I can't believe it's been that long since I've posted! Sorry. It was one hellacious summer, with a very tough project taking up most of my time. That project has rolled to production (thank God! and I mean that!), so things have simmered back down to a boil. I am trying to finish up my new costume for this year's Dragon*Con now. Once the con is over, I MAY be able to get back to Dawn Child. Razzum-frazzum real life keeps getting in the way, doesn't it?
As for costumes... the Raven (Johns/McKone era) is almost done. I hope to post pictures soon!
As for Jane Sagan... well, given the tough project schedule and some other technical issues, I have been unable to get much done on that past the patch that I designed. I think I am going to have to just plan one new costume a year. That's all I think I can manage, given everything else that I always have going on.
I hope everyone is well.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Getting Some Writing Done & Iron Man
I actually got a little writing done! Yay! I'm not yet ready to post, but I have made a little progress this evening. We'll see how long the groove lasts.
I went to see "Iron Man"! In fact, I've seen it twice. I really, really loved that movie. I think that Robert Downey, Jr., and Jon Favreau (the director) really made something special. Mr. Downey worked very hard to prep for this part, and it shows. I know people who have seen it who were not comics fans and loved it. The story was very accessible to those new to the Iron Man canon, but it was also great for longtime fans of the title (like my husband).
During the scene when he was doing the first systems check of the golden armor, I leaned over to my husband and said, "Excuse me while I geek out. WOW!"
If you haven't seen it yet, it is definitely worth the time and the money (over nine bucks here to see it at night now, I know that's cheaper than elsewhere, but OUCH). If you go, MAKE SURE you stay all the way until the end of the credits. You won't regret it.
And the sound track rocks, y'all. I write code to it at work -- and when it's playing I just get into the zone and keep coding and coding... great work all around. I really hope that RDJ knows what a great piece of work this movie is, and that he made something that made me happy and forget my stress for a couple of hours, and actually made me interested in working with software again. For a while, I BELIEVED Tony Stark was a real guy, and that he really could be the mechanical genius that he was.
And Jeff Bridges... what a great bad guy he made! I've been a fan of his since I saw him in "Star Man" many moons ago. I enjoyed the versatility displayed in his acting here.
Ms. Paltrow was a very good Pepper Potts, as well. Definitely look forward to seeing her play again in the sequel. I think she played out her underlying attraction to Tony well. She's not just attracted to him, she's attached to him. They are, in a way, the only family either of them has.
In my opinion, as far as comic book movies go, this ranks up there with "Batman Begins", "X-Men" and "Spiderman", which is a real compliment. The creators really took the genre seriously -- and those movies that take it seriously are the best. It was exciting and fun to watch, with a good balance of action and humor. There were some truly funny moments in it that were a result of the director's timing and RDJ's sense of humor, and the first-night audience that I saw it with howled with laughter.
Another thing -- there was a good theme in there, but I'm not sure if it was intentional or not. Basically, we have a superhero that is not a Boy Scout. He has flaws in his character, just like the rest of us. But those flaws do not stop him from doing good things. It's good to see that I don't have to be perfect myself before I help other people. I am more like Tony than I am like Clark Kent. It is impossible to be that perfect while I'm still in a human body. But that doesn't have to stop me from trying to do good. I think that's a great thing to take with you when you leave the theater.
To the cast and crew of "Iron Man", I would like to say thank you so very much for a job very well done. I'll be waiting on the sequel!
I went to see "Iron Man"! In fact, I've seen it twice. I really, really loved that movie. I think that Robert Downey, Jr., and Jon Favreau (the director) really made something special. Mr. Downey worked very hard to prep for this part, and it shows. I know people who have seen it who were not comics fans and loved it. The story was very accessible to those new to the Iron Man canon, but it was also great for longtime fans of the title (like my husband).
During the scene when he was doing the first systems check of the golden armor, I leaned over to my husband and said, "Excuse me while I geek out. WOW!"
If you haven't seen it yet, it is definitely worth the time and the money (over nine bucks here to see it at night now, I know that's cheaper than elsewhere, but OUCH). If you go, MAKE SURE you stay all the way until the end of the credits. You won't regret it.
