Tie One On Tuesday!

Alright, another week and another round of drinks for you out there in Cyberland! Once again I am amazed you booze hounds are reading this. I received another request from a faithful reader, this time for some recipes using the Orange Liqueur Cointreau. Cointreau is a brand name and essentially is a fancy Triple Sec. Grand Marnier and Patron’s Citronage are also well known higher end, quality Triple Sec’s.

I tried to mix it up (no play on words there) and actually used some Gin this week! But then again, I fell back onto my old standard and there is also a Rum concoction in the mix.

First up, a little slight of hand with the - Hocus Pocus Cocktail:

1 oz Gin

1 oz (a heavy ounce) Cointreau or Orange Flavored liqueur

1 oz  fresh lemon juice (go light on this as it can overpower the drink quickly!)

Shake  with ice & then strain

Serve in a cocktail glass (the recipe called for pouring over ice, but I changed it a little. BTW – it was extremely tasty!)

Garnish with a lemon peel

Now onto the main event – The Golden Gloves Cocktail:

1 1/2 oz Gold Rum

3/4 oz lemon juice

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 oz Cointreau

Once again – shake with ice and then strain

Serve in cocktail glass and enjoy

It didn’t call for a garnish but I think a nice cherry or two would actually compliment the drink very well

So there you are  -a couple of orange liqueur inspired beverages for these last waining days of summer.

Next week we are going to take a little drinky break and Uncle OMP is going to let you in on the secret to stocking your bar on the cheap, or relatively. Until then – may your glass's ass be in the air and your ass stays off the ground!!

Happy Labor Day!

So, I had planned this very controversial, long, extensive piece on the working class verses the owning class. I had all sort of charts, diagrams and movies to explain my point of view. I even had a training on how to take down the man, but today is Labor day which contrary to the name, gives me a chance NOT to labor and to relax and enjoy the day.

Instead of my whole "take over the world and bring the man down" movie review I decided to go with something a little more laid back, but still very important. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Office Space.

The film tells of average joe Peter Gibbons and his stint as a software engineer in a cubeland known as Initech. Peter is just like most workers out there who have to deal with inane bosses, cheery perky workers and a few "off" workers obsessed with red line staplers. Thanks to hypnotic suggestion, Peter learns how have a more laid back attitude at work and about life in general. Eventually Peter learns of layoffs and schemes a plan to get back at the man. There is an awesome twist here that will leave you wanting more.

This movie is loosely based on Mike Judge's character Milton and includes wonderful character actors like Diedrich Bader and Gary Cole. It didn't do that well at the box office but just like the infamous red Swingline stapler, it became a cult classic.

If you are ever having a "Case of the Mondays" and want a good chuckle pop this movie into the DVD player, pour yourself a cold one, kick back and relax. If you don't rent this movie, I'm gonna burn this place to the ground ;)

Now,where did I put my manifesto against the machine.......

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

STELLA! Everytime I see her cute face or hear a funny story about her I yell this out. I just can't help it. Stella is a wonderful pup that has so much love and is so pretty she could be in movies. I'm sure that with talent and a face like hers, this will be the first of many interviews in her future.

Stella, you are such a sweet girl, tell us a little bit about yourself
My full name is Stella N. Horker-Parker. The N. Parker is for “Nosy Parker” because I have to know everything. I inspect every bag and piece of mail that comes into the house. The “Horker” is because… well, let’s just say I tend to have a bit of a sensitive stomach.

Everyone says I’m beautiful, but I try not to let it go to my head. I came to my new home last January, after being rescued from the dog pound by the good people of Mostly Mutts, a local rescue group. They took great care of me, and posted my photo on their website, where my current people saw me. They came to meet me in person, and I charmed them with my winning demeanor. I wagged my tail as hard as I could, I leaned in for hugs, and they were instantly smitten. They brought me home and we’ve been happy together ever since.

How can others help with rescue pups?
The obvious answer is to adopt one (or more!) and take them home and love them. If that’s not possible, you can always volunteer at a rescue organization, foster a dog that’s waiting for a permanent home, or make a contribution of supplies or money. The best thing about us rescue pups is that we’re so grateful to you for adopting us. When we go home with you, we make sure you know that we appreciate you in every way. 

