Happy Halloween!

I didn't make costumes for the pups this year- I had to work during the Boo in Burien, and have to work on Halloween (Yes I am working on the holiday!). Anyway, in lieu of costumes i found these hand made bandanas (or is that "Boo-Danas?) that fit over their collars on Cutie Patootie  Pets on ETSY. I think these will suffice for this year, anyway.

No Sew Dog Tote

This was so easy- I have seen these so many times on other blogs and such, but found it was super easy to make a "Dog Tote" for myself and Romeo and Buddy! I just cut one of their dry dog food bags

and folded over the edge about 2 inches, and instead of sewing it, I used my handy dandy Hot Gllue gun and duct tape. The front and back pocket on the bag is simply a piece cut out of the left over part I cut earlier and just duct taped onto the bag- remember to fold over the top duct tape piece first so the bag has an opening. THe handles ar made from strips cut from the left over piece of bag, and hot glued and duct taped in.
Now a tote for the boys for when we take a trip to the dog park!

A Tasty Little Sandwich

I came home from work Saturday night and was I ever hungry... so I made simple little sandwich I read about a month or so ago. A quick and easy little muffin sandwich that is a great fast breakfast or a filling late night supper or just a good snack...

I call it the HAC

THE HAC (Ham, Apple and Cheese)

An English muffin, split
some finely sliced apple, cored
3 or four slices of thin sliced deli ham or prosciutto or canadian bacon
one slice of Swiss cheese
a tablespoon or so of Dijon mustard

Spread the mustard on the top half of the muffin- on the bottom half, layer the ham, the apple and the cheese, and top with the "mustardy" top half. Toast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or put in a sandwich press until the cheese is melted.

Marina Di Chioggia

More on my pumpkin... It is called a " Marina Di Chioggia" and according to everything I read on it, it is pefect for Gnocchi and Ravioli, as well as pies. And I am told you can bake it like any other squash, with a little butter and brown sugar. WHich tells me I can process it and make pie or soup out of it!
It's alien look made it perfect for my "puking pumpkin" and it tied for a win in our pumpkin carving contest at work!

Too Much Candy

I entered a pumpkin carving contest at work. This is my entry...  I call it "Too Much Candy" ( I was eating Sweet Tarts while carving). And yes that green gourd is a real pumpkin!

Autumnal Cake plate

Well back to it after a week off. Here is an easy Craft Hack anyone can do:

Okay, you may call me Martha for my use of the word Autumnal, but this was a super easy cake plate to make! The plate is one I bought at Dollar tree last year for Thanksgiving dessert...

The base is a shade from an old pendant lamp I have been keeping for awhile, that I glued with some Loctite glass glue, but you could use a candle holder or a wine or dessert glass- I have even seen someone use a series of shot glasses like using table legs-  I like the look a lot.And it gives me the excuse to say "Autumnal"

REBLOG- Firestarter Logs

From December 20, 2010- A cheap and easy gift thats easy to make as well... and uses some of those daily items a person never knows what to do with like laundry lint and toilet paper rolls. A gift item really easy for kids to make as well as adults!
Ever wonder what to do with some of your household items that collect. Here's a gift you (Or your Kids) can make that costs nothing. FireStarter Logs- the perfect gift for someone who has a fireplace or goes camping... All you need is some common trash to make them! Dryer lint is highly flammable, which is why your dryer should always be vented to the outside, and you should remove lint from the lint trap regularly.
I made 6 of these Firestarter log's in about 10 minutes. They look like Christmas Crackers!

To Start: you need some empty Toilet Paper Rolls, Some Tissue paper (or News print), Some string or Jute Twine, and of course the laundry lint. Great opportunity to clean the lint trap of your dryer!!!
Cut the tissue paper or news print about 2 inches larger on each side of the TP roll
Stuff the TP Roll with the dryer lint.
Roll up the stuffed TP roll in the paper
Tie the ends of with string

There you are done making a Firestarter log. Just place under the kindling and light! Should stay lit long enough to start a Beautiful Fire. Just remember to extinguish on Christmas Eve - You don't want to burn Santa's Butt!

I only party down with the best at:

REBLOG- Penn and Teller BULLSHIT!

From October 28, 2009- I uploaded a you tube video from Penn & Teller's BULLSHIT Series on bottled water and hoe the major bottling companies are fleecing us...Caution- The word Bullshit as well as the F-bomb appear throughout this video, so if you are offended by those, you have been warned!
 

Think bottled water is bottled at the sources like Alaska or Yosemite? Well Penn & Teller take their show "Bullshit" to the level of the Bottled water- showing how bottled water is just a Madison Avenue gimmick.
I understand that there is a need for bottled water, people traveling through the desert- maybe. Of course If I am going through a desert on a horse with no name I choose to take a water jug, but that's just me and how I roll.
Bottled Water?- pretty much it's all BULLSHIT!

Fake Plastic Fish has a great interview with Jackson Browne and some great links to you tube on Bottled water

REBLOG- Pickled Strawberries

Strawberries are so great... I love pickled strawberries- a good idea for next spring!

Want a super easy way to keep those strawberries? Why not pickle them. A great treat for summer- slightly tangy.

1 1/2 cups of White Vinegar
1/2 cup of Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1-2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 1/2 cups of Strawberries, stems removed

Simply bring the Vinegar to a boil, add the sugar and salt to the vinegar, making sure it dissolves. Place the strawberries in a pint Mason Jar (or any jar with a good closing lid), adding the Cinnamon stick(s) about halfway. Fill jar with vinegar solution, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Seal with lid; let cool; refrigerate. Keeps up to two weeks in refrigerator, The pickling juice is good to keep later for using as a vinaigrette for salads and such.

