making stuff

So, as usual, I've been busying myself with a bunch of craft projects and I wanted to share a few photos of what I've been doing. Most of these are works in progress.

This is the start of a top secret project that I will be sharing later next month. You'd think making a small pinch pot out of polymer clay would be no big deal but getting the surface even and smooth is a challenge! 

 

I made this tiny polymer clay skull for no reason in particular. After a coat or two of white paint he'll be a cute halloween accent on one of our bookshelves. 

I also made a few tiny polymer pumpkins that are about the same size as the skull above. I've got five of them made so far and I have plans for more. I love these!

I've been playing around with paper mache too. I've wanted to make a small deer head for soooooooooooooo long. I'm talking years and years. I finally started a few weeks ago. I can't wait until it's done!

This colorful piece will one day be a pillow cover. It kind of reminds me of these painted chevron candle holders I painted awhile ago.   

Oh! I finally finished one of the crochet flags I've been working on! One down, one to go.

What kind of things have you been working on??

in the sky

While sitting in my apartment last Friday afternoon I heard a familiar rumble. When I realized it wasn't the L train (we live right next to the tracks) I grabbed my camera and ran to the window. Those crazy planes were back!!

Really it's the air and water show... but to us it's just the air show since we don't have a view of the lake. I've been living in the city since I was 18 but I have never been to this weekend festival. But who needs to go when you can see it all from your apartment? Well... the most exciting parts anyway.

It's a really cool thing to witness. Especially if you live in the city. You're just doing your normal everyday thing then - WOAH.... a loud wooosh rips through the sky and it's gone before you even have time to look up.

It's really, really loud.

Definitely a good weekend to visit the Sears Tower Willis Tower sky-deck.

 

neat.

corn salsa

Earlier this week I was celebrating the upcoming fall season. I can't contain my excitement! But as much as I'm looking forward to fall I'm still sad that the last days of summer are dwindling down.

And I'm sad that there is still work going on in the apartment directly above me.

To brighten my mood, and as a reminder that we are still within the carefree days of summer,  I made a fresh corn salsa.

Here's how.

Take your ears of corn (I used two), shucked to the best of your abilities, and remove the kernels. Canned or frozen will work, but it wont be as good. Fresh is so cheap in the summer so why not use it?

Next, place the corn kernels in a skillet over medium/high heat with just a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking. Toast the kernels for a few minutes until they soften a bit and brighten in color. Add the toasted corn back into your mixing bowl.

Add some chopped onion and garlic.

And some chopped jalapeno and tomatillo.

Finish with some lime juice, salt and cilantro.

Toss together and that's it!

Well almost. You're going to need something to eat that with! I fried flour tortillas for some delicious homemade chips. Homemade chips are infinitely better than store bought and a great use of leftover tortillas from taco night.

Cut the tortilla into triangles and fry in hot oil using a similar method to the one I used while frying donuts. Remember that? That was fun. Anyway, heat some oil on the stove top and when you think it's hot enough drop in a tortilla piece. If it bubbles you're good to go. Fry a few chips at a time, turning them often. Remove them from the oil soon after they start to brown and drain on paper towels.

Yay! Homemade chips!

yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum yum.

Fresh corn salsa
corn kernels
chopped onion
garlic
tomatillo
jalapeno
lime juice
salt
cilantro
tortillas (chips)
oil (chips)

*I didn't give measurements because this salsa should be made to your personal taste. Add as much or as little of each ingredient as you'd like. Throw in some extra stuff or leave some out. It's up to you.

Easy. Fresh. Screams summer. Enjoy!

it's almost here!

So we're halfway through August which means my favorite time of year is just around the corner. Fall officially begins on September 22nd... but to me it starts as soon as I flip my calendar to September.

I saw these in the store and even though it seemed a little early I couldn't resist!

Pumpkin room spray and pumpkin candles. My must have fall essentials. Another fall must have - Yankee Candle in autumn leaves... my all time favorite candle. I can't wait to get my hands on one this season!!

I love everything about fall! The changing leaves. Bare trees. Crisp dry air. Sweater weather!

red, orange, yellow, brown and gold. I love everything about this time of year.

(as I write this our upstairs neighbor seem to be getting new carpet. To me this means loud ripping and banging noises and every so often a sprinkling of... plaster, dust and old stuff that was once in our wood ceilings. Marvelous. Note to self - keep latte covered)

I love redecorating my apartment and the change of seasons gives me an excuse to do just that. I've been looking through all my craft supplies for fall inspirations and ideas of new apartment accessories to make.

I've collected a lot of craft stuff over the years (have you seen my craft drawer?) so to keep my fall supplies fresh on my mind I took a few photos. That way I can look at what I have on my computer and make project plans without making a mess.

I'm already getting inspired just putting these photos together!

What will you be crafting this fall?

where I cook

So, as I've mentioned many times before, I love to be in my kitchen. I though you might like to see what it looks like for those of you who don't already know.

There is it! So tiny cozy. Storing all our appliances and kitchen items in this small space is a challenge but the key is organization. Everything has a place.

Food is kept in the cabinet on the left. I chose this side because it is closer to the oven and microwave as well as the peninsula which is where most of our food prep is done. The cabinet to the right holds our dishes because it sits right above the dishwasher making the chore of dish washing less of a hassle. Our coffee items sit on the bottom shelf which rests right above the coffee maker. Marvelous!

Inside the food cabinet I use a lazy susan to keep taller things organized and this spice rack to keep shorter items in full view.

I keep a basket in the cabinet to hold items that don't stand well on their own and otherwise get lost amongst everything else.

I'm not a big fan of food packaging so I'll often swap it for something better. I put my steal cut oats in an old jar and quick oats into another. One day I'd like to find some small jars for my spices but thats a project that will just have to wait.

No, there isn't much space...

So we focus on using it well. Every spot in our kitchen is packed but well organized. Our drawer has stayed this way for years without getting cluttered. I blame the drawer liner for keeping everything in the right spot.

We even put the wood column that stands in the middle of our kitchen to use by hanging some essential tools from it. Very convenient. The nails were already there when we moved in. Bonus!

The interior walls of our apartment don't go all the way to the ceiling (apart from the bathroom of course). Our bedroom is on the other side of that wall.

There was just enough room under the overhang of the counter for a small shelf that I have had for awhile. It used to belong to my sister!

We hung the shelfs that sit over the counter. Well, my Dad did. But I picked them out from Ikea. I also decided to leave the wood unfinished. To match the wood column.

Sure theres a lot I would change if we could... but I'm more than happy to cook here.

blanket update

So I haven't worked on my crochet chevron blanket in awhile, unfortunately. Its been a few months. I was head over heals excited with this project back in February when I started it. But, as I've mentioned before, I have a bad case of creative ADHD. I can't help it, I go from one project to the next.

This is what it looked like last time.

 And this is what it looks like now.

I'm just over half way done.

Once the weather starts getting colder I'll be more inspired to work on it.