What's your favorite trick?
Any trick that gets me a treat is a good one, but I have to say my favorite is falling down “dead” when someone points a finger at me and says “bang!” Ha, ha, that one is a crowd pleaser. Never ceases to entertain.

Your best day ever?

Aside from my adoption day, I’d have to say it was the first time I went to the dog park. There were so many dogs there. It was awesome. We all ran around like fools and had the best time. One dog showed me how to dig in a water filled hole. There were about five of us over there, getting all muddy. Man, it was great. I was so excited that I threw up in the car on the way home. Good times…

Bonus Question!
When you reach the pearly gates, you expect God to say.......

Stella N. Horker-Parker, you are one great dog! Pull up a doggie bed and a basket of stuffed toys and wait here for your people.

Oh Miss. Stella! Thanks for your wonderful heartwarming story. It makes me so happy that you found a loving family and home. Thanks for educating us on rescue dogs and the happiness they can bring into our lives. I hope you make it to the big screen one day but if not, you will always be a star to me.

Feel Good Friday!

 

Thanks to Lazyholic

It's Friday, I'm getting funky! Whoop! Whoop! The weekend is finally here and I'm suspecting Mother Nature is happy about it too cause I saw a huge beautiful rainbow on my way to work this morning through the rain clouds. Thanks Mother Nature! I am so excited about this weekend and not because I have anything planned but because I'm doing absolutely NOTHING but relaxing. I'm also excited about this weekend cause we are planning on getting some good old fashion Pacific Northwest liquid sunshine. I love the rain.

So if you're just itching to do something this weekend, I suggest you start stitching something for the Needlework Challenge on Craftster.  It's crafting for a good causes and there will be prizes. How can pass that up?

Did you know that Sublime Stitching has a new book out? THEY DO and it is awesome! As you already know, I am a huge fan of Jenny Hart and all the gang over at Sublime. Her new book is Embroidered Effects and it gives you a "How To", along with the every popular super cute patterns.The instructions are easy to follow and the book is wirebound so you can lay it down flat while you are learning.  I really think you need this book. You will be supporting an indie designer and making great stuff for yourself. You can't go wrong with that. Maybe make something for the needlework challenge...huh?

I know what you are thinking, "Where can I find that Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox I had in 1981" or maybe, "I really miss my Pee Wee Playhouse colorforms set" well, now there's a place that you can get those things and even more! Check out Dr. Tongue's Toys on etsy! He has all your vintage toys and ephemera needs. Many of you might know Dr. Tongue from his store in Portland, well now he's on etsy's peddling his wares. Stop by his site and tell him he owes me five bucks.

I was cruising flickr and came across these way too cute pins from Pin Pals and guess what! Yep, they have an etsy site too. Check them out! and "Eep" in cuteness! They also have an awesome blog showcasing their talents and their sassiness.



 Whew! I'm spent after all that! I think I'm gonna curl up on the couch, have OMP make up a batch of peanut butter cookies, a cocktail or two or four and watch some bad "B" movies. Ahhhh..what? Oh, okay, here's a cute puppy for your viewing  pleasure. Happy Friday!

PS-HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.XSTITCH.COM! 

Music makes the world go around....

I LOVE records. I'm not talking about eating the most hot dogs or the biggest cupcake(although the biggest cupcake does excite me). I'm talking about good old fashion vinyl records. There is nothing sexier, smoother or down right groovier than the warmth of that gentle hiss you hear when playing a record.  The artwork on albums alone is enough to make me weep for the past. Don't get me wrong, I love the instant gratification of finding my favorite song on my computer but it's so impersonal. Remember waiting for that album to come out, going to the record store,  and becoming all giddy when you got home and had a chance to play it. There's nothing that will beat the feeling of turning on your hi-fi and pogoing to The Clash or trying to woo that special someone with the exotic sounds of Martin Deeny. You just can't get that from an IPod.

Now that I've made you wax poetic about the past. I went down to the record vault (okay, the drum studio where the hi-fi's at) and pulled up some of my favorite yet somewhat sillier albums.