And the sound track rocks, y'all. I write code to it at work -- and when it's playing I just get into the zone and keep coding and coding... great work all around. I really hope that RDJ knows what a great piece of work this movie is, and that he made something that made me happy and forget my stress for a couple of hours, and actually made me interested in working with software again. For a while, I BELIEVED Tony Stark was a real guy, and that he really could be the mechanical genius that he was.
And Jeff Bridges... what a great bad guy he made! I've been a fan of his since I saw him in "Star Man" many moons ago. I enjoyed the versatility displayed in his acting here.
Ms. Paltrow was a very good Pepper Potts, as well. Definitely look forward to seeing her play again in the sequel. I think she played out her underlying attraction to Tony well. She's not just attracted to him, she's attached to him. They are, in a way, the only family either of them has.
In my opinion, as far as comic book movies go, this ranks up there with "Batman Begins", "X-Men" and "Spiderman", which is a real compliment. The creators really took the genre seriously -- and those movies that take it seriously are the best. It was exciting and fun to watch, with a good balance of action and humor. There were some truly funny moments in it that were a result of the director's timing and RDJ's sense of humor, and the first-night audience that I saw it with howled with laughter.
Another thing -- there was a good theme in there, but I'm not sure if it was intentional or not. Basically, we have a superhero that is not a Boy Scout. He has flaws in his character, just like the rest of us. But those flaws do not stop him from doing good things. It's good to see that I don't have to be perfect myself before I help other people. I am more like Tony than I am like Clark Kent. It is impossible to be that perfect while I'm still in a human body. But that doesn't have to stop me from trying to do good. I think that's a great thing to take with you when you leave the theater.
To the cast and crew of "Iron Man", I would like to say thank you so very much for a job very well done. I'll be waiting on the sequel!
Monday, May 12, 2008
A New Design
I've been so brain-dead lately that I haven't been able to write much. However, there are a few things I can do when I am absolutely mindless. Cross-stitch is one of them. Here is my latest one, a rendering of the "Raven" symbol from the 1982 "Tales of the New Teen Titans" mini. I have always loved this graphic, especially the colors.
If I ever stitch it again, I'll use 3 strands of floss instead of 2. I see way too much of the background fabric on this one. Still, I'm pretty proud of it.
I stitch on a wooden frame. I am not a fan of hoops for most cross-stitch, as they tend to warp the Aida fabric into shapes that are hard to press out once you are done. Hoops have their place, though, as long as the finished design is smaller than the hoop... or if the hoop IS the final frame! I'll remove this from the wooden frame and then have it framed for real at some point. The fabric is basted onto tabs attached to the dowels. You can buy frames that don't require basting, but I don't like them very much. I've looked at them at the store... the dowels are never sanded down enough and there are too many splinters for my taste! I'll stick with basting it on, thanks.
There are a few spots I would fix if I did this again. I've mentioned using 3 strands instead of 2 for stitching the body so that less fabric shows through. I think I'd change some of the outlining on the letters as well. I think there are a few fractional stitches that are out of kilter. Overall, though, I like the design.
It took about a month of obsessive stitching to do it. There are more stitches there than you think! And only 3 colors!
I'd like to do a rendering of the new symbols used for the Titans in their new comic. -sigh- so many designs, so little time. I have other things queued up before I can tackle those renderings, let alone stitching them!
If I ever stitch it again, I'll use 3 strands of floss instead of 2. I see way too much of the background fabric on this one. Still, I'm pretty proud of it.
I stitch on a wooden frame. I am not a fan of hoops for most cross-stitch, as they tend to warp the Aida fabric into shapes that are hard to press out once you are done. Hoops have their place, though, as long as the finished design is smaller than the hoop... or if the hoop IS the final frame! I'll remove this from the wooden frame and then have it framed for real at some point. The fabric is basted onto tabs attached to the dowels. You can buy frames that don't require basting, but I don't like them very much. I've looked at them at the store... the dowels are never sanded down enough and there are too many splinters for my taste! I'll stick with basting it on, thanks.
There are a few spots I would fix if I did this again. I've mentioned using 3 strands instead of 2 for stitching the body so that less fabric shows through. I think I'd change some of the outlining on the letters as well. I think there are a few fractional stitches that are out of kilter. Overall, though, I like the design.
It took about a month of obsessive stitching to do it. There are more stitches there than you think! And only 3 colors!
