Wednesday, December 30, 2009

CalKat!

Meet Kathy and Carrie, the artists behind 4 etsy shops and 2 blogs!  When asked a few questions, they replied, "Thank you, we'd love to be featured on your blog." 


How did you two meet?
"We met back in 2001 at our sons' first day of Kindergarten. We became friends instantly and found out that we both love to be creative and decided to put our creative minds together."

Do you make some things separately, some together?
"We really enjoy collaborating on projects and 99% of the time we give each other input on separate projects. We each have our own styles and techniques."


Who manages the shops and blogs?
"We get together every week day and collectively check the shops, fill orders, brainstorm, blog, twitter, Facebook, add ourselves to search engines and most importantly hunt for MoNsTeR bOxEs."



 
When chosen as the etsyblogger of the month, this was said of CalKat:  "CalKat is Kathy and Carrie.  They're wonderful members of our team -- and have been for the past couple of years. You've probably seen them around -- they've been supporting our team, teammates, and team events and volunteering, too, whenever they can!"

BLOGS:

CalKat the Jewelry Junkie
Ametista

They just love to have giveaways!  As a matter of fact, I won one of their giveaways back in June!  See it HERE and HERE.  It's a beautiful signed sunflower print by Laura Zollar.  Here's Laura's website.


 

PS: Happy Birthday this month to Kathy!


photos by me and CalKat © 2009



Friday, December 25, 2009

wishing you...


a very merry, happy, wonderful, blessed, joyous Christmas!
photo by me © 2005

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

chasing rainbows: SkyWatch Friday

chasing rainbows while on vacation in Blanchard, Idaho
This is actually a double rainbow which you can see better in the second photo.
This post is for SkyWatch Friday.  See more wonderful photos HERE.

This edition was hosted by Squirrel Queen, aka Judy of The Road to Here.  This blog and her other blog, Through Squirrel Eyes are favorites of mine.
photos by me © 2008

Friday, December 18, 2009

a favorite Christmas

Apart from all the hoopla, commercialism, gifting, partying, there IS a deeper meaning to this season.  The esty bloggers' carnival this month asks the question:  Holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah & Others, what was your favorite gift received? Was it handmade?  This recalled to mind a Christmas long ago when my husband and I had little money and a small child.  Although we gave gifts to him, we gifted each other with mostly "coupons."  This remains my favorite Christmas gift experience.
a cookbook and coupon for cooking sessions together
Another special Christmas was two years ago when my mother went into the hospital just days before.  On Christmas Day, my husband's family was here and we were just sitting down to eat when I got the news my mother was being released.  I hurried to the hospital and brought her to my house in time for a meal and family fun.  Everyone was so happy to see her and spend time with her! 
 my son and I long ago
HERE is where the carnival will be posted sometime on Monday, December 21 by LindaB.  Check out Linda's  etsy shop, too!

photos by me © 2009 

Friday, December 4, 2009

Homemade Candy, a Christmas Tradition

 At Christmastime, in our household, it is a tradition to make at least one kind of candy.  Oh the deliciousness of homemade candy!  We eat some (of course!) and we give some away, wrapped festively.  Over Thanksgiving, my daughter, her boyfriend, and I made this delicious brittle.  Sadly, it is all long gone.  So we will have to make more to give away.
 

This is how it looks at just before 250 degrees.  This process takes a while, so be patient.


Now it's ready! 








INGREDIENTS
4 C chopped nuts
1 C butter, cut in slices
1/4 C water
1 C brown sugar
2 C white sugar
1/2 t baking soda
2 t pure vanilla extract
10 oz chocolate (your choice)

Pan is off the fire.  Adding the soda and vanilla.





Roast nuts in oven @ 350.  Chop. 

Cover a long pan with wax paper or parchment paper.  Spread 1/2 the roasted nuts on the pan.  (We made half the pan almond, half pecan.)                                                                                           In a saucepan, mix together sugars and water.   Add butter.  Stir.

Slowly (on medium ), heat to almost 300 degrees.   Do not stir.
When this temperature is attained, remove pan from heat.  Stir in baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over nuts and spread with heat resistant spartula.  (see photo below.)
Now carefully spread the chocolate on top.  We used bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped, and semi sweet chocolate chips.  Us the spatula to spread evenly.

See how the chocolate melts?
Now spread the rest of the nuts on top and press them in a little.
WAIT!  Oh, this is the hard part!  You can hasten the cooling process by putting the pan in the freezer.
YUM!  We made our own maple syrup ice cream and mixed in some of the finely chopped candy.  Garnish the top with more candy, voila, nirvana!
Ice cream ingredients:  2 C heavy whipping cream, 2 C whole milk, 3/4 C pure maple syrup  (That's all!)   Process in ice cream maker.   


This post is for the etsy bloggers' carnival,  hosted this time by Erika of Nico Designs.
THIS is where Erika blogs and where the carnival will be published on Monday, December 7.   
And here,  in her SHOP, is where you'll find her wonderful creations!

photos by me © 2009

Thursday, December 3, 2009

a frosty treasury!


a treasure trove from talented artists along with one vintage item!

Row 1:
Row 2:
Row 3:
Row 4:
see the treasury HERE for the next few days. 
PS Most items here are from the etsy bloggers' street team.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Kitties Who Came to Play

Tigra and Edward Bunk came to play at our house over Thanksgiving!
cute, adorable, bouncy, gallopy, friendly, curious, loving, purry, fresh, fun, hilarious, jumpy, entertaining, sweet, playful


Tigra munches a Casbah felted ladybug!



Bunkie loves his CasbahKitten catnip jellybean! 



My daughter's sweet kitty Cy disappeared a few months ago (Asheville Kitty).  She adopted these two kitties from a shelter about a month ago when they were about 8 weeks old.  We had so much fun with them!  Oliver and Earnest, our 8 year old cats were not thrilled by their visit, but were polite for the most part.

CasbahKitten:  wonderful kitty toys!   I learned about these toys from Beaded Tail, who blogs about her kitties and dog.

photos by me © 2009

dreaming of snowmen treasury 2!



Link to the treasury is HERE.  However it will expire in about a day.
row 1 (across): 
Little Miss Create
thegoblet
haleysscrapbooknook

row 2 (across):  




PACountryCrafts
meiguidesigns
AnnaBelleArts 


row 3 (across): 


elineof  
SparklyPark 
InspirationMemories

row 4 (across):  
LDphotography




SunshineDaydreamz   
satoo 
photos  © 2009 by individual shop owners.  all rights reserved.
NOTE:  Once again, blogger is being persnickety.  What I see when writing this is NOT what you see here on this post.  However, all content is present.