Monday, December 28, 2009

yum yum sushi!

It's officially my first day of vacation (not counting Christmas) and I decided to ring in my time off by not doing anything. It was awesome. I slept in, hung out, grocery shopped and decided to make a sushi for dinner for Ted and I.
There is this awesome little Japanese market down the street from my house where they sell a rad assortment of sushi grade fish, all the fixins to go along with it and some very sweet little knick-knacks to boot. I made fresh salmon and avocado rolls and spicy tuna rolls. We got a little packet of instant Miso soup, added a little extra nori....and Voila! Dinner.
I have tried my hand at making home-made sushi before but I think that tonight was my best yet!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

wika-wika-WHAT?!

As you know, Lory and myself are a couple of old ladies at heart who enjoy yarn crafts, sewing and baking cookies. (That is, when we aren't busy shredding our guitars, beating our drums and living the rock n' roll lifestyle.)
Well, previously un-beknownst to me, there is a whole genre of music that combines the two. It's like the happy medium between Clark Kent and Superman, the "and" in Dr. Jeckle AND Mr. Hyde.

Jaz found this YouTube phenom, sent it to me and I'm pretty sure changed my life.

Lory, we need to re-light the proverbial fire under Apocalypse Meow's lazy butts, write some crafty songs and befriend this woman. She might be the coolest thing in a puffy painted sweatshirt since Jerry Blank.

Merry Christmas friends! Enjoy!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Current Favorite Song....

About a month ago I got an email from my friend Heather that said, "I stumbled upon this beautiful song." I watched the video and then soon after downloaded all of Cass McComb's albums. I love this song. I have listened to it every day since the first day I heard it It really is a true gem. Thanks H - you're RAD. I love you.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Too Hot to Handle

While rummaging around on Etsy, I cam across this x-rated craft.



I think I'll but one for my grandma.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Interesting Find













Earlier this year, I found this adorable set of silver plated salt and pepper shakers at an estate sale. They were dirty and oxidized, but my mom collects S&P shakers and I just knew she would want them (I hope she doesn't read this blog, they are her Christmas present this year!). Last night, while cleaning them, I discovered a very interesting stamp on the bottom. It read, "Made in Occupied Japan." I'd never heard of that and was intrigued. After a quick Google search, I learned that between 1945 and 1952, the U.S. Government assisted the country of Japan in becoming economically stable again. Money from the U.S. went toward manufacturing of ceramics, pottery and metal crafts in Japan. These brick-a-brac were then shipped back to the U.S. and sold to us with a stamp reading, "Made in Occupied Japan." What do ya know about that!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Cookie Party Part Too!

The Annual Cookie Exchange is fast approaching. Each year, I try my hand at a new and exciting cookie recipe that I hope will wow the participants. This year, my first round of practice cookies were Hungarian Cheese Thumb Prints.


The mixed batter, waiting to be molded into deliciousness.


Prepped and ready to bake


And, Viola! Golden brown and ready to be shoved in my fat face hole.


They turned out light and delicate. Literally melting in your mouth. I think that is due to the fact that the recipe called for a whole pound of butter!

She & Him - Volume Two!!!

I have long been awaiting the arrival of 'Volume Two' since I first heard She & Him's first record, 'Volume One'. To say that I am excited about this news is a drastic understatement. It's due out March 23rd and I can't wait to go out and buy a 2010 calendar purely to mark the date!

Read about the oh-so-far-away release here:

Look at adorable photos here:


And here:


And check out a video from their debut release here:


you're welcome.
heart, kb

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Oh Tannenbaum!

Ted and I got our christmas tree this weekend!
We got it at this little christmas tree lot in Oak Park. Right next to Carolina's and Mercado Loco.
I love it!

Friday, December 4, 2009

The Oatmeal for Breakfast


Have you ever wanted to know five very good reasons to punch a dolphin in the mouth? Have you ever wondered if your loved ones are trying to eat you? Well, theoatmeal.com is the place for you. Fun little comics to make you pee your pants a little and get you in a lot of trouble with your boss when you can't stop giggling. If you park it there every morning, like I do, you can buy The Oatmeal a cup of coffee.That is, you can donate any amount of cash-o-la through Paypal to help keep the website going. Happy surfing!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

cookie party!