I'd like to do a rendering of the new symbols used for the Titans in their new comic. -sigh- so many designs, so little time. I have other things queued up before I can tackle those renderings, let alone stitching them!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Raven Cross-stitch Framed
She came back from the framer's yesterday. They did such a lovely job!
I am still working on Chapter 6 of "Dawn Child". It was a tiring week last week, and I did not get much done. :(
I am still working on Chapter 6 of "Dawn Child". It was a tiring week last week, and I did not get much done. :(
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Dawn Child Chapter 4
Hey there! I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day. Chapter 4 is up!
Chapter 4
Have a great day.
Namaste
KTH
Chapter 4
Have a great day.
Namaste
KTH
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Chapter 2 of "Dawn Child" is up
Hello all,
Chapter 2 of "Dawn Child" has been posted!
Chapter 2
Thank you for your kind words and reviews. They mean so much to me. I hope I can keep the momentum going!
Chapter 2 of "Dawn Child" has been posted!
Chapter 2
Thank you for your kind words and reviews. They mean so much to me. I hope I can keep the momentum going!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
First Chapter Posted - Dawn Child
Hello my friends,
I am taking the advice of a dear friend and starting my posting of "Dawn Child", at least what I have written so far. It is nowhere near complete, but the first few chapters are close enough that I can release them. So I am releasing it a chapter at a time, unlike my normal habit of releasing the entire story at once. I will update it as I can. Unfortunately, I cannot promise any kind of regular schedule.
I do hope you enjoy it! I have enjoyed everyone's comments and emails of encouragement. They really do mean a lot to me.
Here is a link to the first chapter, which is all that is posted so far:
Dawn Child
Thanks & have a great day.
Namaste
KTH
I am taking the advice of a dear friend and starting my posting of "Dawn Child", at least what I have written so far. It is nowhere near complete, but the first few chapters are close enough that I can release them. So I am releasing it a chapter at a time, unlike my normal habit of releasing the entire story at once. I will update it as I can. Unfortunately, I cannot promise any kind of regular schedule.
I do hope you enjoy it! I have enjoyed everyone's comments and emails of encouragement. They really do mean a lot to me.
Here is a link to the first chapter, which is all that is posted so far:
Dawn Child
Thanks & have a great day.
Namaste
KTH
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Blog Changes
Hello all,
I am figuring out how blogger lets me change things on my web page, a little at a time. It is vastly different from what I do at work. However, I don't spend a lot of time tinkering with the blog... it's too much like work! Go figure.
Anyhoo, I have figured out the great Header mystery, so I am playing with my header image. It may change over time. The above image is the one I use in my signature over at RBSU. The main design was a gift from a friend. I added items to it. I may play with it a little bit, so this probably won't be permanent. I want to play with the colors as well. I haven't upgraded my template to the more-friendly editing type yet. I don't want to lose what I've done so far, and I'm always proud when I figure it out myself. However, some of it is just frustrating. It would be nice if Blogger put more comments in the HTML, like "if you want to change the image in your header, you would change it here". That would definitely make the learning curve less steep, especially for people who like to blog but don't have a lot of time to play with the settings to see what does what.
Tomorrow night is Craft Madness with my friend. We get together with a group at her church the last Friday of a month to do crafts. It started out as scrapbooking (a gathering known in scrapping circles as a "crop"), but it has since expanded out to cover any craft that someone wants to bring in. I've done drawing, cross-stitching, and scrapbooking (I collect hobbies) at these events, and I just enjoy it. It's great to have a time that is dedicated to making something, without interruptions from the dog or the phone. It's nice to get together and hang out, too. I enjoy spending time with my friend, crafting or no. But tomorrow night's project: continue work on the Jane Sagan patch.
In the meantime, I AM still working on Dawn Child. I've just been suffering from bout upon bout of writer's block. I did sit down and make a lot of pre-write notes the other night, and I think that will get me moving again. I am seriously considering posting a chapter at a time this time instead of the whole thing, just so I can get this ball rolling. What do you think?
UPDATE: I just changed the header image again, this time something I created myself. I may still play with it over time, but it is a sampling of some of my hobbies.
I am figuring out how blogger lets me change things on my web page, a little at a time. It is vastly different from what I do at work. However, I don't spend a lot of time tinkering with the blog... it's too much like work! Go figure.
