Tie One On Tuesday!

Well the seasons are changing, there is a nip in the air and it is time for a refreshing Fall beverage. Many of you probably don’t know this, but I am not a beer drinker. I haven’t really had one for quite a few years now. I guess I imbibed my share back in my punk rock days and I have a more sophisticated, refined palette now. But there is something I love that comes in a brown bottle that is sweet and tasty and for all I know is good for you too. I am talking about Hard Cider – heck it is made from natural stuff so how could it not be good for you! I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the reason I like cider so much is the girl drink drunk in me. I like sweet tropical cocktails, so in essence I must like Cider (for the record – I use to drink California Coolers in High School too)!

So here are my recommendations for some outstanding Ciders I have tried recently:

First off we have Warwick Valley Winery Doc’s Draft Hard Cider. It has a nice effervescent pop to it that will make you nose tingle as well as a great apple taste.

Next up is possibly one of my all time favorites, from the Rabbit’s Foot Meadery is their Apple Cyser Extra Dry Apple and Honey wine. More of a mead then a cider but oh so tasty with a taste of pure Oregon wildflower honey!

Following the Cyser, is a nice sweet tasting (yes another one) cider with a little twist from Bellwether. Bellwether’s Cherry Street Hard Ciders name says it all. It is an Apple hard cider with a Cherry finish. Oh soo good! Bellwether makes a regular Cider as well but I prefer the Cherry taste.

Last up for this installment we have something from across the pond (that’s Europe there Smapte) 

Dry Blackthorn Cider – the home of Hard Cider.  is a staple in Britain and for good reason – it tastes really good! And at a price point you can afford to really tie one on!!   

So, in conclusion, let’s review: Apple cider? It’s good for children and old people (keeps them regular) – Hard Cider? It is better and gets you loaded with out all that heaviness of repeated Brewski’s ! Keep in mind of you don’t like the taste of Apples then you probably are not going to like these recommendations. But who doesn’t like Apples?

Happy Bobbing TOOT’ers!  

I Got A Rock.

I love a good animated movie and Halloween seems to have it's share of them. Some are good for kids of any age while others should only be viewed after dark.

One of my all time favorite Halloween movies is the stop motion animation classic created by Rankin and Bass entitled Mad Monster Party. This campy light take on some of your favorite monsters and some new faces will bring giggles and wiggles for everyone involved. Dr. Frankenstein decides to retire and throws a party to find his successor. There are lots of awesome 1960's songs that will get stuck in your head for days and days. Rankin and Bass are the kings of stop motion and this one does not disappoint.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown isn't necessarily a movie but it is classic animation that has typical Charlie Brown optimism. While everyone is getting candy, he gets the proverbial rock.  The story doesn't center around Charlie Brown this time but instead around Linus and his faith in the Great Pumpkin. The Great Pumpkin will bring presents to good little boys and girls who believe in him. This animation is such a classic that it has been parodied on such awesome shows as The Simpsons. A little side note-I always got presents from the Great Pumpkin. He always had a pair of socks or a toy when I got home from trick or treating. I kind of miss that-maybe I need to start believing again or dropping more hints to OMP.

Another one of my childhood favorites is The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Okay, not so much Mr. Toad (I would always fast forward through that one) but The Adventures of Ichabod is still  one of my favorites. This 1949 Disney cartoon features the voice of Bing Crosby and classic Disney artwork. The story is a retelling of Washington Irving's Sleepy Hollow and although it's light hearted and for the kids, it contains some really scary and amazing art work. 

Three things that I love are Tim Burton, stop motion animation and Johnny Depp. Corpse Bride has all these things and more. If you're not familar with the story, it tells the tale of Victor who is reluctant to get married and ends up hitched to a dead woman. He is transported to the world of the dead, where he spends the rest of the movie trying to get back to the land of the living.

Last but not least is Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit. This movie is just way too cute and for some reason all of Wallace and Gromit movies makes me want to eat cheese...wait, where was I? Oh yeah, Curse of the Were Rabbit ...Wallace and Gromit are out to solve the mystery of the missing veggies in their garden and other gardens around them. The mystery becomes more convoluted when a love interest flutters into the picture.

Well, there ya go! Not very scary but great movies to watch after a long night of trick or treating. Remember to save some candy for the kids and don't give out those crappy boxes of raisins unless you want your house egged (and I do it too! ). Until next week!

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

I know, I know, I missed last week's Scrappy Dog Sunday but I have an excuse. A very big excuse, well, actually a little one. A 15 pound excuse name Pete or his proper name Peter. He is our new Min Pin and in one short week he has managed to wrap my big ol' bear of a husband around his little paw. World  meet Pete-Pete meet the world.

Who really is Peter, the Min Pin of Mystery?
I'm just a little guy who has been looking for a forever home. I've had a few homes over the last couple of years and it looks like I found the perfect fit with Mom and Dad Pedersen. I'm Pistol Pete Pedersen! Oh yeah, I gotta give a shout out to my two new sisters, Lola and Jujube. They have been treating me real nice by giving me kisses and letting me climb in the window and bark at the wind blowing with them.

