Monday, October 26, 2009

Halloween Fun


I had to share this! This is not your average box of Frosted Flakes but a BIG recreation fit to wear for Halloween! Max, my friend Jimmy's 11 year old son, decided he wanted to be Frosted Flakes for Halloween so Jimmy found this terrific computer server box from work (measures about 3' x 2'), spray painted it blue, cut holes, reinforced it and padded the inside for Max's shoulders. He then spent hours tracing out the entire design with an overhead projector. It took us about 2 hours to paint with tempera (the boys did help a little bit) and then when it dried, Jimmy went back in and did all the black with a Sharpie. Isn't it amazing? Isn't he a super dad? Let's hope we have a dry Halloween!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Blog Feature!

That's right I have been honored with a blog feature over at Autumn2May! Please go over and check it out and comment if you feel so inclined~

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Fall Freeze and Fall Listings~

I didn't get out this weekend to get pictures of everything coated in ice, but Amanda who runs 2 fabulous shops Eenie Beanie Threads and Botanic Beauty took these wonderful photos and has allowed me to share them with you!











































And I have 2 new listings up today in my Etsy store~ Happy Autumn to all!

















Saturday, October 10, 2009

Green Chile

I was first turned onto the magic that is Green Chile when I lived in Durango, CO. Being so close to New Mexico it was hard not to be! I don't eat much pork though so I went looking for a recipe that I could either make sans meat or with Chicken. Over the years I have taken a few recipes and modified them into one that is flexible and can be made however you would like. A friend of ours used it to make traditional Pork Green Chile last week that was divine and I made it with chicken last night. At the request of Amy over at BeanPickleSprout I am posting my recipe. Think of it more as a guide though! Feel free to modify it to your tastes and heat tolerance. I used Big Jim Chile I bought at the farmer' s market last week grown and roasted at Hanagan Farms in La Junta, CO. I go back to them over and over again not only for their delicious produce but also because they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet!
Did I mention my sadness that the weather has turned to temperatures in the teens and everything being coated in ice around here? Usually we talk about it snowing by or more likely on Halloween, but not this year!
To bring this full circle, when the weather turns cold or people around me are sniffling I turn to making Green Chile: Full of vitamin C and depending on your tastes it can be full of garlic too!
It tastes fabulous with Buttermilk Cornbread and a dollop of sour cream~
Enjoy and let me know if you try it out!



Gretchen’s Green Chile

1 Onion chopped
3-4 Garlic cloves chopped ( I use more)
1 Tbs. oil
6 C. stock or bullion – I use Vegetable Better Than Bullion .
12 Roasted, peeled and chopped green chile (adjust according to heat of chiles this goes for seeds too!) Also use fresh chile when you can - It just tastes better!
2+1 Tbs. flour or cornstarch
Salt and Pepper to taste
2-3 potatoes peeled and diced
1-2 Tomatoes chopped OR 1 can diced tomatoes
herbs cilantro,cumin,oregano - whatever tickles your fancy OR whatever you have on hand
Chicken or Pork*

*If I add chicken I either bake it beforehand then shred or chop it when it has cooled. Or I sauté it up with the garlic and onion.

1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil over med low heat until onion is tender and translucent.
2. Add chile and stock. This is also when you will add any veggies or herbs of your choosing and also meat if you have precooked it separately.
3. Dissolve 2 Tbs. of the flour or cornstarch in a cup of hot water and add to the pot stirring to prevent lumps.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes then repeat the flour treatment except this time only 1 Tbs. flour
5. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so.

I like to make extra and freeze portions for later. You can either eat it as a soup with a dollop of sour cream and cornbread, use it in place of red sauce for enchiladas, smother burritos or eggs with it. It is so delicious and all the vitamin C in Green Chile will cure what ails you.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Pumpkin Anyone

This is the first of my pumpkin seed bowls... or maybe I should say that I would love some opinions on this concept to help me decide if I should do a series of these or something else with the pile of orange bowls I just felted (see yesterday's post). My high school English teacher would shake her head if she saw that last sentence!
Anyway, PLEASE COMMENT: I might do a surprise giveaway if I hear from enough of you!
This one is a a small thank-you gift for a wonderful friend of mine.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Resolution, Bowls Before and After and New Listings

I am singing the praises of my credit union this evening as I marvel at the ease with which I was able to file my dispute and how quickly the money has been returned to our account! For once things went smoothly and easily.

Now on to blogging about my craft!! That is right, I know it has been a LONG TIME but I am finally getting back into my groove with my felted goods so I have a few things to share with you today! Here for your viewing pleasure are before and after pictures of the bowls and trays I felted (fulled) yesterday:
















I am in love with all of them in their fall glory~












And I have listed several new items today as well:

It Was Only a Matter of Time

I feel the need to blog about this because for the longest time I have felt so lucky to not be affected. On Saturday I received a phone call from my credit union that fraudulent charges had been made on my debit card at a Walgreens in Lincoln, Nebraska. They called me because I had bought gas here in Colorado at darn near the same time and being the great credit union they are alerted me at once and froze my card and I thought those purchases. Unfortunately they have posted to our account so even though I know everything will be fine I have not slept much for the last 2 nights twiddling my thumbs until I can call this morning. Why do these things always happen when bills are due? I know times are tough, but... Thank you to all those out there who live honestly.

"Every act of dishonesty has at least two victims: the one we think of as the victim, and the perpetrator as well. Each little dishonesty makes another little rotten spot somewhere in the perpetrator's psyche."
Lesley Conger