Archive for April, 2006
I’ve been meaning to make some cards for a while, and the perfect inspiration came via an Etsy purchase (I’ll show pics later). My earrings were wrapped in this gorgeous bird print, which I believe was wallpaper at some point in time. The smaller images are from a book my old job publishes yearly to display all of the images they have for sale – there are some really fun pics. The cards are for some thank you packages I’m sending out. I still have to come up with something sewn to put in… still pondering that.
April 29th, 2006
Mobile Phone, Satellite System, and Blue Pill are my new best friends. They comment all the time and say sweet things like, “Buy mobile phone now” or “Try blue pill today!” Really, I’m touched, and if you sold your blue pill and mobile phone on Etsy, I might just be tempted by your repeated offers. Seriously, what’s up with the spam? I’m going to have to start moderating comments now, as the spam filter I installed last weekend broke my site. So head’s up: it’s not you, it’s them. Speaking of comments, is anyone out there? Usually the softies bring home the comments… Is everyone on vacation? Spring fever? You can tell me if the bears are ugly; I won’t hate you. Really, I can appreciate honesty.
And, here are the kitties, Celandine and Aloe, both of whom are for sale on my Etsy shop. I just love Celandine. She’s my favorite of the bunch. Check out her sweet dress. It has hedgehogs, owls, and mushrooms! So sweet. I have quite a few other things to share and my husband will be completely absorbed in watching the football draft this weekend, so more to come soon! Have a fabulous weekend.
April 28th, 2006
This post is a little picture-happy, but I couldn’t resist the close-up shot of each. Doesn’t every softie deserve one? This is what I did with my Japanese fabrics. I’ve been working on these bears for about two months. You can’t imagine the time these suckers take – tiny eyes, tiny noses, cutting a bizillion arms and legs, etc. Actually, they’re not what most of you might call tiny. I have a hard time making things small, as I’ve mentioned before. They measure 20″ long by about 9″ wide. And (plug plug) they are for sale on my Etsy shop. They may not all be up at once – Etsy is super slow-going, but if you see one you would like to purchase, email me or just wait a couple of days. I’ve got kitties done, too!
Laurel the Bear (with English carriages and line drawings)
Mimosa the Bear (with French words, purses, and shoes)
Coreander the Bear (with pink, white, and wine ovals)
Verbena the Bear (with jars of jam, tubes, and bottles)
Juniper the Bear (with stamps, flowers, and birds)
April 25th, 2006
I received this gorgeous mirror tray from Bugheart in her fantabulous Great Monday Giveaway. This blogger has the kindest heart; she gives her treasures away to just anyone every Monday. I have a thing for mirrors with pretty edges. I’ve seen several magazine spreads where a wall is covered with the prettiest framed mirrors. One day, after much collecting, I will perhaps have one of these walls too. Not only was the package incredibly cute, but she included generously-cut Marimekko fabrics that had me doing song and dance at 2am when I opened the package – much to the chagrin of my neighbors I’m sure.
So, in Bugheart spirit, I am having a Great Monday Giveaway myself. The rules are posted here. Be sure to read them before you claim an item and remember to email me your shipping information at daciastar@yahoo.com. Happy Monday!
Patio Lights
taken!
Red, green, and blue
Velveteen Bunny
Bunny made by me with purple velvet and pocket
taken!
Bubblegum and Pea Green Beaded Belt
Measures 38″ long. I’m guessing it would fit a size 6 or 8. Purchased in Italy at the markets. Sigh.
taken!
Cherry Necklace
taken!
Update: No, my dysfunctional comments yesterday was not an April Fool’s joke; I uploaded a spam plug-in that decided to dismantle my comments table. Can we have a moment for the timing, though? The second time comments were necessary for my post, they didn’t work! Anyhow, I’ve updated as to which items are taken. Please be sure to read the link to the rules and email me your info! xoxo
April 24th, 2006
Serves 6
1 can croissants, baked; store-bought is great, too
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 onion, finely chopped
6 medium-sized shitake mushrooms, chopped into chunks
1 portobello mushroom, chopped inot chunks
1/2 c. dry sherry (a dry wed wine works just as well)
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. flour
2 tsp. tarragon
salt, pepper to taste
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add mushrooms and coat with butter, cook about 5 minutes. Add sherry and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Mix cream with flour in a seperate dish, taking care that the flour is completely dissolved. Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer one minute. Add in seasoning (and water, if necessary to thin). It should be the consistancy of a gravy. Serve over croissants.
April 22nd, 2006
See my pretty dress?
I indulged in a little retail therapy after I had a rough Wednesday evening. Ryan packed my bag for work as I was running a little behind. When I walked home from work and went for my keys, I noticed that he had given me his set for work, which does not have keys to the house on it. So, I went to call Aja who has a set of our house keys only to find that I also did not have a phone. I knocked on the neighbor’s door to ask for the landlord’s number, but he didn’t have it. So, I walked back to work with three plans in mind: find Aja’s number and use the phone, call Ryan and get him to come home from class early, or find the train schedule to Aja’s house as Ryan wouldn’t get home until after midnight. It was a few minutes before 6 when I got back to the office and the lights were out and it was deserted. I couldn’t find Aja’s number and was about to call Ryan when two security officers came through the door to inform me that no one is allowed in the office after 6 (a fact I did not know) and that they would have to escort me out, and no, I could not use the phone. With my myriad of options exhausted and being thoroughly humiliated with the whole escort-you-out thing, I started crying… in front of the guards. I walked back to the neighbor’s house to use their phone to at least call Ryan, but no one was home. If I was living in New York, I would have walked to a movie (no, we don’t have a car) or gone shopping or found something to do until he got home. But, this is Connecticut and there isn’t anything that stays open late and it’s actually a very unsafe town, so walking around was out of the question, which made me miss New York. So, what did I do? I sat in a college coffee shop with loud and boisterous freshmen for 6 hours feeling very sorry for myself and spent the whole day in NY on Thursday to make myself feel better, which is why spam piled up in my comments and I was an absent blogger. But isn’t my new dress pretty?
April 22nd, 2006
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