So far, what has been the best part of your new family?
WOW! That's tough question. There are so many great things here. I would have to say, in the evening-sprawling across my new papa's lap with my blanket of the day. There are so many blankets here, it's like a Turkish Bazaar. I also get treats when I go outside and use the bathroom. I try to sneak a few extras in but mom is too smart for that. I also get to go on walks, sleep in the bed with everybody and look out a big window. It's GREAT!

What would you say to other people out there looking for a new puppy in their lives?
I would say give rescue dogs a chance! We're all great dogs and we all deserve great loving safe homes. We will love you forever and give you extra hugs and kisses. It took me awhile, but I finally found my forever home.

What's your view on cats, squirrels and mice?
I am an excellent cat chaser! If mom or dad say CAT then I know to take off running through the bushes and follow my sisters. I'm pretty indifferent to squirrels and mice. They are fun to watch but I'm not sure I want to bring one home to meet the family. I've heard they can be a surly bunch.

Happiness is...
My new home and family.

Little Petey Pedersen, in just a short time you have brought happiness to our house. You are a perfect fit for our family. I can't wait to see what adventures you and the girls get into next.

Feel Good Friday!

 

You know, I love my husband. Sure he can be grumpy sometimes and yell at kids to get off our lawn (for the record, he has never actually done that-I just always tease him about it) but for the most part, he is an amazing ,kind, wonderful and inspiring person. I was feeling a little down today and he knew the right thing to say. After he told me how much he loves me and how wonderful I am (both of which are true-just saying) he told me to put on my big girl panties and fly right (again, which is true). He constantly reminds me that we are truly blessed and lucky to have a wonderful group of friends, silly puppies and stablility in our lives that most don't.  Thank you sweetie-for keeping me in check, making me laugh,keeping a smile on my face and being the best husband out there. Now that I have you all in either tears or throwing up-on to more feeling goodiness!

 

This needlebook and pin cushion are so adorable! I can't stand it! Cdshortprudhomme makes some of the cutest items and she has a spoiled little puppy. LOVE IT!

I love Geek Crafts! There are so many amazing and differernt craft there that it's hard not to embrace your inner geek with every visit.  I squealed with delight when I saw all the Doctor Who crafts. Oh so happy!

I love Shana Logic. They have the cutest stuff and all of it is 100% handmade and independently designed. How cool is that?

 

Oh my goodness! I am getting a cavity from all the sweetness. I don't think I can stand it anymore.  I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and tries to make it out to a pumpkin patch for some Fall fun. I think I'm gonna have Mr. OMP build me a  fire,watch some scary movies,  work on some crafts, and  snuggle down for a rainy weekend. Ahhhh,,,,Bliss!

Move Towards The Light.

There you are, in a sea of darkness, you can't even see your hand in front of you. You're sure you felt something breathing down your neck. What are you going to do? Reach for a super cute Halloween lantern of course! It is yet another week of our Halloween collection. This time we are focusing on lanterns.  There are so many styles to choose from, it's hard to decide which is my favorite.

These were mainly 1960's,

manufactured in Japan for the US market, and are metal with either

glass or plastic light covers. Flip the switch and kids carried them

so they could be seen at night.

Newer 1970's or so versions of the earlier Metal/Glass ones.

Circa 1950s/60s. A candle was put inside and either
carried or used as a decoration.The cat has original tissue paper
eyes and mouth. Other side is a ticked off cat.

Pulp Jack-o-Lantern is a MINT condition Lantern with the

original tissue face insert (eyes/mouth) and label. It was either used as

a lantern with a candle or carried by kids to gather candy. Circa 1950's

These are from the same era as the

first one. No inserts in either one of these. The little one on the right

is called a Choir Boy because he looks like he is singing.

These are basically the same function as a Lantern

but are a generation or two apart. The one on the right is older and  made of

metal and used a candle to illuminate it. the one on the left is made of

plastic and is battery operated - from the 60s/70s.

Now you have a cute lantern in your hand so you can see that scary monster staring back at you under your bed. Don't  you feel much better? Until next time kiddies........

That's Mistress T. to you!

A lot of you in the internet world know about my friend Tara-keep your minds out of the gutter! You don't know her THAT way. You know her for her amazing crafting skills and quick wit. She's a pretty rad chick but I'll let you find out for yourselves.

You ARE the Mistress T. but who is this woman of mystery?
TheMistressT is about as unmysterious as they come; if not for the nom de plume I'd have no mystery at all.  Essentially, Tara is a nice lady who 's been known to cuss.  I have big hair and big feet.  I'm both obvious and shy... you know, a dork.  I own a small decorative painting business and a small house in a small-to-mid-sized city that I love.   With my other time, I co-parent my 2 octogenaricats (Dave, 20 and Pearl, 17), spend time with my man, try to maintain and expand my socializing, read and craft, craft, craft!   I spend too much time on the internet and almost no time watching TV.

