I heart pudding

Those of you who know me well probably know that my white trash guilty pleasure, especially around the holidays, is chocolate pudding in a pie shell.
I love it.
It has been my favorite treat for as long as I can remember.

You also probably know that I love to bake, and I'm a snob about it.
No mixes, thank you very much.
All my baking is from scratch, using the highest quality ingredients.

Except for this.

I have tried multiple recipes for pudding pies, and chocolate pies.
I have tried multiple brands of gourmet chocolate bars and pain stakingly chopped each one.
I have not found anything as yummy as, I'm embarrassed to say, Jello brand.
And it has to have that skin on the top that recipes say to get rid of by refrigerating the pie with plastic wrap on the top.
Why would you want to do that?!

The only thing possibly better than eating the entire pie a slice of pie is taking a spoon to the pan after you've emptied the contents into the pieshell, and licking up every last drop (equally as delicious as licking the beaters after mixing cake batter. I am still eight years old when it comes to the delights of baking in the kitchen).

This is ironic considering I'm attending nuitrition school, and am learning to shun processed foods.
Sigh...
I'll keep trying new recipes, but for now the Jello stays.

That being said, today in the mail I got a package from an unfamiliar address.
Inside was no note of explanation.
No letter of reference.
Inside was one box of Jello brand chocolate pudding.

Interesting.

Whoever was so thoughtful: I thank you.

Random quote...
"Your face makes my soul want to eat chocolate pudding!"
~Andy Milonakis

I promise I will get back to regular blog posting again.
I was without a computer for awhile, so I got out of the habit, and Facebook tends to fill the gap.
But I have multiple catching up posts of gifts received, a trip to Seattle, etc.

And bear with me if some of my photos aren't visible.
I am trying to get my pics off Flickr, but not finished yet.

Birthday Whimsy

My gosh, so long since I've posted!
Well, thanks to Ben, I have my laptop back and repaired.
Actually, it's better than that--he replaced the laptop he gave me with a newer model.
I feel like I've been reunited with a fond friend, and it's true.
Initially I was a bit disappointed that my first laptop was gone, because I'm just not good with change.
I never will be good with change.
I was just laughing with a co-worker today about how she initially returned the coin counter we were given, insisting we were just fine with counting by hand, thank you very much.
Geez, what were we thinking?!
But I'm glad I'm not the only one who accepts change kicking and screaming.
(lol, change and coins...pun not intended)

But I digress.
I have a lot of catching up to do here!
Let's start with a belated birthday gift that I received over the weekend.
Three of my friends and I got together on Sunday for the first time all year (how did the time zoom by?).
My friend Tracie handed me a gift bag which held a rectangle wrapped in tissue.
I opened it to find a Willy Wonka chocolate bar, its label saying it may possibly hold a golden ticket.

Tracie sort-of nonchalantly said, "see if you won".
I opened up the candy (yummy, by the way), and look what Tracie had done:
Eek! $50 gift card!
(she sliced the back open, inserted the card, and carefully re-sealed)
I absolutely LOVE whimsical, creative ideas like this.
How fun!

To add fun to my friend Jen's 7-year-old daughter's birthday, I decided to make some cupcakes that looked like her.

The recipe made a dozen, but, um, one disappeared for a quality control check ;).

The blonde hair is made with vanilla chocolate wafers, just like the cupcakes I made for my friend debs last year, only these were less sophisticated.
I think they're fine for a little girl though, and Callie seemed to like them.

I pride myself in baking from scratch.
This time I chose a recipe from Cooks Illustrated Magazine for Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting.
Very good.

Blogger's Generosity

Wow, I have some very generous blog friends.

Remember how I recently posted that a lot of my collage materials were damaged by water, and Mary Ann came to the rescue by sending me an envelope filled with ephemera?
Little did I know that package was just the opening act.

Holy cow, in the mail came a STUFFED to the brim box filled with so much more!

Sewing pattern envelopes, not to use for sewing, but to use in collage


Book covers, and books, also to use in collage.
Hmmm, I think I'm keeping that French cookbook though.
But come on--Jenny Lind and her Listening Cat? How perfect!


