Crispy Dogs!

Hi everyone!

Every once in a while I stumble on a new recipe that is really good and worthy of sharing. The latest noteworthy recipe I've found is "Crispy Dogs". Before I give you the recipe, here's the disclaimer: yes, they are probably not very good for you, and they might not sound very good, but my kids LOVE them. THAT is why I am sharing them with you - they are inexpensive, quick, easy, and very kid-friendly. I'd love to hear your reviews...

CRISPY DOGS

hot dogs
corn tortillas (1 per hot dog)
toothpicks
frying oil

Place the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for about 30 seconds to soften them. Place a hot dog inside each tortilla, roll up, and secure with toothpicks. Place in deep fryer and cook until they are golden brown.

**My sisters gave me a hard time about these when I told them I was making them, but it's worth it! My kids ask for these all the time now and they are guaranteed to get eaten up!

Suggestions, Please!

Hi everyone!

As I mentioned in my last post, I've really gotten into the stamped jewelry! It's easy to see why it's so popular now - to me, it's what handmade jewelry is all about: the ability to have highly personal, unique wearable art. Now I'm looking for suggestions for words or phrases that would make great jewelry. I'm trying to stay away from the typical things you see on jewelry, such as "love", "hope", "dream", etc. Those are fine, but they're not very unique. I am looking for unusual, quirky ideas. I posted the same request on my Facebook fan page, and here are some that I like:
passion, sparks, fire, forever, authentic, coffee, chocolate, together, growth, eternity, solace, soulmate, sassy, blaze, overcome, challenge......

But give me some more! I am especially interested in humorous words or phrases, even ones that might seem a little odd...

I can't wait to see what you can think of!

Good Morning!!!

After a long "hiatus", I'm back to blogging again! Things just got so hectic with school starting up again, I didn't have time for it all. Now with all this snow we're getting, looks like I'll have at least one or two days with some free time in them. It hasn't snowed like this since I was kid! The week before Christmas, we had 15 inches of snow, and then yesterday's storm brought us another 13 inches. Usually, we get about 8 inches of snow ALL winter, so this is unusual for sure. My poor kids don't know what to think about all of it. I hope to post some pictures soon.

I have tried something new with my jewelry in the past months: stamping! I really wanted a way to be able to personalize my pieces a little more, and this seemed like the next logical step for me to take. I am really enjoying it! This was my first piece:


I used sheet copper, copper washers from the hardware store, and copper wire. The stamping was fun, but so was oxidizing it. (That's my other new thing - I bought some liver of sulfur gel and have bee going crazy with it!) This piece really came to life once it was finished. From that, I got a custom order for this:And THAT's why I make jewelry and sell it online. I LOVE being able to make one-of-a-kind
pieces that are special and meaningful!!!

Another sale!

Hi everyone!

 

This time I actually made it into the Weekend Deals Guide on Etsy! Hooray!! So here is my weekend deal: 20% off your total, including shipping. I'll refund you through Paypal after your payment has been received. This is a great time to get started on holiday shopping. I have lots of new items and more will be listed this weekend. Come and check it out!

 

Peaceful Sky

I spent most of yesterday making jewelry, and I guess I'll spend most of today listing and sharing. :-) This is one of my favorites. I love everything about it!

 

 

I used smooth, natural aquamarine oval beads (harvested from another project that I wasn't happy with) and funky little keishi pearls. I knotted them together with light blue silk thread, which really brings out the blue of the stones. I used a copper toggle to finish the bracelet.

 

It's hard to decide which element of this bracelet is my favorite. The colors? Light blue is my favorite colors...the stones? Pearls and aquamarine are 2 of the stones I love the most...I would probably have to say that the technique is the part I love the most. There is something very soothing and therapeutic about knotting. I enjoy the challenge of getting the knot in exactly the right spot...although I'm not so crazy about the challenge of getting it OUT when I make a mistake...:-)

Princess Necklace

After spending most of last week in Cincinnati at a readding conference, I'm back!! On Friday I listed a new item and I just have to blog about it:

 

 

Several months ago, I had a dream that I was walking on the beach and decided to start digging in the sand. I found a treasure chest filled with several different jeweled necklaces. When I woke up, this was the only necklace that I could remember. I knew I had to create it! I used my favorite technique, knotting. Pairs of tiny button pearls alternate with beautifully faceted tourmalines. I added a gold vermeil leaf charm and a gold vermeil toggle clasp and voila! I decided to name it the "Princess Necklace" because for me, this would not be an everyday piece of jewelry. The gemstones and gold make it Princess Necklavery elegant and glamorous. I'd love to hear what you think of it!

Give Peas a Chance

Happy Saturday! :-)

 

I am so excited about a new item I listed this week that I decided to blog about it. It's a necklace, and it's called "Give Peas a Chance".

 

 

The idea was born one afternoon when I was browsing through Etsy supplies, looking for some type of silver pendant - I can't remember what it was. That's when I found this awesome pendant. It's not a real spoon (not quite big enough and too thick), but it looks like one. I immediately thought how cute it would be to attach some green pearls to it to make it look like a spoonful of peas. I bought the pendant from redvelvet, then found  the perfect "peas" at QualyBeads. I went to Fusionbeads for the chain and findings. When all my supplies arrived, I was a little disappointed to find out that the gunmetal-finish headpins that I had planned to string the pearls on were too thick. Instead I used eggs to oxidize some thin sterling silver headpins, and that turned out just perfect! And as a matter of fact, I used the gunmetal headpins to make matching earrings. Hmmm, I wonder what other "vegetables" I can put on a spoon........