 You do so many different crafts, which is your favorite?
I'm HORRIBLE at favorites!  Terrible!  Awful!  I always have multiple favorites, which should be an oxymoron if it isn't already.  For the last year or two I've done more sewing and embroidery than other projects, but I'm fascinated by paper crafts like decoupage and assemblage.  I've dabbled in those, but don't feel like I really "get it" quite yet.  One of my favorite projects in the last year was one I made last xmas for my man (known as The ManFlesh in my craftster posts): "pimp chalice" which was a gold leafed, decoupaged and resin coated glass goblet. It was my first attempt at doing these things on glass and working with resin.   Another was the altered journal-type scrapbook I made while traveling to Argentina earlier this year - but that's more about the sentimental stuff than the aesthetic qualities of the finished project.  Oh!  I made a friend of mine who had to have part of his colon removed some underpants with semicolons ( ; ) on the butts and that was really fun.  I guess it's things that make me smile or laugh while making them that are my favorites and probably what I'm best at.

 Do you have a shop/site?
Indeed, I do!  Thank you for asking!  My business site is bubbleoffplumb.com, I sell some of my crafty creations at bubbleoffplumb.etsy.com and am a monthly contributor to the MrXStitch.com blog with "Domestitchery With The Mistress T" where I show off people's needlework creations for interiors (second Friday of every month) and the occasional other entry.

What does the future hold for you?
Hoo boy.  One thing I have come to understand in my early middle age is that you never know what the future holds, you only know about the past and present and those aren't even always what you think you know.  That said, one of my next crafty endeavors is to learn some zombie FX for zombie-fying my and The ManFlesh's last year's Halloween costumes!  I'm pretty excited about that.  I'm going to start working on holiday gifties for the kiddos in my life (as soon as that dang UPS delivers my supplies).  Also, I love carrot cake and since it's been a good long while since I had some I hope to partake of some really good stuff before the month is out.

 What advice would you give to the masses?
I don't know that I feel qualified to give general advice. In fact, I've sat here in front of the monitor with a flashing cursor for several minutes trying to think of something either valuable or funny and all I've come up with are misquotes of famous people or trite-sounding affirmation BS.  Maybe a few phases I like to try to live by that may get others thinking about what phrases/rule they like to live by? I'd love to hear what other people have like this!

The first two are some I've had on my list since my teens/early adulthood and the last two are ones I've embraced as I've come into my own as an full-fledged adult. These are both literal AND metaphorical for me:
The Golden Rule goes both ways; if you act like a prick expect to be treated like a prick, even if only behind your back.
A good person isn't the one who's nice to YOU at dinner, it's the one who's nice to the person who busses your table.
Any excuse for a costume.
There's no such thing as too much carpincho.

Bonus Question:
Favorite word/least favorite word.
I used to really hate "tepid."  I've gotten over it for the most part, but sometimes it still irks me.  Also not a fan of "unique" used with modifiers and "do do" as in "I don't do windows, but I do do floors."  So yeah, I'm kind of a crank about some word stuff now that I think about it and I don't want to end this wearing my crankypants, so... favorites include "circumnavigate," "Winnemucca," "pants," "colophon," and a couple of secret rhyme-y phrases involving animals that always make me laugh when I say them. 

See! I told you she was RAD! Make sure you check out her website and etsy shop. She has also entered two amazing pieces in the Craftster Needlework Challenge and they are pretty awesome. Yeah, she's a keeper!

Tie One On Tuesday!

Fall is here and in the Pacific Northwest that means time to enjoy the rain by hunkering down with your favorite person and  your favorite ale. I'm not sure if a lot of you know but we like to partake in a beverage or two in this neck of the woods and beer is our specialty.  While not all of these are local, they do fit the bill for wonderful seasonal beers.

The first beer isn't a taste for everyone but I really like the spicy hint along with a strong hops. Buffalo Bill Pumpkin Ale is a great seasonal beer that is available nationwide. The beer is brewed with real pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves. I haven't tried it but I've heard that if you put a little whipped cream on top it taste like a pumpkin pie.

A local favorite is Dead Guy Rogue Ale. The beer is slightly spicy, a little fruity and very hoppy. It's a wonderful take on a hearty lager. It can be a little thick to some but is still very smooth. Oh yeah, and the cool part-the little skeleton on the bottle glows in the dark.

Moorhouse's Brewery puts out several Halloween and Fall beers. My favorite being the Pendle Witches Brew. It has a nice citrus aftertaste and isn't too heavy. It has a full  malty taste without being overbearing.

Finally, to warm you up on those chilly nights, Centurions Ghost Ale is sure to please. A nice warm dark bitter ale that has a pleasant malt taste. I think if you drank too many of these, it can certainly sneak up and scare the hell out of you.

These are just a few October seasonal beers to get you started. I would suggest finding a type of beer you like, whether is be a pale ale, a dark stout or a Pabst Blue Ribbon and expand on that taste with different breweries. So, pop a cold one, pull the blanket up and stoke the fire, it's gonna be a long rainy season.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot-for those of you in the Southern states. If you want to make OMP happy, first try some Cat Daddy Moonshine-it will take the fall nip out of the air with a cinnamon, allspice flavored brew with a kick . Perfect for those pumpkin hayrides and then if you get the sudden urge, you  can always send him some. The best thing about this moonshine-it won't make you go blind or melt the paint off your house. It's OMP's new favorite.