Anyhoo, I have figured out the great Header mystery, so I am playing with my header image. It may change over time. The above image is the one I use in my signature over at RBSU. The main design was a gift from a friend. I added items to it. I may play with it a little bit, so this probably won't be permanent. I want to play with the colors as well. I haven't upgraded my template to the more-friendly editing type yet. I don't want to lose what I've done so far, and I'm always proud when I figure it out myself. However, some of it is just frustrating. It would be nice if Blogger put more comments in the HTML, like "if you want to change the image in your header, you would change it here". That would definitely make the learning curve less steep, especially for people who like to blog but don't have a lot of time to play with the settings to see what does what.
Tomorrow night is Craft Madness with my friend. We get together with a group at her church the last Friday of a month to do crafts. It started out as scrapbooking (a gathering known in scrapping circles as a "crop"), but it has since expanded out to cover any craft that someone wants to bring in. I've done drawing, cross-stitching, and scrapbooking (I collect hobbies) at these events, and I just enjoy it. It's great to have a time that is dedicated to making something, without interruptions from the dog or the phone. It's nice to get together and hang out, too. I enjoy spending time with my friend, crafting or no. But tomorrow night's project: continue work on the Jane Sagan patch.
In the meantime, I AM still working on Dawn Child. I've just been suffering from bout upon bout of writer's block. I did sit down and make a lot of pre-write notes the other night, and I think that will get me moving again. I am seriously considering posting a chapter at a time this time instead of the whole thing, just so I can get this ball rolling. What do you think?
UPDATE: I just changed the header image again, this time something I created myself. I may still play with it over time, but it is a sampling of some of my hobbies.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Raven Cross-stitch Complete
Hello all, I hope you are keeping warm. We are going to get a cold snap tonight, so I'm about to go enjoy a cup of hot tea. I'd like to share with you pictures of my latest cross-stitch project. This is a picture of the comic book version of Raven. The original sketch was done by George Perez and can be seen on Bill Walko's website, Titans Tower . The link directly to the sketch is in the previous post. I imported it into a cross-stitch rendering program to create the chart. I don't think I made any changes to it once it was imported -- the upload was very clean. I then printed the chart and stitched it up. Here is the result. I really do like it, and I hope you do too. I truly love this picture of her. This is the original Wolfman-Perez Raven. I thought it was so beautifully drawn by Mr. Perez that I just had to stitch it up. He draws her in such a hauntingly beautiful fashion.
She is 150 stitches wide by 200 high on 14 count Aida fabric. It's all done in black (DMC color 310) and took about 2 full skeins of thread. I started this on New Year's Day, so it took the better part of 3 weeks to stitch. All stitches are full cross-stitches (no quarter or half stitches are used).
I had her on a scrolling frame while I stitched her. I only use hoops if the design is smaller than the hoop itself. I don't like the way hoops bend the Aida fabric.
This does tend to curl the fabric at the ends (even though it does offer some protection from fabric fray). I need to press it out before it can be framed. I'm not sure what I'll do about the framing yet, but I do intend to get it framed.
My next stitching project: the patch for the Jane Sagan costume. This will be a little different, as it will be mostly satin stitch and not cross-stitch. I am way more experienced with cross-stitch. It's almost mindless... I just make little x's. Enough x's, you get a picture. The satin stitch in and of itself is easy, but I don't have the nice pre-made holes to guide me. I am following a trace of the design, but it's a little harder to get the stitches exactly side by side. We'll see how it goes.
She is 150 stitches wide by 200 high on 14 count Aida fabric. It's all done in black (DMC color 310) and took about 2 full skeins of thread. I started this on New Year's Day, so it took the better part of 3 weeks to stitch. All stitches are full cross-stitches (no quarter or half stitches are used).
I had her on a scrolling frame while I stitched her. I only use hoops if the design is smaller than the hoop itself. I don't like the way hoops bend the Aida fabric.
This does tend to curl the fabric at the ends (even though it does offer some protection from fabric fray). I need to press it out before it can be framed. I'm not sure what I'll do about the framing yet, but I do intend to get it framed.
