It's generations of things!

I love it. My daughter would prefer to sew on my mom's old Featherweight rather than my New Home (which I got in '95 or '96).

So in this picture, there is my mom's sewing machine, my sewing machine, and behind all that is my grandmother's china. Perfect! [Edited to say, the china is older than I thought. It was in the family before my great grandmother. No one I've talked to can remember who bought it to start with. A mystery!]

Craving corndogs?

Well, I just won't go there again so soon after reading the label on the box. Scary.

So I found some organic, non-preserved hot dogs and cut them up into corn muffins. It's not quite the same but it will do in a pinch. I didn't photograph the mustard here because I picked up the wrong color plate. Oops.

Here is the leftover pan of muffins before baking. Next time I'll put the hot dogs in first then do the batter. That way I can get a higher proportion of hot dog to corn batter ratio. Yum.

I'm grateful for so many things.

While I am NOT thrilled about my cable going out last week, it did make me re-evaluate my AV setup. When I discovered my DVD/DVR wasn't hooked up to the cable box I was pissed at the Comcast guy who installed it and assured me it was hooked up correctly. Yeah, for playback only, not recording. Anyway that puppy wouldn't even power on, so I ordered another one from the big box store's website. Now I think I know exactly how to hook it up so I can record stuff when I'm not at home. Just like I could in the 1980s.  I also visited the big box store and brought home a Blu-ray player for my immediate use (until the cable is fixed).

Side note: I didn't know until Sharknado this summer that I loved bad Sci Fi movies. When I found this 5-pack disc in the $5 bin I got the giggles. Of course I got it. I haven't watched it yet. Yesterday, they put a temporary splice in my broken cable line outside, with assurances that the permanent fix could be done any time without my presence. I'm cool with that.

Here we go again!

Yes, that's my TV, and the stupid cable went out this week. Funny, it happened on the same day as the cones went up on my torn-up sidewalk out front.

Then I discovered why my DVR never worked with the cable box. It was never hooked up to it, that's why.  Now the darn thing is broken anyway. The good news is my VCR works! I really wasn't interested in watching American Idol from 2010 again, but I may be desperate enough before the weekend is out.

I think I'm off to Walmart to get a DVD player. I'll splurge and get one of the $5 DVDs from the dump bin in the center aisle, too. 

Don't show this to your OCD friends!

So, I got my new Perfect Layers rulers this week and decided to do a card using an Operation Write Home sketch. Yesterday was World Cardmaking Day. I think it is a made up holiday for OWH, but I could be mistaken. The theme is Thank You cards. This is OWH Sketch # 57:

Number 1, when you cut your pieces before adding the layers, they must sit very close to each other  on this design. And number 2, I probably shouldn't do designs that require perfectly lined up pieces. That's all I'm saying, ok? Oh yes, the front of this card is 5 to 8 layers thick, so the front is way heavier than the back. All in all I'm pleased with it, but won't be doing this one again.

Now, about those funky fibers from 2004.

These are the fibers from 2004 that I want to use up. I tried covering shapes with them, and I think we can all agree that's a big fail. The fuzzy ones went into the trash and the ribbon-like ones went back in the ribbon drawer. They'll live on to tie around cards and make bows or knots some day.

This maybe will make a little room for some lightweight jute twine, which is more like this decade, no?

Cardmaking in paradise

Florida IS paradise, just still a very hot one!

Anyway, I've been making some cards and playing with my new toys, err, tools. I've been putting little dogs on everything!

Disclaimer: I copy other people's card designs both with and without my own consciousness of it. Pretty much everything I do I've seen on other websites. I just don't always remember where.

So, thank you, card designers everywhere for your inspiration, especially Lawn Fawn design team members.

I have this fiber from 2004 that I cannot seem to use, but I don't want to part with it either. This is my next project, I think. Do something that uses up a lot of this decorative, but out of date fiber.

(The inside reads: "I'm here for you". This idea and sentiment came from one of the Lawn Fawn design team members. That's Elena at justmeprints.blogspot.com. I distinctly remember this one!

You can't tell in the photo, but the red card is embossed with rough bricks.

The dogs are Lawn Fawn's Critters at the Dog Park, except for the "warm fuzzies" dog which is from a Paper Smooches set. The koala, crocodiles and kangaroos are from Lawn Fawn's Critters Down under.  The trees embossing folders are from Darice.

Please don't ask what I'm going to do with these cards, those of you who know me know I am not big on sending stuff via US Mail. I know this should be my next new year's resolution, right?

Adventures in mug cake land!

I saw a recipe on Facebook for an individual cake made in the microwave. What a great idea for those of us who live alone and don't want the temptation of a big cake in the house! We won't even discuss storage or ant issues yet.

The recipe, found here mug cake, calls for a box of angel food cake mix and one other cake mix of any flavor. Once mixed you use 3 Tb. of mix, 2 Tb. of water, and 1 minute in the microwave. In a mug, of course.

What they don't say, right away anyway, is that if you use your big coffee mug your cake will look pathetic.

Ok, it is supposed to be a petite portion, so why not go with a petite mug? In my case I went with one of the coffee cups that came with the Fiesta dishes. I never use these for coffee because they are so small.

That's better:

Plate it up and viola, it looks somewhat better. I know the whole point is NOT to plate it, just take it into a corner and eat it, but you all would like to know what a microwaved mug cake really looks like, right?

Here you go!

If you want a pretty cupcake you will have to use an oven. But this will do in a craving! And yes, I am VERY happy to have a microwave oven, thank you very much. Nom nom, everyone!