Oops, image is upside down. Oh well.
Two novelty neckties (my favorite kind)--hot air balloons, and international flags.
Also upholstery samples, and tassels

Scrapbooking supplies, sheets of music, book pages.
Some really amazing French poster images

Eek! Vintage photographs (I about fainted), and postcards

More photographs, postcards, valentines, miscellaneous papers

Really really fun things for collage--bingo cards, tickets, playing cards, postage stamps, etc.
A collage artist's dream

On top of all this goodness, I received another package from another blogger!
Jen, of The Felt Mouse, had just sent me this package.
But sent me another, this time of piggy-themed stuff.
Two pig potholders, kitchen string over a piggy body, and bacon in chocolate (surprisingly tasty)

Then Mary Ann sent yet ANOTHER package, this time a birthday gift!

A rubber stamp with a paw print design.
How cute is that?!

I am spoiled rotten, and loving it.
Thanks so much you guys!!!

Woohoo--snail mail!

One of the rewards of blogging is meeting people you wouldn't have found otherwise.
I've known Jen of The Felt Mouse for several years now.
Though we haven't met yet, I consider her one of my friends.
Absolutely.

Jen just sent me snail mail AGAIN (I'm so spoiled!).
This package is especially delicious--look at all the good stuff!
(note she also sent lip gloss, but that was already in my make-up bag, so didn't make the photo)
Oh my gosh, so perfectly tailored to my interests--necktie scraps, a vintage needle case, a car visor wind chime, a kitty pinback button, fun clothing buttons, pin-up cards, and a tiki-themed sticker.

I love this Grow a Pet

and this Woof magnet


A Japanese magazine (oh so good) called Basic Life seems to be about surrounding yourself with things you love (interior decorating, etc)
I like the whimsy here

and the floral sphere


She sent zinnia seeds (my favorite) and this cute little plastic bird feeder

and how fun is this matchstick herb garden?!

Seeds are embedded in the cardboard 'matches', so you just plant those!


But the most amazing gift was the homemade recipe card she made, using my instructions from the article I wrote in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine.
On the front, under vinyl, is a photo of herself as a kid, surrounded by memories from childhood (barrettes, crayons, Bazooka)

and on the back, it's a recipe for "Reliving your childhood".

Note recipe instructions, "Don't be afraid to try all ingredients. Repeat often"
There are multiple ingredients: "dream, wish, laugh..."
and how cool is that filler?
Itty bitty alphabet noodles! I LOVE it!

Jen has pics and descriptions on her blog too.

Thank you Jen!
So much goodness here :)

The Best Christmas Present EVER!

I had something really amazing happen to me last week.
I was the recipient of a random act of kindness,
of amazing generosity,
of the epitome of Christian love.

If you have had a blog for awhile, you know that you develop a group of regular readers, and sometimes those readers, in the process of their daily lives, come across things that speak your name...and on a whim you'll get (very cool) gifts in the mail.
I've both received gifts, and I've sent gifts, and I call some of these readers friends, even though we haven't met yet.

But this goes way beyond that.

You see, Ben emailed me, saying he had a Christmas present for me.
Huh?
Wow, that's generous.
Okay.
Since he loves photography, I just assumed it was one of his photographs (and that would have really been awesome).
I even dreamt one night that he knit me a sweater, because we talked about knitting.

So I drove to the post office on Tuesday, and was shocked when the employee there handed me a big box.
Um, with a $35 shipping label.
Plus insurance and delivery confirmation, so it cost even more to mail.
Holy cow.

Hmmm...that's not a photograph.

Excitedly, since I can never wait, I rushed outside, stood beside the open door of my car, and I ripped the tape off the box.
I opened the box, and literally said out loud, "What?! Whaaaa?! Oh my God!".
I made a mini scene out there in the parking lot.

This is what he sent:

Are you kidding me?
Seriously, are you KIDDING me?

Ben is a computer expert, and he knows that the computer I have at home is old old old and so slow that it takes me at least three times longer to do things than it would with a normal computer.
My computer at home doesn't even have basic stuff like Word on it.
It's actually worse than anyone can probably imagine.

Because I'm a house sitter, it would make so much more sense to have my own computer that's portable, versus having to use my clients'.
So not only is this a better computer than the one I have, it's way more practical too.
I am giddy. My dad would have said "tickled pink" :)

The computer has goodies like Microsoft Office installed, and it even has some photo-editing software.

Wow.
I immediately called my friend Tracie and cried.
Then I called my friend Mike, and excitedly, in a high-pitched voice, told him of this awesomeness (Mike in another generous friend, so this all makes sense to him).

Today I called my satellite company to get DSL instead of the dreaded dial-up I currently have.
They'll be hooking it up soon.

