annaramma

Frugal Friday

I love quirky museum-like displays; cabinets of curiosity, pinned specimens and terrariums all delight me.  That means I also lust after giant antique bell jars.  They are prohibitively expensive and I don't want to live in fear of breaking them, so I have been trying to come up with some kind of alternative solution. 

I started poking around the glassware section of the GoodWill, discount stores and just about anywhere there's a large selection of vases.  I kept thinking, "If I can find just the right shape, I'll flip it over and I'll have my bell jar!"  Here you can see I found a ridiculous over-sized goblet that makes a wonderful bell jar.  This was $9 and satisfies my requirements perfectly.  I know it's not an antique, but it will hold an assortment of weird and wonderful plants for far less than the genuine article.

There are a lot of possibilities for interesting shapes: tall and thin, globes and cylinders.  If you can find a large square or rectangle, it will look more like a museum vitrine.  Crazy museum geeks (like me) could even print up wall labels.

For now, I've filled it with a palmistry hand, a maxillaria orchid, collected seashells and two little metal crickets. 

Mmmm . . . bacon(ish)!

This morning, I was inspired by notmartha's post about bacon cups.  So inspired, that I wanted to see if I could replicate them with that glorious almost meat product, fakin' bacon.  It turns out the general technique, weaving the strips over a mold and bake in the over, works on both real bacon and the textured soy protein variety.  Of course the bacon version provides the full bacony goodness, but the fakin' bacon makes a respectable substitute.  More photos are here.

I love the idea of a BLT salad, especially if you subscribe to the food negation theory of eating.  For this one, I added an egg (sunny-side-up) and lemony vinaigrette. It was so yummy, I would love to make these for a brunch or lunch.

I'm wondering if I could add a basting of maple syrup or brown sugar and mustard to add that little extra something?  Is that gilding the lily?

Valentine wrap-up

I've had a few questions about the truffles I made for Valentine's Day.  I used Alton Brown's Chocolate Truffle Recipe, including his ingenious method for melting the coating chocolate.  You can see more of the photos here.  I don't know if he's the first to suggest it, but using a heating pad to keep the chocolate tempered and fluid worked perfectly.  I set mine to medium-high which ended up being 91 degrees.  Next time I will do a finer chop on the chocolate to cut down on the melting time. 

As for the flavorings, I came up with flavors I like or had seen elsewhere.  There are a lot of combinations I wanted to try, but I narrowed it down to:
- cognac, rolled in cocoa
- orange, with a dollop of zest
- chai spice, rolled in pistachios
- cayenne, rolled in turbindo sugar

They are all delicious with a cup of tea or a glass of red wine.

Frugal Friday

I've been reading Get Rich Slowly lately and thinking about craftiness and thrift.  I love to make things and find the process satisfying, but I'm also super cheap (uhhhh . . . I mean frugal).  It's great to be able to sew up a gift or make a pillow sham, but I also save money every time I hem my own pants.  I love poking around yard sales and the Goodwill looking for kitschy treasures, but I also find needed items for almost nothing. 

With all this in mind, I'm starting Frugal Friday.  When I have a project or idea that happens to be cheap, free or cost-effective I'll be posting it on Fridays.  Are you excited? 

Fish Cakes!

Fish cakes!  Fish cakes!  Fish cakes!  That's a fun phrase to say. 

Fish cakes* are one of my go-to meals for a quick supper.  You can use almost any canned or leftover fish and add whatever you have on hand.

Fish Cakes
2 small cans fish or 1/2 lb. fresh-cooked fish (you can use crab or chopped shrimp too)
1/2 c. bread crumbs (homemade are best)
1/2 c. diced veggies (onion, celery, bell pepper, peas, corn kernels, carrot, chiles or anything else you like)
1 T. mayo
2 t. dijon mustard
1 egg
1 t. fresh herbs (I like to add parsley or tarragon)
Salt & Pepper

Flake the fish into a bowl and add bread crumbs and veggies.  Toss to combine.  Mix together mayo, mustard, egg, herbs and salt & pepper to taste.  Pour over the fish mixture and combine gently.  Form four-six cakes and allow them to rest in the fridge while you lightly grease a heavy pan and heat to medium-high.  Cook the cakes for 3-5 minutes per side.  They should be golden brown and delicious.  Serve them with some mixed greens tossed in a lemony vinaigrette.