My next stitching project: the patch for the Jane Sagan costume. This will be a little different, as it will be mostly satin stitch and not cross-stitch. I am way more experienced with cross-stitch. It's almost mindless... I just make little x's. Enough x's, you get a picture. The satin stitch in and of itself is easy, but I don't have the nice pre-made holes to guide me. I am following a trace of the design, but it's a little harder to get the stitches exactly side by side. We'll see how it goes.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Being Crafty
I took Friday off in hopes of getting some work done on my costumes. When I first tried to sew, the machine started a fight with me. It won. I think my husband may be able to referee between us later, but for now, I did not make any progress on the gloves. :( However, I did get something done. I made the clasps for the cloak: old jacket buttons from the 80s (literally), funky foam, and 2-sided adhesive. They look pretty good, but I want to sand down the foam to get the outer edge nice and smooth. I'll try to put up pictures later.
I also got some work done on my Jane Sagan patch. I traced the design that I did several months ago (seen here) onto some stabilizer fabric. I have basted that onto the actual patch fabric and placed it in the hoop. It is now ready for stitching. I will probably attack it with a series of satin stitches. The hardest part was getting it set up. Hopefully I will have pictures of it when I am done.
I am working on another cross-stitch project, one that has helped me generate ideas for my latest story (which I have been stuck on for some time). It is a cross-stitch rendering of a George Perez sketch of Raven, as seen on Bill Walko's site. I imported the JPG into a rendering program and turned it into a chart. I've been stitching on it since New Year's Day, and it is nearly complete. Again, I will post a picture once I'm done. I probably won't post it on deviantArt since it's not my sketch originally, and I just don't feel comfortable posting it on an art site. I don't mind showing it here as a "Here's what I'm doing now" sort of thing, though.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Namaste
KTH
I also got some work done on my Jane Sagan patch. I traced the design that I did several months ago (seen here) onto some stabilizer fabric. I have basted that onto the actual patch fabric and placed it in the hoop. It is now ready for stitching. I will probably attack it with a series of satin stitches. The hardest part was getting it set up. Hopefully I will have pictures of it when I am done.
I am working on another cross-stitch project, one that has helped me generate ideas for my latest story (which I have been stuck on for some time). It is a cross-stitch rendering of a George Perez sketch of Raven, as seen on Bill Walko's site. I imported the JPG into a rendering program and turned it into a chart. I've been stitching on it since New Year's Day, and it is nearly complete. Again, I will post a picture once I'm done. I probably won't post it on deviantArt since it's not my sketch originally, and I just don't feel comfortable posting it on an art site. I don't mind showing it here as a "Here's what I'm doing now" sort of thing, though.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Namaste
KTH
Friday, December 28, 2007
I Hope Everyone Had a Great Christmas!
It's hard to believe it has come and gone already. I am one of the few people here at work in the week between Christmas and New Year's. There are tumbleweeds blowing about in the aisles. I don't mind so much, as it is nice and quiet so I can get some coding done for my deadline that is only a couple of weeks away.
I cannot report any progress on anything story or costume-related. However, once the holidaze are over, I hope to get my act together and back to work on them. I haven't even had time/energy to cross-stitch, which is really sad. This weekend will be spent shaping up the homestead for our New Year's Eve party, then hopefully after that I can focus on my Titan-ic stuff. I'm looking forward to the party: friends, food, movies on the telly (maybe The Transformers movie that I got for Christmas from the mister), watch the ball drop, kiss the mister at midnight, wave bye-bye to friends and collapse into a long winter's nap. Maybe not the most glamorous party around -- I have sparkling grape juice instead of champagne as I cannot drink -- but it's enough for me.
Please have a safe and happy rest of the year. May 2008 be an even better year for all of us!
I cannot report any progress on anything story or costume-related. However, once the holidaze are over, I hope to get my act together and back to work on them. I haven't even had time/energy to cross-stitch, which is really sad. This weekend will be spent shaping up the homestead for our New Year's Eve party, then hopefully after that I can focus on my Titan-ic stuff. I'm looking forward to the party: friends, food, movies on the telly (maybe The Transformers movie that I got for Christmas from the mister), watch the ball drop, kiss the mister at midnight, wave bye-bye to friends and collapse into a long winter's nap. Maybe not the most glamorous party around -- I have sparkling grape juice instead of champagne as I cannot drink -- but it's enough for me.
