Saturday, October 30, 2010

Boo! Happy Halloween Weekend.

I said something in my last post about fun and simple crafts with very few supplies and really no 'special equipment" Here's a couple pieces that I have decorating the front windows of my house.

Photo by Mark Bergeron
The first is the coolest Owl head.

Just made with card stock, hot glue and double stick tape.

Just like grade school--fan fold a few pieces of card stock paper double stick tape the folded papers fan it around into a circle, glue the face pieces on put on a string and hang up in the window.

Photo by Mark Bergeron
The second piece is a paper lantern.

So simple!!

Print out the design on translucent vellum and tape to the inside of the cut out card stock lantern sides. tape the lantern sides together and either put a wire hanger in the top and use little battery powered candles or put in the window sill over a real votive candle in a protective glass candle cup. (That's what I did!)

Looks cool and lots of bang for the tiny amount of time and supplies!


So do you do any decorating for Halloween? Drop me a line, share a link to your blog with what you've been doing.

cheers! Remember to get out and do something creative!

sb

Monday, October 25, 2010

Oh, Chocolate Cup Cake how I love thee...

Well, that title may sound a bit over blown but gee...


If you really like chocolate and you really like cake with twinkie cream filling, wouldn't you be just a bit effusive when savoring a cupcake that looks like this?----------------------------------------------------------->

Warm, dark, moist, homemade and get this...WHEAT FREE!

I have Elizabeth Barbone's Gluten Free Baking cookbook and it is WONDERFUL! I actually started with her Vanilla cupcake recipe and then added cocoa powder and buttermilk and a bit of extra water to make the batter. Then I used the cream filling recipe from her Whoopie Pies to finish these little pieces of heaven. My hubby--a gluten eater ate 3 of these the day they were made. Yup, they really are that good.

I'm having so much fun baking and cooking. Being creative in the kitchen, making messes and ending up with foods I thought I'd not get to eat again.

I don't have a photo yet but I seem to be in a bit of a chocolate phase right now. I'm almost done knitting and hooded sweater made with chocolate colored yarn and I already made a sweet little pair of knitted fingerless mitts in a milk chocolate wool silk blend yarn.  I'll see about the photos for those soon.

I have also been doing some crafts for Halloween! Martha Stewart's web site is a treasure trove of quick easy crafts that really can be done with out all the expensive tools and superfine glitter. (The tools and glitter do make it more fun though) :)

Any way Happy Almost Halloween and remember to get out and do something creative!
sb

Sunday, October 17, 2010

I think I'm figuring this out...

I've been a bit quiet this past 6 weeks or so. I have a really good reason...Honest! I found out that I can't eat wheat. Why would that make me be a bit quiet on the blog? Well...I have been figuring out how on earth I can eat a reasonable diet with out one of the basic American staples in my diet.

I have come to the realization that I am a very flexible person, I can learn to cook and bake with new and different flours and feed my family good food that tastes and looks like 'Normal" food. My super husband has even told me to stop buying him separate loaves of bread. He likes my home made yeast bread just fine! Yeah!

 So the "normal" kinds of food I made this weekend? Cinnamon Rolls from Ellen at I am Gluten Free this is what mine looked like all hot and cinnamony--

Then for lunch on Sunday? Gluten Free Breadsticks!!  Oh baby! They tasted as good as they look. Crunchy, chewy, salty. Perfect for dunking in my homemade Cheddar Broccoli Cauliflower soup.

Yeah, I think this is going to work out just fine. I just have to figure out how to do Thanksgiving. Sigh...

I have already figured out the bread dressing and the pumpkin pie. Those are my two most favorite things that it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving with out.

Now, we just have to figure out with the rest of the family where that meal is going to take place and if I'll even be able to bring my new found recipes along. Who knows...may be I can talk my hubby in to running away to the coast for the holiday and make dinner in the room? Sounds good to me...

Hey remember to get out and do something creative!

sb