New Fings

So here are a few things I picked up at Crafty Bastards a few weeks back



I got these earrings from the Broken Plate lady, and as I said before, all her stuff is made out of shards of broken plates



I got this cute little hat :) the cheesy grin I made all by myself

And Plus! I got a haircut again



I was hoping for something a little more edgy but whatev, next time I will be more specific, but it's nice to have it off my shoulders and out of the way

I got some other stuff too, which I will post here eventually...im really slacking on the photo taking so sorry

This Is...My current reading material

So I just joined the This is... group started by Three Buttons. Each week she asks someone to pick a This is...topic and then we all post our responses on our blog. Im supper late this week but what the who!



So this is what I am currently reading. The Egypt book I am reading for reference material for the novel I am writing, its well written though so its a good read. Also trying to keep my french up so Im reading the Prisoner of in French Azkaban. Lastly I am reading my bookclub book - The Big Over Easy - which I am almost done with, its getting exciting so I should finish it soon

Curry Chicken Salad in an Avocado

I guess I just never get tired of curry because as much as I have it at work, I still use it at home. This little dish is something I picked up this summer in France, but I brightened it up a bit with the curry. This makes a great lunch, but the first time I had it my host "mom" made it for dinner and we each had a half avocado with tuna salad.



So basically what you need is

one ripe avocado
cooked chicken or tuna ( i had some roti chicken to use)
1 to 2 tbsp mayo
1-2 tsp curry powder
little dash of lemon juice

and hey if you have a carrot or a cucumber laying around, chop that son up and put it in there too!

Corn Chowder in a Pretty New Bowl

So here I have a chance to show off one of my new purchases from Crafty Bastards the other week. This is some of Tasha Mckelvy's functional pottery. I got it for soups and ice cream and stuff like that, and I love the little dip where I can rest the spoon.



Anywho, Jon and I made this a little while back, but I forgot to post it, but it is a definite keeper, and we will be making this again in the cold winter to come. I got this from Real Simple ages ago. The recipe says is feeds 4 to 6, but if you are like me and have only two to feed, just know that the rest will be leftover, and dont make all the bacon at one time, make it fresh whenever you want to reheat the leftover.

Corn Chowder
8 ounces sliced bacon
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 10 ounce packages frozen corn (I used 2 12 ounces...i likey the corn)
3 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup half and half
salt and pepper
a nice fat bunch of fresh cilantro

1. Cook your bacon however you like it then cut it into half inch chunks, set aside
2. Reserve 2 tbsp of the bacon drippings and add to a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat to medium.
3. Cook onion, stir occasionally until soft. Add garlic, paprika, and red pepper, cook stirring for 2 min
4. Stir in broth, corn, and half and half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 15 min.
5. Transfer half the broth to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to pot and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stir all.
6. Divide soup into bowls, top with bacon and cilantro

My Prize! I Wiin!

A while back Pang posted her 100th post and she had a little giveaway and I was one of the winners. Well last week at Crafty Bastards Pang surprised me with a little Fing, all for me.



Isn't he/she cute :) Pang knows Im a weenie dog lover, so she knew I would be happy with anything that included a ween...oh how silly us daschund enthusiasts are. And the little handmade card is a nice touch too

Book Club Update: The Big Over Easy, October

Pang has chosen the book for our October read. I dare say she has picked a better book than I did. Here is the back cover:

Welcome to the seedy underbelly of nursery crime... Meet Inspector Jack Spratt, family man and head of the Reading's Nursery Crime Division. He's investigating the murder of ovoid D-class nursery celebrity Humpty Dumpty, ex convict and lover of women, found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. Yes, the big egg is down, and all those brittle pieces sitting in the morgue point to foul play. Spratt and his new partner, Sergeant Mary Mary, search though Humpty's sordid past in hopes of finding the key to his death. Before long, Jack and Mary find themselves immersed in a bizarre case that reaches into the highest echelons of Reading society and business.

Happy Reading!

Skinny Scarf and Wee Glasses Case

Pang and I had a little sewing circle on Monday, for the first time in a while. I really wanted to wow her so I decided to make two different little projects (look at how fast your pupil has grown!). The first thing I made was a skinny scarf. I bought this cool, light slippery fabric with Pang a while back for this purpose, but had just never gotten around to doing it. The lady that cut it did a bad job (Pang says this is not her fault...i don't see how that is possible) so the scarf ended up being even skinnier than I had planned but I kinda like that now.

Here is the fabric up close, a blue tiny houndstooth


Here it is, frayed edges and all. I decided I liked the frayed edges so rather than fold them in I just stitched it shut and let those little guys be free.



And here is me being too lazy to set up a tripod and give you a nice picture, but you get the idea of it anyhow



Next I made another glasses case. The first glasses case I made a few months ago is too big and every time I pull it out the glasses are hardly ever in it, so it was time to make a new one. Using the napkins I bought a while back I made a double patterned one this time, which I think turned out rather cute..if a bit on the wee side.



From the front



From the back



And the napkin fabric inside

Also I took Pang to Ab Attack, which she did not thank me kindly for. Sorry :( Its good for you though, really, how will you get your washboard abs without the pain? It was a particularly hard class this time, but there was no way for me to have known. I made it up to her with some fresh bread.