Please have a safe and happy rest of the year. May 2008 be an even better year for all of us!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Shhhhhhh.... It's Stalk Like A Ninja Day
*sneak* *sneak* *sneak*
In case you haven't heard of it, here's the Wiki on "Stalk Like a Ninja Day". It's kind of the counterpoint to "Talk Like a Pirate Day", which happens in September. I love these extra holidays. Just another way to let the people I work with know that I'm totally insane.
So, get out your throwing stars, play a round of "Ninja Burger", and have a great day.
*sneak* *sneak* *sneak*
In case you haven't heard of it, here's the Wiki on "Stalk Like a Ninja Day". It's kind of the counterpoint to "Talk Like a Pirate Day", which happens in September. I love these extra holidays. Just another way to let the people I work with know that I'm totally insane.
So, get out your throwing stars, play a round of "Ninja Burger", and have a great day.
*sneak* *sneak* *sneak*
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Congratulations to B &M Amusement...
... on the occasion of their 8th anniversary. B&M is my local comic shop. Buddy, Mary, and Tyler always make shopping there fun! If you are ever in Chattanoog in need of a comic shop, give them a try, out on Highway 58. Or you can visit them on the web at this link: B & M . They make Wednesdays fun!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
I hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!
I normally wear a costume to work on this day, but I just wasn't feeling well when I left this morning. I just didn't have the energy to get into the full regalia today. So I grabbed a pair of bunny ears before I went out the door and just wore them with my regular work clothes.
It's amazing how much attention one gets when one is wearing bunny ears, even on a day when people dress up. The ears made a lot of people smile, and that is a good thing. A lot of people cracked up because all they could see of me were my ears bobbing around over the cubicle walls all day (I'm too short for them to see the rest of me).
I made gingerbread for the first time last night. It was pretty good, but it was a lot of effort for what I got out of it. Way too many steps to prep the ingredients before they even went into the batter. I used my Pampered Chef TM mini-loaf pan to make four loaves. The recipe claims that this does not freeze well. I'm not sure why; maybe it's the chunks of pears that this particular recipe uses in the batter. I may reserve a little dab and freeze it anyway just to see. If it doesn't, I'll need to find a better, freeze-able recipe. The mister and I just can't eat sweets that fast, and it's better to freeze something like that so I can eat it in small portions later. (The zucchini bread I made this summer froze VERY well. I thawed out the last loaf this past weekend, it was just as moist then as it was the day I made it. Maybe I should just stick with that and banana bread.)
I found a great, versatile recipe for a roll-up this week. Basically, you use refrigerated pizza dough (found with the whomp biscuits near the milk), sliced deli ham, and mozzarella cheese. Remove the dough from the can and roll into a rectangle. Sprinkle whatever seasonings you like on it, to within a half inch of the edges. ( I used Italian seasoning, although I will probably vary it as I go.) Then spread thin slices of deli ham ( or turkey or pepperoni or whatever) over the dough, again to within a half inch of the edges. Then sprinkle with shredded cheese. The recipe calls for mozzarella, but you could use any other cheese you like. I want to try it with goat cheese! Then roll it up and pinch the edges shut. Put it on a baking sheet, seam side down, and bake according to the directions on the pizza dough container. Keep an eye on it, because it will burn quickly! Remove from the oven, let it cool for a moment, and slice it up. It will look like little swirls of crust, meat, and cheese. You can eat it like that, or you can make a dip out of salad dressing or spaghetti sauce or whatever takes your fancy. This is good for a snack, a quick dinner, or even lunch. If you try it, let me know what you think!
Oooh, making myself hungry now.
I normally wear a costume to work on this day, but I just wasn't feeling well when I left this morning. I just didn't have the energy to get into the full regalia today. So I grabbed a pair of bunny ears before I went out the door and just wore them with my regular work clothes.
It's amazing how much attention one gets when one is wearing bunny ears, even on a day when people dress up. The ears made a lot of people smile, and that is a good thing. A lot of people cracked up because all they could see of me were my ears bobbing around over the cubicle walls all day (I'm too short for them to see the rest of me).