*Don't be fooled by the name, these babies can be as fancy or simple as you like. 

More Blooms!

Now it's springtime inside my house and one of my tillandsias is blooming for the first time.  Their foliage is fun and spiky, but I also love the deep purples and bright pinks of the blossoms. 

I hate having labels sticking out of my plants, but I'm fairly sure this is one I picked up at Paxton Gate.*  I'm always so happy when my plants survive.  I find it pretty amazing when they actually flourish and produce flowers. 

*Paxton Gate is one of my favorite stores.  It's more of a museum where you can touch and purchase the exhibits.  There are always the standby curiosities (natural objects, plants, taxidermy, home items, etc), but they keep adding new artists and projects.  It's a wonderful place to poke around and you never know what you'll find.  They also have free tea, just like another amazing place.

A Rough Patch

I managed to make several dozen truffles to give as Valentine's Day gifts.  Unfortunately, I am suffering through the stomach flu and enjoying chocolate is the furthest thing from my mind.  The truffles are all packaged up with nowhere to go. 

I'm sure they'll be welcome Presidents' Day treats.

I HEART hearts

I'm not a Valentine's Day kind of person.  The few times that I have been happy! in! love! on February 14th, I have been non-plussed by the day's festivities. 

Yet I can't help but love all the ticky tacky fun projects that Valentine's Day brings.  I agree with Ben Karlin (bugmenot if you need it), that we need to go back to kindergarten and re-learn how to celebrate the day. 

So, I love love love this conversation hearts project from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.  It's silly and fun and leaves with you a soapy taste in your mouth, yum!  I might not get that together this year, but I'm tucking it away in my memory. 

This year I am making homemade truffles.  I have all the ingredients sorted, but I'm still mulling over the flavorings.  I'm thinking Orange with Turbindo Sugar, Chai Spice with Crushed Pistachios, Cayenne and Black Pepper and then Plain Vanilla (literally).

Link Letter

Dear Internet,

I'm so sorry I've been neglecting you lately.  Here are some links I've been hoarding. 

- Black Heart Contest and supercool valentines, just the thing for International Quirkyalone Day.
- No-recipe recipes from CHOW.  This is how I cook.
- Rebecca Cobb, I love her watercolor illustrations.
- This is just amazing, I can't imagine what it must have been like to see it first-hand.  Giant drivable (ridable?) creatures, it's almost too spectacular to be believed.
- After having come to the conclusion that I'm not a knitter, this popped up.  It might help me to get through some of my yarn stash.

Thanks for understanding.

Love,
Anne

Inspiration

You never know what will bring inspiration.  I tend to get a lot of ideas from the many fabulous craft blogs out there, but I'm also constantly driven by trades and swaps.  Not only do they give me some structure, but there's the all important deadline. 

In this case, I was creating two trade items for a Backyard Trade.  The goal was to find something about your backyard (either literal or metaphorical) and bring it to life in a crafty object. 

I found my inspiration in the profusion of nasturtiums blooming in my (literal) backyard.  Their soft leafy green and shocking orange offer so many possibilities.  I think the results, a beaded pin and clutch bag, capture the colors and feel quite nicely.

Spike

This little guy was one of my weekend projects. 

A present from a friend with a fondness for junk, he needed a few repairs.  After a few toothpicks, a little paint and a dab of E8000 he's just as good as new.

I think he's pretty darn cute myself.

Peep this!

Despite torrential rains, roaring winds and hail (HAIL!), it's springtime at my house.  The days are getting longer, snow drops are coming up and the Kathleen Rose is in bloom.

I'm sure there will be peeps* in the stores in no time.

*Watch out, that site has some seriously peepy music.