REBLOG: My Clock On About.com

It is exciting when one of your projects gets featured on a big old commercial website!

Sherri Osborn from About.com Crafts featured my Altoid Tin Clock I made on her Family Crafts blog, along with instructions on making your own clock from an Altoids tin.

Gone Fishing

Not really.... Taking some time off this week from blogging, and will be posting some reblogs for the week

Stained by Sharpie

I love my bag. I use it for work and to the store. It is decorated by me- I used Stained by Sharpie markers- they stay colorfast on fabrics (this bag has already had a few washings and the colors have stood! The Bag is a shopping tote bought at Michaels. Those Stained by Sharpie markers are amazing!- Next up my own designer shoes!

DIY Dog Tags

Shrinky Dinks? Who knew how much fun you could have fun with something made for kids? (long after I was a kid!) Anyway, I made these cool name tags for the boys using Shrinky Dinks for Ink Jet printers, and using the great templates from Martha Stewart. Gotta love Martha!

Independance Days Challenge Update for the week of 10/5

Very bad week Poor little Buddy some how compressed a disk in his back and had to have surgery on his spine. so it has been a week of daily trips to the veterinary hospital in Tacoma. Buddy came through ok so now it is turning my living room into a pet rehab clinic 

Plant:  nothing

Harvest: Tomatoes, mint

Preserve: Dehydrated Mint leaves

Prepare:  Still updating my Laundry/Pantry/Mudroom

Local Foods: Bought some locally made candy at the farmers market
Community: Went to  city council meeting to speak and show my support for an off-leash dog park in my city 

Making Do (Repair, Re-Duce, Re-Use, Recycle): Used up some decorative tissue leftover from my cousin's birthday present to decoupage some frames; the usual recycling, composting

Mod Podge Frame

Having never used the amazing Mod Podge before, and being a bit skeptical (I have decopauged before but used white glue all or varathane) I wanted you to see my first Mod Podge project an unfinished wooden picture frame (from Michael's) that I decopauged some leftover Tissue paper from a birthday present I gave. I simply Mod Podged the frame with MP first, cut a square of tissue paper, then I put 4 coats of MP on the frame the end result a frame, when combined with my "easy art Project", that I think looks good and makes the picture look even better!

Simple Halloween Party Snacks

Witches’ Broomsticks

Another great find from pininterest that I couldn't wait to try...So easy I don’t know why I am writing instructions… Simply take some Mini-Reese’s, stick some pretzels sticks in them. Don’t get no simpler! 

Dog Park People

Romeo shows enthusiasm being at a City Council Meeting 

Folks I am a group with, B-Town D.O.G. (Dog Owners Group) took over the City Council meeting in thr City of Burien Monday night. We showed up with our dogs. Our mission id to establish an off leash dog park in the city. More pics and story at the B-town Blog

Crap... Crap, Crap, Crap!

This is of course my latest little drama in life, and of course will be continued...

I woke up Friday morning. Got the dogs ready to go for their morning walk. Leashes on and such. I got out the door and realized something was wrong with Buddy- he wasn't using his hind legs so brought him inside and definitely decided something was wrong, called the Veterinary hospital. they said to bring him in ASAP. So I called work and left a message that I would be late and rushed Buddy to the vets'. Dr. Le took a quick look at him and figured he had a slipped disk in his spine, and referred me to a veterinary neurologist to get an MRI. Unfortunately, there isn't one in the immediate area so I had to go to south Tacoma. So off I go to Neurologist's office with a shaken up little dog in the car. Shaken up?  Well not really- Dr. Le had the foresight to give him a shot of morphine first to relax him. Not one for his owner but hey, someone had to drive. Long story short- I got down to the vets in Tacoma- 28 mile trip- and they couldn't have been nicer... the attending vet agreed with Dr. Le's assessment, and said he had already called their neurologist who would see Buddy and give him an MRI, and if it was indeed his disk, surgery. Well you know me... I fall to pieces usually when any of my animals is seriously ill, but this time I held it together long enough to sign the surgery papers and arrange payment (I am thinking of changing Buddy's name because his surgery cost the price of a used car so his new name will probably be Subaru or Mercury). I went in to say good bye to Buddy, took one look at him there in his cage with those sad eyes looking up at me like he was saying not to leave him. Then comes the sad feelings and the tears and my bravdo went away. SO anyway go to work late waiting to hear from the vet's office so they call as I am underneath the cafeteria dishwasher trying to unplug a drain and my cell phone rings. The call came from Dr. Hicks, the neurologist, explaining that Buddy's disk was indeed compressed and his spine was swollen and the surgery would indeed lessen and eleviate the pain and get him on the road to normal again, and he would call me when the surgery was over and let me know how things went. I went and finally took a coffee break and realized I had been running since 10:00 am and hadn't eaten anything or checked my blood sugar or taken my medication at all. Great, I thought, now get yourself sick dumbass. Anyway, Chris one of my co-workers and decided a pizza would be capital for lunch- he went and picked it up, paid for it and everything. So lunchtime comes and I finally ate something and get the call from the Vet- Buddy came through just fine and was resting comfortably. Thank god for Veterinarians and their Techs and Aides I thought because in the midst of this crap day they really did their jobs and kept it (and me) together. And on a brighter note, I visited Buddy Saturday morning and while he was groggy and wearing a "collar of shame" and had his entire back shaved with a nice scar, he came outside the cage to see me, and when it was time to leave, growled at the tech when he put the lead on him to go back into the cage - that's when I knew he was on the way to recovery.

UPDATE-Sunday 9/30-
Just got back from visiting Buddy at the Vet's Hospital in Tacoma- They let me take him out for a walk! There he got to see Romeo, And they said he can probably go home tomorrow!