So last night Ted and I went to eat at our favorite little ramen house, Shoki Ramen House.
It truly was the perfect meal since it was so effing cold outside.
I always order the same thing - Tan-Tan Men with a side of steamed cabbage.
It's a spicy ramen broth with house made noodles topped with minced meat, spinach, shitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots.(I'm kinda drooling right now just thinkinag about it)
This is what it looks like - The little flower shaped fish cake doesn't come with it but Ted always gives me his because I think it's so cute.

After we got home from noshing down our delicious bowls of noodles and broth I got a major hankering for some cookies. Ted expressed to me that he WAS NOT going out to the store to retrieve whatever ingredients I needed to complete my desired task what-so-ever. I decided to do a role call of ingredients I had in my cupboard anyways and came to find that I had everything I needed to create some delicious peanut butter - chocolate chip morsels.

I couldn't believe it. I never have all the ingredients.
This has never happened to me before. I'm pretty sure this is some weird girly right of passage.
I am a grown-up now people.
I feels kinda awesome.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Christmas Card Craft


Ann Martin, admistrator of the blog, All Things Paper is a true lover of paper craft. She recently had a Christmas card craft posted on one of my favorite websites, Craftzine.com.

A recycle alternative to the materials listed in her pattern would be to used some of those old Christmas cards you got last year from Aunt Sue and make some fun holiday shapes out of them. Adding the pretty notions will enhance the beauty and you don't have to feel guilty about throwing out last year's cards!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

BAD ASS (Literally)

So the former Miss Argentina and mother of two died due to complications while getting butt implants. BUTT IMPLANTS!!!!

Are you kidding me?!
This is why I don't understand the whole plastic surgery phenomena that's happening right now. People are voluntarily putting themselves at risk and having their bodies cut open and stuffed full of god-knows-what in order to appear younger? More endowed?
Curvier? More attractive?

To this I say "Bullshit!"
The whole thing is gross and weird and vane and un-natural.

You want a bigger ass?



...Have a donut - trust me - it works.

(photos by doe.c.doe - doecdoe.blogspot.com)

A Day at the Office? I Wish!

I would take a cut in pay if I could work with these guys.



Why don't my coworkers want to play with me?

Monday, November 30, 2009

puss-puss!




This is the Octopus I crocheted for my neice for a christmas present.
I got the pattern out of Amigurumi World by Ana Paula Rimoli.
It was super simple and oh-so adorable.
I kinda want to keep him for myself!

Friday, November 27, 2009

I Don't Mess Around with Leftovers

Peep this deliciousness.

The leftover meal of the century...




1. Homemade Olive & Cheese bread.
2. Just a smidgen of mayo.
3. Cranberry jelly.
4. Green olives, smashed.
5. Cornbread stuffing.
6. Bit o' light & bit o' dark meat.

Take that, Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thankful for pies

I am making a couple of adorable pies for tomorrow.



Berry pies are my favorite!!!!!!!

P.S. My house smells amazing right now.

The Muppets Do Queen!

So I know that this is all over the internets by now - but I want to post it cause it makes me giggle... a lot.
Ever since my friend Ramona (aka my friend Kristie's 2-year-old daughter) started talking she requests to watch The Muppets(Take Manhattan) every time she comes over to my house for a visit. I have 2 kid-friendly movies in my DVD collection and she knows that it's one of them. We have watched that movie so much in the recents months I have lost count of how many times it's been.

So the fact that the Muppet enterprise is incorporating Queens music!?!?

Radness...utter radness.

Check it out. I dare you.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Fail Blog Giggles

I love failblog.org. It's pretty much the funniest website around. Some mornings, there is a bit of dribble in my undies from the over-abundance of laughter.

epic fail pictures
see more Epic Fails

What I want to know is, how does she plan on passing off the seller of said tickets as any of her six kids? Or, do you think she is hording the shots in her closet and doling them out in exchange for things like rock concerts and bottles of Wild Turkey? I didn't realize the H1-N1 vaccine could be used monetarily. I guess I'll be lining up tomorrow.

Elvis Costello on The Colbert Report

I watched a re-run of The Colbert Report the other night and was overly excited to find out that Elvis Costello was going to be one of the guests. Apparently Mr. Costello was having issues with voice loss and couldn't sing. Good thing Stephen Colbert is so effing RAD - this is what they gave us...

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Elvis Costello
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorU.S. Speedskating