Thank you Ben. What a Godsend.

Snail Mail

(post 2 of 4)

Yesterday I posted about my making fabric baby blocks for Amy's son Jacob.
Amy asked for my address, and said she'd send me some goodies as a swap.
Cool!
Nothing quite like mail, is there?

I don't know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't what I received.
Holy cow, this girl knows how to give a gift, let me tell you!
I received, not one, but TWO boxes of goodness.

And not just your average goodness either, Amy the quilter sent me a hand made quilt top (King size!), all in aloha fabrics.
It is fan-f-ing-tastic.
I LOVE it!

cocktails, surfing dogs and cats, kitties in grass skirts, hippos at the beach, crabs...

pails, kitties and palm trees, a really cool sandcastle, Hawaii...

There are also fabrics with flamingos, pin-up ladies posing by surfboards, bikini tops, Hawaiian shirts with Woodies, surfboards, kids frolicking at the beach, ships and anchors, a mermaid, and island postcards.

But that's just the beginning!

She also sent miscellaneous fabrics
Three fat quarters of two florals and a star print, and nearly a yard of kitties with pins

She sent fish-themed fabrics (beaucoup yardage!)
The irony is that I have fish fabrics set aside to make a quilt, so these are perfect additions to that project!

She said she started a quilt, but wasn't happy with it, and hoped I could make use of it. I will!

But that's not all!
A cute little storybook about labradors, and lots of crocheted and stiffened snowflakes for winter decorating, as well as three heart ornaments!
Also, a hanger for my purse, with its own little pouch--something I've been wanting for awhile now (hang it off a table at restaurant, for example, so I won't have to put my purse on the dirty floor)

Some awesome greeting cards with a log cabin design done in paper (hmmm...what a good idea), quilting pins (I can ALWAYS use those!), a killer magnetic needle pad (boy, you have no idea how much I need that--I am forever losing my needles), cotton thread for crocheting more snowflakes, and a cute kit to make a flamingo miniature quilt


She also sent a boatload of neckties, already opened up and "guts" removed, ready for cutting up and sewing into projects.
Here are a few of the ones she sent
Now I need to put a back and batting on the quilt top, and finish her blocks.
Thanks Amy!!!!

Woohoo!

I just received a copy of Amy Butler's Softwares: 22 unique and stylish sewing projects on CD--a free gift for allowing The Electric Quilt Company to include photos of the purse I made in Amy Butler's inspiration gallery.

Evidently I was one of 30 people asked to share their work.
The really wonderful thing about this, is the recognition for a job well done.
I worked so hard on that purse, and was really disappointed when it didn't generate much excitement.
Being included in the gallery now is a gesture of support that I really really appreciate.

Swap charms received

I picked my charms up from the post office today (thankfully, there was a key to a locker in my mailbox on this holiday), from the Romancing the Charm Swap.
Trish has posted about each participant's charm, so read the details on her blog.
This is the swap for which I made the soldered glass charms with butterfly wings.
It's fun that what I received are all so different--some are felted, one is a wrapped bead, others are polymer clay, or bottle caps.


I love the little vial of Love Potion #9; its bottle filled with pearls, pink sequins, and glitter.
The quilted heart is just beautiful, and I'm glad to have received something made of fabric for this swap.
The adorable little bird on the top row is made of shrink plastic.
The long burgundy colored charm in the second row is micro-macrame! Who knew?!

Oops, this one didn't get in the photo as I had it out to remind me I still needed to get the email address of the artist so I could thank her.
This heart, of all things, is a cut and painted gourd.

Trish suggested all the participants use their charms for a bracelet, and I really like that idea.
She said she wore hers to work the other day, and got loads of compliments.

I hope to put my own bracelet together soon.

Earth friendly idea

For Christmas, my friend Michelle sent a flat rate box absolutely FILLED with goodies (SO fun to open!).
Among the pads of paper, neckties, fabric markers, lingerie, fabric, washcloths, and ornaments, was this fun item.
It's a crocheted bag filled with crocheted rounds for removing make-up.
Just wash and reuse.

Some of the best joys in the life are the simple ones:
a hot shower after a day at the beach, yummy coffee and good conversation, laughing so hard no sound comes out.

And getting snail mail.
Especially when that mail is a surprise, and a 'thinking of you'.

Today I opened up my mailbox to find this adorable book from Cindy.
It's filled with photos of cute doggies and inspirational sayings--it's awesome.
What a treat!
Thank you so so much!

