Amazing Art

Amazing sharpie and styrofoam art.

Go check out the artists portfolio here.

DSLR Gift Guide

I know I just did this whole tutorial on homemade

camera bags and all,

but I have bag envy. I want this camera bag...

This little camera bag holds a full sized DSLR

and extras. It's name?

4 million Dollar home.

I know, sounds weird, but the Crumpler bags

have great names. The 4 million dollar home is the size I want.

They offer a 5 million, 6 million, 7 million dollar homes as well as the

Brazillion dollar home.

The Brazillion dollar home holds a laptop and all this other

camera equipment! Yikes!

As expected, the increase in dollar size indicates an increase in bag size.

The Brazillion Dollar home is $200+

Another want?

A Gorilla DSLR tripod.

These things are awesome. Perfect for taking next years

Christmas picture.

Speaking of next years Christmas picture,

you'll need a remote for your tripod.

You don't want to bump your camera while running around the

side of the room to fall into place.

Secret Santa

Each year my work mates and I celebrate the three days

before our annual Christmas party with three small

Secret Santa gifts ($2 each day).

At our party we receive our big gift ($20-$25) as

well as play games and get a gift from our boss.

Last night was our party and the big reveal!

Sorry, I should have taken pictures each day.

My Secret Santa spoiled me. I am sure she spent way more than her limits.

Monday:

Gorgeous Christmas mug

Lip gloss

Lotion

Tuesday:

(Necessity kit)

Diet Coke

Burts Bees Lip Balm

Peanut M & M's

Wednesday:

Holiday Lottery scratch ticket (no wins)

Pooping Reindeer

Thursday (Bonus):

Christmas paint bucket filled with

brownies (another necessity).

Pop rocks.

The Big Reveal:

$20 in itunes gift cards!

mini sharpie dangly pens!

I scored this year!

Thanks Barb!

Almond Roca

And so it begins.

The Christmas season is officially upon us when

I start making Almond Roca.

All the buttery sugary goodness...

...using the heat of the candy to melt the chocolate chips...

...after the chocolate is melted I add the nuts as the final step.

Put it in the fridge and voila, the best food of Christmas.

FYI-this is our family's Almond Roca recipe,

currently my sister uses a different

recipe that uses brown sugar.

I like both as far as flavor,

but this one is second nature to me.

Conservatively, I make 8 to 10 batches a year.

It is an awesome gift.

I have friends in NC that have nicknamed it "Crack Candy"

because once you have it you are hooked.

Almond Roca

2 sticks of salted butter

1 cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar

1 cup slice almonds (

1/2 cup sliced almonds for candy & 1/2 cup for top)

1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add ½ cup almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to turn golden brown. (The mixture will turn golden brown suddenly, be careful!) Do not overcook! Spread mixture into a jelly roll pan. While still hot, spread the chocolate chips over the top, smoothing with a spatula until smooth. Sprinkle with almonds while the chocolate is soft. Place in cool spot or in refrigerator. Break apart after candy has completely cooled.

If you have ever been to Tacoma, Washington you should be familiar

with the Brown and Haley Candy Company.

The original Almond Roca.

Serial Killer Closet

Have you ever wondered what would happen if some CSI team

came into your house and looked through your stuff?

I know, I'm crazy like this. I think of weird crap all the time.

Anywho, I was getting down my sweaters and stowing some swimsuits and

other summer items when I came across my little plastic container of,

we'd better just call it crap, mementos I could not bring myself to part with.

Inside said box of crap?

Various jewelry my children have made or purchased...

A name badge that my daughter made me that reads

"Worlds Best Mom" in cute pre-teen handwriting...

Two little square jewelry boxes filled with teeth...

And???

A scary (just ask my sister), opaque bag FILLED with long blonde hair.

Maybe I'd better do some de-cluttering before

the CSI team arrives.

Getting Back In the Swing

Winter is upon us.

The 'hood is looking pretty and snow covered.

No longer will our neighbors judge us for our weeds and

brown lawn, everyone is equal in winter!

Yeah, snow!

(That is the only time you'll hear me say that phrase.)

Chloe the wonder dog has a new trick!

Or should I say she has A trick.

She L*O*V*E*S to be off leash on her afternoon walk around the neighborhood.

As soon as she hears Bubba's bus coming she takes off running and

tries to beat it home.

I can't tell if she likes the chase of it or if she's so dumb (and has the memory

of a gnat) she forgets how mean Bubba is to her.

I really like this coaster pattern I found online.

I started this project awhile back.

I started machine sewing the coasters

so I could have a reason to sit on the couch and hand stitch the binding

whilst watching t.v.

Here is the start of my coaster gift set.

I bought a little pack of this Christmas fabric at JoAnn and

made a little placemat/runner and

now I'm making some coasters and such, as a stocking stuffer for miene Mutti.

(The colors match her living room.)

And finally...I wanted to wrap up a wine bottle for a friend

and made a wine bottle coozey. Isn't that what you call those foam things

that keep your beer cool?

Anyway, I made a few, since they were a cinch,

to match some of the gifts

I'm giving.

2010 Christmas Cards

I (royal we) FINALLY ordered our Christmas cards this weekend.

For the past 13 or so years I have ordered them

BEFORE Thanksgiving weekend

and spent the weekend addressing envelopes.

Not this year.

We (even) used the picture we took this summer

just for Christmas card purposes. Everyone looks great.

Everyone likes the picture. Bubba is accurately represented.

Basically no major design decisions, except verbiage.

As I am typing in the details and finalizing the cards I am

bantering with David over what we should

write in the obligatory text box provided on the website.

I ask David what we should write, this is what he came up with...

"We went to the Caribbean this summer

and chances are you didn't.

SUCKAS!"

All Time Favorite

I have been a fan of Archie McPhee's

for 15, maybe more like 20, years.

Back when I was in college I would take

my young nephews to their store on

Stone Way in Seattle and give them each a dollar or two.

We would walk away from the store with

fake body parts, plastic bugs, metal lunch pails with groovy designs

and other nonsensical fun.

Archie McPhee was the inventor of such

action figures as Jesus, The Lunch Lady, and The Librarian...

Archie McPhee invented such classics as the emergency bow tie,

chest hair wig, world's largest underpants, and any mustache or

false teeth combo you may ever need.

Archie McPhee also was the first place I knew that carried

fun crafting items to recycle.

I would sort through bins and bins of plastic parts and other

recycled industrial pieces.

When you are walking through a mod store and you see an

awesome kitchy item, look at the manufacturer,

if it says "Accoutrements" it is from Archie McPhee's.

Back to my search for the perfect foodie gifts for my nephews.

Bacon belt?

(BTW-Archies carries all things

bacon...mints, air fresheners, floss...)

Inflatable meatloaf?

Bacon placemats.