 

Okay, seriously, I'm not sure what's better-the cover or the fact that the nursery rhymes are done with a "beat".

Herb Albert is ESSENTIAL to any record collection. I have several of his albums but this one seems to be the most popular and you can find it just about anywhere. 

Warriors! Come  out and play! Damn good movie, damn good soundtrack.  I can dig it.

We have a lot of "theme" and holiday albums in the old collection. These are just two of the boxes of Halloween music OMP has. Yep, you are reading it correctly, Alfred Hitchcock put out a Halloween album for young people. I love the art work on both of these. 

I am a huge fan of Christmas music. I love it. These are two of my favorite Christmas time Albums. Hello! Monsters, chicken and Christmas-my three favorite things! Quit rubbing your eyes, you are reading that correctly, it is a Colonel Sanders KFC Christmas album. 

Let's say you want to plan an romantic night with your sweetie. I've got your covered! A little Harem nights topped off with a little party song to undress too. Oh yeah.....

Not only do we collect old rare albums but we still have a lot from our youth. It was a hard decision of which one to feature-The Clash, The Ramones or Repo Man. All amazing bands and albums that still stand up to today's standards. 

A lot of the albums I collect I find at estate sales, thrift stores or yard sales. You can usually find a decent turntable at the same places. I know vinyl records are by the wayside but in the Pedersen household they are alive and spinning. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna mix up a batch of martinis, throw on some tunes and do a little cha cha with OMP. Later Daddi-o

Getting Crafty with Craftster!

Okay, so I might be a little bias here but I LOVE CRAFTSTER! Not just a little either- A WHOLE BUNCH! I am  inspired on a daily basis and I have met extraordinary people that I will have as friends until I'm an old lady (this give me an idea for an old folks retirement home....must contact the powers that be at Craftster to start working on master plan). I recently had a chance to sit down and talk to Casey aka Jungrrl to get the lowdown on Craftster. Check it out!

What is Craftster and how did it start?

Craftster is an online community focused on indie crafting. It’s a place where you can come and post your completed craft projects, find inspiration, or get answers to your craft related questions. We welcome all types of crafting and handmade items but we’re really here to create a place for hip, irreverent, eco-friendly crafts. We like to say “No Tea Cozies without Irony” ;) It was created a little over 6 years ago, by Leah Kramer. At that time there were plenty of magazines and stores and communities for the country-type crafts (you know, the cement goose clothes or cinnamon potpurri) but few places were people could find things like reconstructed clothing, handmade plush monsters, or cross stitched swear words! You can find all of that stuff and TONS more on Craftster!

I actually did a little interview of Leah a while back, so if you want more juicy Craftster start-up details, you can see them here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=217269.0

And if you’re geeky like me and want to see more stats, you can do that here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?action=stats

What are the different forums?
We have TONS of different forums! We have over 350 boards in 30 different sections, covering lots of main crafting techniques, objects, and reasons for crafting. Categories for every technique from knitting to soap making to weaving and for items from clothing to toys. We have areas to post what you’ve already made, areas to post questions about things you’d like to make, areas to chat with people in your region, areas to take part in challenges. phew! It’s a lot to take in! If you’ve never been, a great place to start is our front page. We have thumbnails of all the latest and greatest projects and below that we have links to our most recent blog articles where we showcase all kinds of awesome things going on on the site.

What are swaps?
Well we’re in the process of revising our swap information and I think our new intro says it best:

“Swaps come in many shapes, sizes, and forms, but the basic idea is that you make a great crafty package that meets the swap's theme and requirements and takes into consideration your partner's wishes and preferences. You send the package you created to them and they send the package they created to you! Swaps are lots of fun; they can motivate you to create something really great and it's often a fun challenge because there's a certain theme to follow. Plus, you get something original in return!”

(We’re working on updating all the swap information, so if that isn’t up by the time you post this interview, it should be shortly.)

There are some rules for swapping, so make sure you read those (here)to make sure you’re eligible to swap and then go see what’s open! All the open swaps are listed here in this board. There are swaps for just about everything! People swap everything from supplies, to quilts, to clothing, and everything in between.