I made gingerbread for the first time last night. It was pretty good, but it was a lot of effort for what I got out of it. Way too many steps to prep the ingredients before they even went into the batter. I used my Pampered Chef TM mini-loaf pan to make four loaves. The recipe claims that this does not freeze well. I'm not sure why; maybe it's the chunks of pears that this particular recipe uses in the batter. I may reserve a little dab and freeze it anyway just to see. If it doesn't, I'll need to find a better, freeze-able recipe. The mister and I just can't eat sweets that fast, and it's better to freeze something like that so I can eat it in small portions later. (The zucchini bread I made this summer froze VERY well. I thawed out the last loaf this past weekend, it was just as moist then as it was the day I made it. Maybe I should just stick with that and banana bread.)
I found a great, versatile recipe for a roll-up this week. Basically, you use refrigerated pizza dough (found with the whomp biscuits near the milk), sliced deli ham, and mozzarella cheese. Remove the dough from the can and roll into a rectangle. Sprinkle whatever seasonings you like on it, to within a half inch of the edges. ( I used Italian seasoning, although I will probably vary it as I go.) Then spread thin slices of deli ham ( or turkey or pepperoni or whatever) over the dough, again to within a half inch of the edges. Then sprinkle with shredded cheese. The recipe calls for mozzarella, but you could use any other cheese you like. I want to try it with goat cheese! Then roll it up and pinch the edges shut. Put it on a baking sheet, seam side down, and bake according to the directions on the pizza dough container. Keep an eye on it, because it will burn quickly! Remove from the oven, let it cool for a moment, and slice it up. It will look like little swirls of crust, meat, and cheese. You can eat it like that, or you can make a dip out of salad dressing or spaghetti sauce or whatever takes your fancy. This is good for a snack, a quick dinner, or even lunch. If you try it, let me know what you think!
Oooh, making myself hungry now.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Comfort Food
I've had a rough week so far. I came home today feeling like a freight train had gone through my head. So I made some Appalachian comfort food: a pone of corn bread. Now, if you've never had Southern corn bread, let me describe it for you: it is savory, not sweet like the usual restaurant corn muffins (which I refer to fondly as "Johnny cake"). It's a white corn meal instead of yellow. Lots of butter... if you have a nice cold glass of milk to dip it in, that's even better. Some folks like buttermilk with it, but I prefer sweet milk (translation: regular, non-butter, milk) with mine. I hope to dive into it as soon as the mister gets home from karate.
A few words of advice for first-time Southern-style corn bread bakers:
- Pay attention to the meal that you are buying. I learned the hard way, that there is corn meal (much like you would buy flour) and then there is corn meal mix (kinda like Bisquick, except with corn meal). The mix already has the correct proporations of baking soda, salt, etc., to make it rise. Plain corn meal does not. My favorite mix is Three Rivers. I think it's only a regional brand, though, because in my short stint in Boston a decade ago, I couldnt find anything but Martha White. However, if you are lucky enough to live in a area where Three Rivers is available, I highly recommend it. Most of the measuring work is already done for you, and it is a high quality blend.
- Watch what kind of cooking oil you use in the batter. I advise using a mild-flavored oil, such as canola. I used olive oil once, and I hated it. Now, I am a big fan of olive oil over all, but it just overpowers the corn-breadiness of the batter.
- Be sure to grease the pan well (with butter!) to allow the bread to release when it is done.
- It'll keep on the counter for a couple of days if you put it in a sealed plastic baggie. You can reheat it by wrapping it in a paper towel and nuking it for 10 - 20 seconds, but it is also great cold. It is good for lunch the next day.
- Cast iron skillets are wonderful for cooking it in. They can go in the oven safely and are usually well-seasoned enough to release the bread well. The various pans you can buy to make corn sticks or corn "fish" or corn "cactuses" are fun too.
- Fried corn bread is a delicacy. This is basically pancakes, except you use cornbread batter instead of pancake batter. I don't change the recipe at all from baked corn bread. My daddy loves to make this, line his plate with the cakes, and pour white beans (cooked slowly all day in a crock pot with a ham hock) over them and crumble some more cakes on top... a feast fit for a king!
I haven't been able to work on my costume at all this week. I've had very little time to play at all. Hopefully things will lighten up soon.
