The Secret Is Out!

It's been over a week since I posted, so I guess I'd better make this good.  I have decided as penance, and as a gift to all of you, I'm going to release the recipe for my Christmas Blend Hot Chocolate.  It's not for the feint of heart (or palate).  This cocoa packs a spicy kick.  I love it, and just about everyone that I've shared it with loves it too!  Get your pencils and paper and take down the ingredients:

Packaged hot chocolate mix (no marshmallows).  Either 10 envelopes, or the equivalent if you buy it in a can.  I use the envelopes.
Ground ginger, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar. Also black peppercorns and sea salt crystals.  I buy both in a grinder.
Vanilla flavored powdered coffee creamer.
Peppermint candy, 30 pieces.

Open 10 packages of hot chocolate and dump it into a large, covered plastic container.

Measure and add the following:

2 heaping tablespoons of ginger
2 heaping tablespoons of nutmeg
2 heaping tablespoons of cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon (not heaping) of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (not heaping) of freshly ground sea salt
3/4 cup vanilla flavored coffee creamer (powdered)
1/8 cup sugar

Add crushed peppermint candy  (Place unwrapped candy into two ziploc bags.  Using a kitchen mallet, or in my case, just a plain old hammer, I crush the candy just this side of powdery.  Some small chunks give the mixture a nice contrasting color.)

This should yield just enough to fill a pint-sized jar, with enough left over for a couple of cups for you to enjoy while you wrap your gifts.

Completely off the subject, but dinner's important too!  If you know me, you know chicken is always a great idea.  

I hated cabbage when I was younger.  I love it now.  This was SO GOOD!  The steam was steaming up the camera lens, but I had to take a picture of this beautiful veggie that never seems to make you feel full.   

So that's the big secret.  I think the cumin is what throws most people off.  Try it and let me know what you think!  

Checking It Twice!

This year I've decided that I'm giving gifts from my own online shop, from the stash that I've yet to list or that I've made with my own two hands.   

I want to give unique, fun gifts, and I love to create.  Even though I'm getting down to the wire, I am really excited about this chance to come up with something special for everyone--something that none of them are expecting.  It also makes sense for me.  Why would anyone want to shop at my store if I don't shop there myself?  I think I generally shy away from vintage items for my family because for the most part, they don't share my passion.  It also seems like a cheap cop-out.  I finally overcame my fear of being called a cheapskate (finally, as in just a few hours ago) and am going to promote my business while giving out amazing, thoughtful gifts, presented in a unique and professional manner.  Next Level!

On my short list are vintage barware, painted furniture, and food.  There are definitely a lot of mason jars in my future.  Think hot chocolate, spaghetti sauce and lights.  Tomorrow is space organizing and shopping day.  I was pretty much putting everything but the absolutely necessary on hold until I move, but nope.  Christmas comes once a year, and it moves at lightning speed.  I'm not waiting 'til next year.  I'm getting creative now.  From the gift to the packaging, my signature will be all over everything.  I'm not going to worry whether they will like what I give because they'd be nuts not to.  

I'd be nuts to worry about nuts.  What I am worried about is this:


  That -7 is me.  Not good shopping weather, but with no end in sight, I'll be out in it wearing two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, two pairs of gloves...yes, that would be me looking like the Michelin man.  If you say "hi" and I don't respond, it's because I can't hear with those two pairs of earmuffs.  

Another Thrift Haul...and a very good one at that!

I got this great leather skirt for $6.  I got the chiffon top for $2.  Yes, I'm at it again...my daughter has "too many clothes", says she.  Funny, she doesn't appear to be too distraught about this newest addition to her wardrobe.  

Or this one...a very pricey Magaschoni suit that I picked up for $15.  New with tags.  The sequin top is retail from Forever 21. It added about $15 to the tab.  The clutch is free from a swap.  Cheetah print boots found at Goodwill for $7.  We fight over them.  Today was her turn.

 \

This H&M suit is from an estate sale.  I can't even figure the price since it was a $10 bag sale.  The blouse was a freebie from this summer's "hoarder house".  I think.  I'm losing track.  The aqua sweater and H&M plaid skirt are from Unique.  Seven bucks total.  I done good. 

Cabi tweed coat, $5.  Love the lining.  Casual Corner cashmere sweater.  Freebie.  New with tags.  Gotta love a wealthy and stylish hoarder.  

The wool skirt is J. Crew, $3.50 at Unique.  The Baby Phat bag was a purge from my niece's closet.  Ralph Lauren boots...I can't even remember where but you'd best believe that they were less than $20.  

By the way, this is last week's haul.  I think I'm hooked because I was back at Unique today.  I got a velvet Nina Ricci for a song...LaLaLaLaLa!!!!

More about that later...another day, another fashion shoot.  

Homework?

I started a class on Monday and I'm ready to quit!  They expect me to read?  I mean, not Hemingway, Steinbeck, or even Grisham or King.  No, they expect me to read six chapters in a textbook.  I am not happy--and there are no Cliff's Notes.  The self-proclaimed "Queen of the Shortcut" doesn't have a solution for this one.  I just may have to read those chapters after all.

My daughter has the opposite problem.  Her bosses are complaining that she's "too thorough", writing a paragraph where a sentence will do.  I tried to explain to her that if she writes more, they have to read more.  Most bosses feel that their job is to give you more work, and don't appreciate you trying to flip the script.  And no, they don't respond by realizing that they've been overworking you.  They retaliate by giving you more.  I know, it's messed up.  She has now been told to take two days off to keep her from accruing overtime, all the while sending more e-mails with more assignments.  It's only Tuesday and she'll be even more behind when she returns on Friday.  She has also been warned not to work off the clock.  This is quite a dilemma for a 22 year old since she's afraid that she'll be in hot water for not getting the tasks done.  I constantly remind her that this is just the beginning for her--certainly not her life's work.  Consider it a job for which she will get a paycheck, and that's it's only a small part of her life.  If it gets to be more than that, then she needs to make some adjustments. 

