Sunday, December 20, 2009

Yummy!!!!....Baklava Cake

I made this cake for my husband's family gathering on Saturday.
This is a rich ,nutty, cake that is soaked in a honey-citrus syrup.
For the best flavor, soak overnight and serve chilled.

I've made a couple substitutions..
double the recipe for a layer cake!

Baklava Cake
Cake: Cooking spray
3/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 T. Vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/2 matzo cake mix meal.(Not found at Piggly Wiggly ..LOL.., so substituted 1/2 cup all purpose flour,1/4 t. baking powder)
1/2 C. finely chopped walnuts
1/4 C. finely chopped hazel nuts(Also, not found at our Piggly Wiggly..LOL..so pecans worked just fine!);-)
4 T. fresh orange juice.
1/4 t. salt

Syrup:
2/3 C. granulated sugar
14 C. honey
1/3 C. fresh orange juice
3 T. of water
1 T of fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

To prepare cake..coat a 9in round cake pan with cooking spray. Place 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes..Siir in Matzo (flour baking pwdr. mixture) and next 5 ingredients, beating until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake a 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched..cool completely..

To prepare syrup, combine 2/3 cup of granulated sugar and remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Cool completely..Pierce top of cake several times with a fork; pour syrup over cake...cover and chill ;-)

Baklava cake slices..


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Additional little gift for a special friend..

My friend has received her gift, so now I can
show you all the little gift assemblage I made
from recycleables..the raccoon was purchased
a while back, but everything else came from
bits I couldn't bring myself to throw away..lol...
the log opens and closes
to store candies, or other small gifts.
Recognize the mouse???..yep!!..the same one
I made from a mini bottle brush tree..

Ornament set for Christmas swap 2009

Here are the 2 ornaments I stitched up for
the International Hand-stitchers ornament swap.
the mushroom was a pincushion pattern freebie from
"Little House by the Sea"..and the cute little Imp
riding the snail was stitching freebie from Andreia
of Bad Bird..I think they came out pretty cute! ;-)

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Quiet as a Mouse


squeeky
Originally uploaded by Kitsch N Sink Studio
I haven't posted in such a long time..I've been
quietly adjusting to working more outside the
home...but I still try to pursue my craft..just not
as frequently as I'd like..please stay tuned as
I do some house keeping and hopefully more
and frequent updates in the very near future.
Hope you all are enjoying the busy time gearing
up for the holidays.

Oh Yes!..forgot to mention...Squeeky here, was made
from a mini bleached bottle brush tree...I think he still
needs a bit of a tiny haircut!!!...what do you all think??? ;-)

Friday, May 29, 2009

Just a tiny bit of mischief..;-)


Elf Shot
Originally uploaded by Kitsch N Sink Studio
Finally !! A sunny Day!!!! ;-)
While outdoors, I spotted this tiny fellow taking
aim at the neighborhood cats!! ;-o
Bad ELF!!!!...LOL!!!....
I hope the recipient of this naughty elf loves him
as much as I do...sometimes it's hard to say good-bye.;-)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Mattie May (Close-up)

Here's a close-up of the detail of Mattie's hand-stitched face.

Mattie May Goes to the Parade

Hi!!...;-)
I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Weekend!
It has been raining every day since last Thursday here
in Georgia, so no outdoor activities to speak of.
It was nice to have a few days off work..During that time, I
made a new creation which is available now in my Brand new
Art Fire shop!!
Here's the direct link to find me..
http://www.artfire.com/users/kitschnsinkstudio

Monday, May 11, 2009

American Gothic

Hi There!!!..
just popping in to let you all know I have a new item available
for sale in my Lemon Poppy Seeds Shoppe. For more info
just click the link to go there directly..More new items coming soon. Lemon Poppy Seeds Hope you all have a great week!!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Lingerie Bag Made for Mother's Day

lingerie Bag made for Mother's Day
With Mother's Day fast approaching, I've been pondering what to do for my Mother and Mother-In-Law???
This lingerie Bag was quick and easy, It's embellished with the neatest handmade beaded brooch, purchased and hand-crafted from Elegance By Mode plus it will be filled with
homemade soaps and solid perfumes from the Copper Cauldron

Love Copper Cauldron's pretty packaging!!