I also spent time today with this handsome boy

We frolicked at Dog Beach this afternoon.

Then I came home to find a mound of dirt where yesterday I had zinnia seedlings coming up.
Whaaattt????

Uh oh, Mr. Gopher discovered my garden.

I installed a mole chaser.
It's a tube that you bury into the ground.
It holds four D-cell batteries and chirps every 30 seconds or so.
I have no idea if it will work, but the sound is audible even to me, and it's annoying, so I figure gophers have their paws over their little ears in their new home underneath my plants.
I intend to make that home uninviting.
I hope so anyway.

Move right along little buggers.
I don't want to kill them (I just can't), but I would like to have them find weeds on the hillside or something to eat.
Last week they demolished two of my mom's green peppers, a Dalia, mums, and Babianas.
The roots/bulbs were just gone...nothing.
Little shits.

Sigh...
I full-on believe in co-existing, but it's still irritating.
Mr. Snail and Mr. Grasshopper give me enough headaches.
(the daughter of one of my clients, with a ladybug)

Ooh, I've got mail!

The ever generous Mary Ann sent me this rockin' page marker for my birthday.
Yay!

I was trying to find a link to these in her etsy shop, but no luck.
LOVE these so much.
The awesomeness doesn't really come across in the scan--the beads are iridescent.

I've purchased a few of these from her in the past for gifts and for myself, but I need more than one because I tend to read several books at the same time.
They're so cool--the pretty beads sit along the binding, and the wire gently fits in the crease of your pages.

And isn't that a cute gift tag?!

Thank you once again fairy blogmother--I so so appreciate it
(especially since I suck and forgot your birthday).

Thrifting, auctions, and gifts

Okay...just a quick hello before I get back to the sewing machine.
I am not a fast sewer.
Even if I was, I don't see how people finish so many things when there is work and errands and...life.
I mean, yesterday I worked five hours, rushed up to the north county for more fabric, got my taxes done, and spent two hours at the dentist's office.
Not much time was left for sewing.
How do some people do it???

Between appointments I had a few minutes to kill yesterday, and made a stop at my favorite resale shop.
I got this set of 27 dominoes for $2!

I don't know anything about age or quality of dominoes, but I do know I want to learn about collaging on dominoes to make pendants, magnets, etc.

On another fun note, I just got this today in the mail (an ebay purchase).
I love it so!

The Dis-glo Whistle. It lights up when you whistle! (excuse the light reflection from the scanner)
Ha! This just makes me giddy.
The suit! To use for "rollerskating"!
Love love love this funky 70's memorabilia.

Speaking of mail and 70's, the ever magnanimous Mary Ann sent me yet more goodies in the mail.
Can you believe it?!

Vintage necktie patterns.
Like Mary Ann said...who knew?!

(click on image to enlarge)
Three neckties: McCall's #2568, 1970
Tie and Ascot: McCall's #3434, 1972
I think the model here cracks me up the most.
Oooh...foxy (lol)

She also sent me several pet-themed greeting cards, from the
etsy shop Good Morning Sunshine.



Then today I received yet ANOTHER package from my fairy blogmother--a cache of seven pretty neckties (not scanned right now because I need to get back to sewing).
Geez, Mary Ann--you spoil me!
Thank you.

Wow--look what I got!

Holy cow, what a swap the Sweet Goodness Hanging Hearts turned out to be.
Cindy couldn't have made anything more personalized and perfect than the hanging hearts I received.
Here's a side-by-side of the front and back of my hanging heart (I stole the pic off Cindy's blog)
Can you believe it?

She copied five family photos of mine that I had posted here on my blog.
Wow.
I only have a scanner (I WILL be buying a camera soon), but imagine five hearts strung together with pieces of lace. Cindy said, "I connected the hearts with pieces of lace making sure that they all were able to spin independently of each other so they were a bit like a mobile."
The top:

The base with a pearl 'B':


On the back side of each pink fabric heart is a collage of sheet music, buttons, and crocheted doilies.

The doilies represent Cindy's own family history, with her memories of a great aunt who often made them.

And that's not all!

She sent a doggie magnet, pink ribbon candy, a crocheted heart pin, and a necktie daisy pin!
I am overjoyed with this package.
Thank you Cindy, for being such a fantastic swap partner.

My hanging heart is going to be displayed year round.
I love it!

You can read Cindy's post about the project here.