I can't break my Christmas streak--my one day streak.  I made cookies last night.  What can I do tonight?  The Hallmark movies don't count.  Too easy!  They are simply mood setters.  I still have to MAKE something.  Oh wait...

...I have six chapters to read.  After that I will add a few more rows to my crazy yellow scarf.  

21 Days to Go!

I Love My Shortcuts!

I felt like eating soup today, and didn't feel like making any.  I love clam chowder, so I decided to embellish it.  It tasted great!  Here's the recipe:

Two cans of Chunky Clam Chowder

Three soup cans of chicken broth

One cup instant rice

3/4 cup potato flakes

One cup frozen corn

Two frozen crab cakes

Black pepper and parsley (lots of it)

Heat the soup and broth, then add everything else.  Heat it thoroughly, making sure to break up the crab cakes and any clumps of potato.  It was hearty, satisfying and delicious.  And easy, of course.  If it's too thick for you, just add a little water or broth to get it to the consistency you prefer.  I stretched two cans of soup into a meal for five!

Later, I made these cute reindeer cookies that I saw on Pinterest.  I improvised with chocolate covered pretzels, but I think I'll use regular ones next time.  They look more "rustic".  I couldn't remember the color of the eyes, and ended up with a bag of M&M's that had NO BROWN ONES.  They look much cuter with brown eyes.  I realized this after I looked back at the picture.  I should have looked before I went to the store.  Notwithstanding the deviations, they came out really cute and I'm so proud of myself for getting an early start on the festivities.  No baking, easy assembly with just a few ingredients, and they're adorable.  

I started trying to use my new old "Looper".  My skills haven't improved.  I have a four foot, twisted yellow band.  BUT, I'm sticking with it and I'm determined to have something recognizable by Christmas.  I'll keep you posted on my (very slow) progress.

December 1, the Countdown is On!

I love making Christmas gifts for several reasons.  The cost factor is a given.  I also like to come up with something that's unique and I know that a specific person will love.  I don't want my stuff regifted! I have a great hot chocolate recipe that I make every year for my family and friends.  I will definitely do it again this year (a five year tradition--all traditions have to start somewhere), but not everyone likes it.  I found this recipe for Kenyan Chai Tea on the blog, "Thriftanista in the City".  It sounds delicious and I can't wait to make it.  To simplify, I think I'll do like she did and go to Mariano's for the ingredients.  I don't know if you have one in your city, but it's a "moodier" version of Whole Foods--at least that's my take on it.

Speaking of the Thriftanista, she recently featured me and some of my "finds" on her blog.  Here's the link: 10 Questions.  I was very excited to show off some of my favorites.  

Pink suede pants, $3 at Unique. Cheetah print boots, $7 at Goodwill.  Leopard print top, my niece's closet.  Mink stole, $15 estate sale find. BTW, this is my first and only fur.  Not sure if I'll ever wear it in public--I don't want to get doused. 

Dress, $3 at Village Thrift.  Sweater, $3.50 at Unique.  Hair clip, $0 at The Free Store.  Boots, a rare retail purchase (a moment of madness), $80.  Not shown are the two bags I was deciding between.  A teal and black leather shoulder bag with a map of Africa and a Kenneth Cole mint green leather bag with brown satin lining.

On second thought, I will show you, but pay no attention to the dazed crazed expression on my face:

I love both of these bags, but the lighter one wasn't the match for the sweater that I thought it was when I bought it.  Still, it is in amazing condition and I love it.  And it only cost about $4.  The "Africa" bag is sueded leather and it cost a mere $3.50.  It's my bag of choice these days.  I'll swap it out for something else next week.

And yes, I will be sharing that hot chocolate recipe before Christmas.  Maybe you'll want to make some of your own.  

As Seen on T.V.

Remember this?  I remember it being called "The Looper", but it was apparently known as "The One-Needle Looper".  My version is much more catchy.  Catchier?  Whatever.

So I finally got around to ordering one off of Ebay.  I really didn't want to pay $15.95 for it, knowing that I'll come across it one day at a yard sale for $1, but with free shipping, I figure I paid about $12 for a piece of my past.  Priceless.

I went searching the internet for some information on it, and came across a very well-written blog post about it.  At the end, there were four comments.  One of them was mine.  I completely forgot that I'd done that.  It's been nearly a year ago that I wrote "I've been looking for one of these...!"  If you believe in waiting to purchase something to make sure you really want it, I must have REALLY wanted this because I've been online talking about it for at least a year.  

I remember it as a television commercial, similar to those for the "Popeil" products.  I convinced my mother that this would be a great gift for my older sister, the artsy craftsy person in the family.  It was always the coolest thing to actually see those "as seen on t.v." products.  To hold the Looper in my hands was like a dream come true.  My sister never did much with it, but I made many a 12-foot chain.  That's about as far as I got, except for the very tiny hat I made for Garfield Goose.  Back in the 60's and 70's, kids would send in gifts for Garfield and his puppet friends.  I sent in a very tight, not quite knitted, not quite crocheted, green hat.  If Garfield's handler, "Mr. Frazier" ever received my gift, I don't know because I never saw him wearing it.  After all these years, I still believe that he wore it one day that I wasn't watching.  

Never one to follow patterns, or directions, I kind of doubt that I'll master any of these groovy, swell and neato designs:

That's one heck of a bouffant!

And to think, all this from this little, unassuming little contraption:

And now, I must get started on that 12 ft. chain.  By Christmas maybe I'll have enough rows to call it a scarf.  If not, I can always make another tiny hat and ship it off to Sesame Street.