A few words of advice for first-time Southern-style corn bread bakers:
- Pay attention to the meal that you are buying. I learned the hard way, that there is corn meal (much like you would buy flour) and then there is corn meal mix (kinda like Bisquick, except with corn meal). The mix already has the correct proporations of baking soda, salt, etc., to make it rise. Plain corn meal does not. My favorite mix is Three Rivers. I think it's only a regional brand, though, because in my short stint in Boston a decade ago, I couldnt find anything but Martha White. However, if you are lucky enough to live in a area where Three Rivers is available, I highly recommend it. Most of the measuring work is already done for you, and it is a high quality blend.
- Watch what kind of cooking oil you use in the batter. I advise using a mild-flavored oil, such as canola. I used olive oil once, and I hated it. Now, I am a big fan of olive oil over all, but it just overpowers the corn-breadiness of the batter.
- Be sure to grease the pan well (with butter!) to allow the bread to release when it is done.
- It'll keep on the counter for a couple of days if you put it in a sealed plastic baggie. You can reheat it by wrapping it in a paper towel and nuking it for 10 - 20 seconds, but it is also great cold. It is good for lunch the next day.
- Cast iron skillets are wonderful for cooking it in. They can go in the oven safely and are usually well-seasoned enough to release the bread well. The various pans you can buy to make corn sticks or corn "fish" or corn "cactuses" are fun too.
- Fried corn bread is a delicacy. This is basically pancakes, except you use cornbread batter instead of pancake batter. I don't change the recipe at all from baked corn bread. My daddy loves to make this, line his plate with the cakes, and pour white beans (cooked slowly all day in a crock pot with a ham hock) over them and crumble some more cakes on top... a feast fit for a king!
I haven't been able to work on my costume at all this week. I've had very little time to play at all. Hopefully things will lighten up soon.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Costume Updates
Well, I gave up on the homemade pattern for the gloves and bought a Kwik-Sew pattern. Silly me finally figured out that it doesn't matter if my pinky doesn't fit in a standard glove well... the McKone Raven gloves HAVE NO PINKIES. Why did I forget that?!? Anyhoo, I have a pattern now. Later this week I'm going to try to cut them out of the bolt of spandex lurking in the corner of my study. I'm losing weight slowly, so I'm not ready to cut out the dress part of the Raven outfit just yet. I want it to still fit me when I get to next Labor Day! However, the gloves should not change all that much. I can do them and the cloak (whose size shouldn't change at all), then the boots.
Ah, the boots! With my husband's clever tips, I think I have found a solution to the sole problem for my thigh boots. I have a pair of flat sandals that have served me well for several seasons. The tops are about to fall apart, but the soles are in great condition. I think I will recycle those for my boots. Spandex "hose" + Dr. Scholl's liner + some kind of heel cup + Glue! + soles may give me what I need. They are the right size, and it will be easier to remove the tops from these than from full shoes. He told me that I should take pictures of the process. If it turns out well, I might make an Instructable for it. We'll see how it goes.
I made the basic shirt for the Gar Logan bear last night. I found an old shirt of mine that I didn't wear any more and used it. It wasn't suitable for donation to Goodwill, but it would do nicely for this project. I love to recycle old clothes! I basted it and had him try it on last night, and he was quite happy with it. Later on, I will machine-sew it and add the purple collar, sleeves, and side-and-back panels. I have a piece of purple material from a Fat Quarter that will do nicely. If it turns out well, I'll post the picture of the finished product here.
Ah, the boots! With my husband's clever tips, I think I have found a solution to the sole problem for my thigh boots. I have a pair of flat sandals that have served me well for several seasons. The tops are about to fall apart, but the soles are in great condition. I think I will recycle those for my boots. Spandex "hose" + Dr. Scholl's liner + some kind of heel cup + Glue! + soles may give me what I need. They are the right size, and it will be easier to remove the tops from these than from full shoes. He told me that I should take pictures of the process. If it turns out well, I might make an Instructable for it. We'll see how it goes.
I made the basic shirt for the Gar Logan bear last night. I found an old shirt of mine that I didn't wear any more and used it. It wasn't suitable for donation to Goodwill, but it would do nicely for this project. I love to recycle old clothes! I basted it and had him try it on last night, and he was quite happy with it. Later on, I will machine-sew it and add the purple collar, sleeves, and side-and-back panels. I have a piece of purple material from a Fat Quarter that will do nicely. If it turns out well, I'll post the picture of the finished product here.
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