There’s tons and tons on inspirational stuff here in the Swap Gallery. You can browse through all of the awesome stuff that’s been sent in previous Craftster swaps. (Oh! And here’s a tip, at the top there’s a button that says “Show Images Only”!) Be careful though! It’s kind of addictive!


I keep seeing something about Digizine-what is it?
The Digizine is this really cool new advertising option for small and micro businesses (like, say, an etsy you run part-time). What it is is a shared ad space. Up to 10 banners share one of our main advertising spaces. I know it sounds weird but it’s actually really cool!

See? Pretty cool, huh? Ads come up randomly when loading, but once the page has been open for a bit, they start to scroll. You can even scroll through them manually. This means that every time the digizine comes up on a page, the viewer could possibly see your ad. Plus, sharing the space allows you to get your ad in the best possible ad spot for 1/10th of the regular cost! We LOVE small craft businesses and so do our members, so it’s a great way to reach a really receptive audience. We can even help you make a banner if you don’t have one already! We’ve tried to make this as easy and open as possible so it’s a self service option, but we are always here to help with any questions or issues.

You can see all the digizine info here: http://www.craftster.org/advertise/digizine/

A little birdy told me that Craftster is going to Renegade-is that true?
It’s true! Batgirl, photojenn and myself will be manning (womanning? ;)) a tent at Renegade Chicago again this year! We went last year but the torrential rain put a damper on things. This year we’re back and better than ever! We’ll be selling shirts and other items from the Craftster shop (http://www.shop.craftster.org) and we’ll have some cute little items you can make and take home! For those of you in the area, Renegade Chicago is September 12th and 13th from 11am-7pm each day. Stop by!

What does the future hold for Craftster
Well... There’s a super secret project in the works with this super cool girl named Pam. She’s the bees knees. You may know her? ;) It’s going to be really, really awesome and I wish I could share more, but you’ll just have to wait. (Hopefully not too much longer!) We’re also going to be doing a craft fair blitz in December. If things go according to plan, we’ll be represented at fairs in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Boston on the same weekend. We’ll be selling our awesome Craftster items again, and handing out info on how to make your own holiday gift bags.

How awesome! I can't wait to see what's next! Thank you to all the mods and the staff at Craftster-you guys rock my socks!I'm so glad that I get to be a part of such an awesome, nurturing, fun community.  So, if you haven't yet-get your butts over to Craftster and I hope to see you online or maybe even at a craft fair! 

Tie One On Tuesday!

Hello Daddy, Hello Mom...I'm your cha cha cha cha CHERRY BOMB! There is only one thing I love more than that song and that's cherry drinks!

I thought I would give one last nod to summer with yummy cherry drinks to tease your taste buds. Now I am definitely NOT a maraschino cherry person. Quite frankly they scare the hell out of me. Cherries are not suppose to glow red but I recently fell in love with cherry liqueur and had to find a few cocktails to enjoy this intoxicating substance.

The first drink is just too much fun to say! Cherry Chi Chi. It sounds a little naughty and I'm sure after drinking a few of them you will feel just like the name sounds.

Cherry Chi Chi
3 ounces vodka
2 tablespoons sweetened cream of coconut
1/2 pineapple juice (we used pineapple guava juice for extra taste and for pinkness)
1/2 ounce Cherry Liqueur

Fill a cocktail shaker three quarters full with ice. Add all ingredients, cover and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass with fresh ice. We actually used a martini glass with no ice, but you can do it whatever way you want, cause I said so.

Now let's get your rum and cherry fix with a cocktail perfectly named Cherry Rum Fix (original huh?)This drink is so easy anyone can do it.

Cherry Rum Fix
1/2 teaspoon simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces light rum
1/2 ounce cherry liqueur
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fill glass with ice and build the drink upon it. Stir until glass is frosted and enjoy!

These cocktails are super easy and I'm sure you will enjoy them.  They are a sweet treat to bid summer a fond farewell. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to raise my glass and tell summer to get the hell off my lawn-OMP style!