Another Corset Project


And Look what else I found on "Feeling Stitchy"I'll also be making these sachets as a companion...I see a theme emerging!! ;-)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Strike a Pose! ;-)


Here we go!!..thanks Dad for the pic!!Interesting angle there!lol.;-)
The Frontier Fair was complete success despite an afternoon down-pour!
..I think Dad looks Great!
**Big GRIN!**

Friday, May 1, 2009

Men's French Voyager Shirt circa 1814




UPDATE!!!..Well..this sewing adventure is now complete!
My Father has picked up his outfit and has now left to prepare for this weekend's festivities for Frontier Days at Fort Daniel in Hog Mtn., Ga...
I can't wait to get the pics so I can share them with you all!!
Have a great weekend everyone!!! ;-)

Back View Men's French Voyager Shirt


Men's French Voyager Shirt



I read that women would often hand-embroider the initials into the cuffs
..so I did the same for my Dad!

Narrow Fall Pants..Rear View



In the back waistband, these pants will have lacings for a corset-like adjustable fit! ;-)

Men's Narrow Fall Pants circa 1814


Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

Christian Myspace Layouts
Hope you all have a beautiful Day!!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Stitching Doodles...American Gothic

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Fall-front trouser Update

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This pair of muslin pants were made up for fitting purposes only, and I'm so happy to report that Dad came by for a fitting and were a perfect fit!..Now onto the choice fabrics and work-shirt! ;-)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

What I've been up to lately!



I've been doing a bit of Historical garment sewing for my father!
My latest projects are a pair of "Narrow Fall Pants" using a pattern from
Rocking Horse Farm...and a "Voyager's shirt" from Eagle's View Publishing..

I've never had an occasion to sew Narrow Fall Men's breeches before, So I've been
studying pictures of museum pieces to be able to visualize the very interesting and clever construction which was common from about the time of the French Revolution thru the 1890's in varying degrees.



Here's an example from Kent State University Museum of the full length trouser, which is the version I'm making.
Zippers were not invented before the mid 1890's, so these pants are constructed using a a front flap with a button closure across the waistband. They do seem to be practical,comfortable, and convenient. However, I'll let my dad be the judge of that! LOL!!...
I'm nearly done with the muslin mock-up, and will post pics very soon!
And, I bet my Dad would be most willing to give a pose in his New Historical attire!;-)HERE, Designer Marc Jacobs resurrected this construction idea for a pair of FAB sailor inspired trousers!...MORE LATER!!! ;-)


Oh Yes!!...You may be interested in the event for which these special garments are
being made. My Father is an active member of the Society for Georgia Archaeology ..here are the specifics!!...
Fort Daniel Frontier Fair and Public Archaeology Day
2505 Braselton Highway 124, Hog Mountain/Hamilton Mills undefined
Look for directions and parking instructions at www.thegars.org at least one week before the event. Rain date is May 9, 2009.
Contact: Mark Eastland, 770-554-9656, or Jim D’Angelo, 770-513-1576
Fees/Limits: Donations accepted
Description: The day will begin with an 1814 “Star Spangled Banner” flag raising at 10:15 am. There will be excavation opportunities for adults and children as part of the effort to trace the walls of a late 18th, early 19th century frontier fort. Artifacts and interpretive material from two years of excavations will be on display. Other activities are being planned, including construction of a scaled replica of the fort’s stockade wall and blockhouse in which the public is welcomed to participate.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

bunny racer


bunny racer
Originally uploaded by Kitsch N Sink Studio

Prairiedoll


Prairiedoll
Originally uploaded by Kitsch N Sink Studio
still available in my Lemon Poppy Seeds shoppe.
Please visit there for more information.

taxman


taxman
Originally uploaded by Kitsch N Sink Studio
Still Available in my Lemon Poppy Seeds shop
Just visit there for more information.

I'm Still Here!! And A New Look!!

WoW!!..Time sure flies!!..It's been too long since my last post!
Been dusting off the cobwebs here at the blog!...What do you all think
of my New Look?? As always, my friend Annette, of Huckleberry Arts has done
a fabulous job customizing my banner and blog!..I supplied pics of my kitchen
a couple of my works, and chose my own colors,(yes, I'm to blame for the brights!)ROFlol..and she does the rest.
She is the best to work with, and I know she'd love to customize any kind
of blog or banner for you too!

