New Kitchen Knobs.

My super-awesome brother got my these new cabinet knobs as a Christmas gift.  He even installed them all, and I think it's just the little "pop" that my kitchen needed.  Thanks Broseph!

Christmas Eve Desserts.

Homemade gingersnaps, chocolate crackle cookies, fudge-dipped creams, magic bars, and jam kolaches.  Along with some shortbreads, kettle corn, toffee, and chocolates.  :)

Pyrex.

I've had some luck hunting down some vintage Pyrex recently....here are the newest things I've found, that will be put to great use at Christmas time.  I never pay more then a few dollars per item, and sometimes I list them on Etsy.  I've had some luck tripling or quadrupling my money on a number of pieces- it's really fun.

Christmas tree.

My brother and I picked it out and now it's packed full of lights, ornaments, candy canes, and ric rac.  Happy Holidays!

It's Marge.

So this is my first crafting blog entry.  It was "Dress like a TV show" day at work yesterday, and my team chose The Simpsons, and I was lucky enough to get Marge.  Rather than printing a mask I decided to draw and paint my own......and it turned out great.  I especially love the texture I was able to get for her hair, using a few different color blues.  I used a large cardboard box I had and drew her free hand while scoping out a few different Google images of her.  I will have this forever and I think it's pretty cool.

Purses.

I collect antique handbags and purses.  It's pretty fun, and I've been collecting since I was about ten.  My mom got my started and I've amassed a pretty cool collection.  They've always decorated my bedroom, and I have a great mix of beaded and mesh bags.  Here are some photos of the best of them that hang in my bungalow upstairs bedroom.  Thanks Mom!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving with all the trimmings, served on a vintage TV tray.  It was awesome!

Plant stands, in action.

Here is just another plant stand photo to give some perspective.  Check out my crazy foliage!

Plant Stand - Friday

#5.  Ta-da.

Plant Stand - Thursday

#4.  Roasted.

Buffet to Bar.

I inherited this nifty antique buffet and it's been crammed with stuff since I got my hands on it.  This past week I took to turning it into a dry bar that will be great for the holidays.  It's home to some of my glassware, a vintage cocktail shaker, and a few liquors.  I may end up posting another photo in a few weeks once it's all decked out Christmas style.

Plant Stand - Wednesday

#3.  Boom.

Ginger chewies.

Homemade ginger cookies for a friend's birthday.  The recipe comes from my favorite cookie cookbook that was a Christmas gift from my aunt and cousin, Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans.  My copy is well worn and it's my go-to for making cookies for any occasion.

Trio of rolling pins.

I love to bake, so this little display in my kitchen is new and I think it's nifty.  It took a little time figuring out the best way to hang them, but with the retro print I framed myself I think it brightens up the wall next to my Kitchen Aid mixer.  Whoop, whoop.

Peanut butter & pumpkin dog treats.

This is Denali- my favorite dog in the universe.  I'm her aunt, and sometimes I get to take care of her and we have lots of fun going for walks and sleeping.  I decided to make some homemade dog treats, since I've been thinking about it for months.   I used this recipe and tweaked it a bit with more pumpkin and peanut butter, and some oats.


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-and-Pumpkin-Dog-Treats/Detail.aspx


They turned out great, Nali loves them, and I brought some in to work to share with my co-workers and their pooches, Abbey, Jackson, Mason & Thor.

Some mad chocolate brownies.

This is the recipe I use for the baddest, and by that I mean goodest, brownies ever.  They are crazy rich and chocolate-y with an amazing ratio of ingredients.  The first time I made them 6 years ago I couldn't believe it.  1 pound of butter, half a dozen eggs, almost 2 pounds of chocolate, and 1 little cup of flour.  In-sane.  It does make an entire half sheet pan though so it makes a ton and makes lots and lots of people like you.  These are for our Halloween party at work-  Happy Halloween everyone!

Outrageous Brownies

1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

hr min

Cook Time:

35 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

20 large brownies

Ingredients:


1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt


Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, a into 20 large squares.

Porcelain pin.

I found this little gem at Odd Fellows Antiques in downtown Berkley.  I really love old pins and brooches- the outdoor scene is great and it's signed too which always special.

IM and TGG

Monday night I went with my great friend Brandi to see Ingrid Michaelson at The Crofoot in Pontiac.  She was amazing and I am a total fan for life after her great show.  Plus she is sarcastic and surprisingly funny.  The Guggenheim Grotto opened for her and they were fantastic too.  I am a sucker for cute Irishmen and these two guys are really talented to boot.  I bought one of their CDs, Happy the Man, and they both signed it for me.  Pretty good for a Monday.

$10 bookcase.

I found this really nifty bookcase at Green Daffodil Studio in Ferndale, at 624 Livernois Street.  Their hours are a little hit or miss, but I always find things I love there.  This was only $10 with really neat brass hardware and some interesting wood detailing. 

Please return your tray to the upright position.

So a few months ago my friend Sarah's family hosted an estate sale.  I stopped by and bought a few small kitchen-y things, and also got this set of eight small snack dishes.  They are beautiful bright white and the bottoms are marked Delta Airlines, Pfaltzgraff.  These cuties were actually used back in the day when airlines served actual food on actual dishes.  So neat, and very Mad Men if you ask me.

More Chuck please.

Chuck Roast!  Here are the before (with a pan-seared 2.5 lb. chuck roast) and after of the crock-pot awesomeness.  I get many of my recipes from www.allrecipes.com, and the particular recipe I worked from can be found here:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Maries-Easy-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx

I added more vegetables, including sweet potatoes and mushrooms, and a ton of carrots.  And I think using red wine instead of water would be a nice upgrade....maybe next time. 

More glass.

I have a few fun vintage bottles and glass pieces in my bathroom.  When mixed with an antique barber mirror it makes for a clean and clear display that reflects light from the bathroom window.  I never spend much on any of the clear glass pieces, but when grouped together they look pretty fancy.

ice cream dishes

For as much as I love ice cream, and believe that it should be a food group in and of itself, I have never owned a set of ice cream dishes.  These lovelies came from a recent visit to Traverse City and Union Antiques, located at 128 S. Union Street, right downtown.  I know my friend Running Boy-Man will appreciate the deliciousness of the Trader Joe's Nonfat Frozen Yogurt with mini chocolate chips!

GRRRRR!

I collect vintage lettterpress R's and G's, and use them to decorate the window and door frames in my office.  It's been fun hunting for them and I can take them with me when I move.  I even got my brother collecting J's since it's an equally masculine decorating idea.

Most productive Sunday ever?

So this is an amazing antique chair my mom bought for me that I love, so I spent some time re-upholstering the seat yesterday.  I found the fabric at Haberman's and I think the stripe works well with the tulip shapes on the back of the chair.  So that's a great accomplishment for a Sunday, along with: painting a wall in my bathroom, re-caulking my bathtub, 5 loads of laundry, mowing my backyard, weeding my garden, picking tomatoes, making pancakes for dinner, and some other cleaning odds and ends.  Whoa.

my first blog post. hoot, hoot.

So I like collecting fun & interesting things- and I think this little guy is fab.  I check out a local flea market every few weeks and have had some great luck.  I almost passed by him in a mixed bin of old bottle openers, but lucky for him he caught my eye.  He only cost $2, he looks adorable on my window sill, and he comes in pretty darn handy when I need to open a bottle or sharpen a knife.