In my aunt's case, a bottle of Tia Maria makes more sense!

I love the party this lady threw (a photo staging area! Genius!): read about it here

Links:
Pirate Merch
Talk Like a Pirate (pages of more links at this site)

Quilting Inspiration

My mom and I drove up to the north county (inland) of San Diego today, to California State University San Marcos, and attended the El Camino Quilters (guild) Fall Festival of Quilts show.
The theme of the show was "Journeys", where quilters were introspective about their designs.
Some quilts were tributes to their mothers, while others represented their passage through empty nest syndrome, or having a loved one stationed in Iraq.
One lady did an applique quilt of shoes--representing all the years of her life, from baby shoes, to saddle shoes, to platforms.

I was intrigued by quilts made by copying old newspaper articles onto fabric, book excerpts, postcards, and things like the lined cursive writing samples in elementary schools.
Perfect items to describe one's journey, and influences, and struggles.
Personalized art, and memorabilia in art are my favorite things.

It killed me that my camera was recently stolen and I couldn't take photos.

I did buy a few goodies though :)
Redwork embroidery pattern of a Maypole (the shop's example was actually stitched in multi-colors of floss).
Pattern by Quilting Bee Designs

I love Maypoles.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, a design is brewing for either a multi-media Maypole, or a quilted one.
This vintage purse design by Enid Collins inspires also, and therefore fits into the puzzle somehow
I'm too broke to buy much, but did come away with a fat quater of fairytale fabric


and a yard of this luscious pig fabric


I was intrigued by a scrap quilt in which the scraps were arranged crazy-quilt-style in circular shapes atop a white background.
Hmmmm...would be a great way to use scraps.
Maybe even necktie scraps.

Speaking of circular shapes, I've always wanted to make this denim quilt using the lid of a large coffee can as the template (I have tons of jeans saved).
It looks simple to do, but comes out looking like a mock Cathedral Window pattern (a design so complicated that my mom and I both call it "that dreaded pattern" after attempting a class and neither of us ever finishing even one block)
Today I learned about a guild in Orange County called Camp Watch-a-Patcher that holds quilting retreats in Costa Mesa.

But what I'm most excited about is finally having met
Karen Cunagin--a name I have seen over and over again as inspiration behind the quilts I've seen in recent shows.
Karen, of Millefleur Fiber Arts, teaches classes, most often at Palomar College.
I am SO going to attend one of her classes or workshops!
How fun is that idea?!
Note she also has patterns for sale, and a blog, all accessible via the link above.

Regrettable Goodness

I love you Etsy, I do.
I support handmade and crafters.
But even you have some, um, questionable offerings.

Sorry Etsy, but my new favorite website, Regretsy, brought this to my attention.
I'm so glad someone thought of this (uh, the site, not the stuff. You know what I mean).

Fun Food

One of my favorite gifts to give friends is assembling a collection of items, often with a theme.
For example, when my friend Tracie obtained her black belt, my friend debs and I put together a gift basket (the "basket" in this case was an upturned Powerpuff Girls cap) of Wonder Woman themed items.
Once I gave a bowl, spoon, spatula, all the ingredients, and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
I like to give kitchen gadgets with a foodie book (or culinary fiction), and unique food items.

But what I love most of all is finding items with a play on words.
This is sure to bring a smile.
These also make great white elephant gifts.
Here are some fun food examples:

Butt Massage


Spotted Dick


Cock Soup


Cock-a-Leekie Soup


Oh my gosh, hot sauce is a world unto its own.
There are sooo many fun hot sauce labels.
This, however, has to be my favorite:
Red Rectum Hot Sauce


More fun foods here.

Make a Hummingbird Feeder from a Coke Bottle

This is a fun idea, from the current issue of Birds and Blooms Magazine
--reprinted on their website
(tutorial instructions at the link. Linked with permission)

A Bottle for Hummingbirds

The making of a project: fabric considerations

(post 1 of 3 or 4)

When I posted the Fabric Baby Blocks that I made for a co-worker's baby, longtime reader Amy, of The Calico Cat, emailed me to ask if I'd make her son a set.
I figured...sure.

I knew that my co-worker's baby's room was paisley, in green and pink, and I knew she loved Amy Butler fabrics, so the blocks came together easily.
Amy didn't really have a theme in mind, only that her son's room is gender neutral, mostly in green and yellow.
She said just make whatever I wanted (I was really surprised she didn't specify cats).
Hmmmm....

Normally one would think that kind of freedom would be comfortable, but it's pretty typical for me to stress out regardless.
Too, Amy is a quilter--that means she knows fabric and quality, which added more stress into the mix.

Option one that I considered was to again use Amy Butler fabrics, even part of my stash, but to concentrate on the green and yellow patterns

or I considered adding some Tula Pink

or the cool three-dimensional prints by Tina Givens



I ended up abandoning that idea because flowers seemed too girly.
Granted, I knew Amy didn't want trucks, but swirly seemed too far in the opposite direction.

So I thought, maybe Japanese imports.
Can't really go wrong with Japanese imports.
Some of these fabrics are linen--would that be too scratchy?
I decided against a set of fleece blocks, and couldn't resist the imports.

Drool worthy wins out over practical every time!

I started buying a few Fairytale-themed prints from Super Buzzy (they have awesome pirates and robots, but that was too boyish...going for gender neutral for this project)
loooove this Wonderland Tea Party


Little Red Riding Hood


I got this Bambi and Three Little Pigs in brown from Saucy Louise


other fabrics are still on my "gimme" list, like this Kokka Red Riding Hood

Ooh, just found this seersucker pigs


Amy didn't sound completely sold on the fairytale idea, so I switched over to birds instead (ironically, the Tula fabric above is a nest).

But um, I kind-of got carried away.
I ordered 18 fabrics off ebay and etsy, and three birdie ribbons too.
And that's not even buying birdcage, or egg, or nest-themed fabrics!
Eek.
That's too many, even if I make the blocks spell out Henry Jacob rather than just Jacob.
Again, typical Barb...

So I edited a bit.
I'm still sewing on the blocks and will show the finished goodness in a future post
(this post is long enough now as it is).

Yay, school is out for the summer, so I should be posting more on a regular basis again.

Misc

Geez, has it already been five whole days since I last posted?
How does time zoom by so fast?
I have been spending too much time on Facebook, and not enough time here.

I was cruising Google Images earlier, trying to find inspirational photos for someone I was emailing, and I came across some fun ideas that I thought I'd share here.

Quilting without rules
Freestyle Quilt by Amy Seiffert


Pokey Little Puppy Fabric! Woohoo!


Scent-Sational Dog Beds makes beds from your recycled clothing.
Each bed comes with a pocket for your pet's favorite toy or bone


As found on Outsapop, amazing children's clothing made from vintage fabrics, by Kinchi
Kinchi's Etsy Shop
and Kinchimama's Etsy Shop