On the homefront,
I've been called upon to work a-bit more at my part-time job at the
Scout office...which is GREAT!!! and I'm so thankful!!
Every bit helps during these precarious times, but it does call me away from my projects...I'm not as skilled in Time Management as my friend Sue of Rabbit Hollow Prims, but I'm working on it!..LOL!!
I do have a sneak peak of a
work in progress to share...It's different from anything I've done before.
It's a poseable soft sculpture elf!..Never did a detailed soft sculpt before now,
so I've been teaching myself at a very slow pace.
I really love how he's coming along....What do you think so far??
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Monday, February 16, 2009

A Clever Challenge by Crazy Haberdasher...I'm Game!!;-)


I found a really clever challenge.
Amen!!! to her sentiments!!!
She's from Melbourne, so a little fun and distraction from their
tragedy in Australia may just be what is needed.
The Crazy Haberdasher writes....
At some stage in our lives
we need a little silliness to get us
through whatever life serves us!

I have a challenge to put before you,
How many sewing items can you
fit in a matchbox?

The matchbox must be of the usual
size of 5 1/2 X 3 1/2 X 1 1/2 cms.
Each item must be singular.
Not more than one pin, one needle, etc.
You could leave a comment and
link to your blog and show us
your results if would like to
join in.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

A New Item in Lemon Poppy Seeds Shoppe


It's the 15th and I have a new listing in my Poppy Shoppe with LOTS more coming real soon!!
Lemon Poppy Seeds has been updated with a new rotation of spring goodies at Lemon Poppy Seeds.com Come take a peek to see what the talented artisans are offering!!!.

A bit Late....


A big HELLO to everyone Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day!!!!;-)
I thought I'd share a pic of this little fellow I made.
I had participated in a Prim doll Valentine Swap, and my lovely partner
Heather from the U.K has received her little Romeo"ALFALFA". I just LOVE his paper-clay hair!! He was Inspired by the Little Rascals Short movie posted here on my blog!...And here he is looking quite at home..I never stop fiddling,fussin, and pokin with my dolls until they are packed up and gone, so that's why Heather's pic is just a bit different from mine...he,he. ;-)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

My Tree of Vintage Valentines

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Just thought I'd share a few views from my vintage Valentine collection. These valentines are the kind children passed around to their classmates in school. They all
are from the 20's, 30's, and 40's.

Congress has been at it again!..grrrr :-[....


Being over-zealous in their effort to "protect" the masses, Congress drafted CPSIA
or Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, slated to go into effect
February 10,2009. This was their response to the Chinese imported goods laden with lead paint....Unless this bill is re-written, it will make
Grannies, Mom and Pop toy companies,The Amish, and home crafts persons, and vintage re-sellers out-laws, and out of business because of the costly lab testing required on all goods intended for children..Please go to this link provided by Etsy to read more, and contact your representative in congress in a effort to have this bill repealed or re-written.
Thank you!!! America just wouldn't be the same without our American-Made handi-crafts.

Revision: This New Law's devastating effects are much more broader than I realized!!!...Very Alarming!!!!..Please read this very informative article at Blockhead Rod Radio.
We really must take action!!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Our Gang Hearts Are Thumps 1937

Our Gang Hearts Are Thumps 1937
Video sent by lilrascalman

the little rascals hearts are thumps 1937 our gang

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Another Cute Design To Piece


Just found this cute pattern from Pink Penguin..I can think of several things to make with this design! There is a free download and very good step by step picture tutorials for freezer paper piecing too!..This project will definitely be added to my
to-do list!

Tiny Flora

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Doesn't this picture look like it could be a warm,summer day???..LOL!!..Nope..in fact, I froze my tushie off to get this snapshot!!..;-D
This tiny gal is only 4 inches tall! She is made from paper-clay and wrapped wire. She wasn't pre-planned, or designed from a sketch in any way, she just emerged
from the clay as I was playing with it!..I hadn't done anything with clay in over a year!..I definitely need to practice more!!
If you want to see some really fun, whimsical works in paper-clay, pop over for a visit with Flora of Bonehead Studio!!...She is an amazing artist, and very good friend who always inspires me!!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Love Don't Stink, When We're in Sync..



This past week we celebrated our 19th Wedding Anniversary!
We happily had a quiet, evening at home.
This is the present I made from a Frowning Francis pattern for my Hubby!..lol...hmmmm...I've seen that mischieveous grin somewhere before!!!...ROFL!!! a wacky sense of humor is what continues to see us through! ;-)