Pinterest-Pa'Looza: Sugar Skull part.2

This is less of a "Palooza" and more of a "fail" .... kind of. It all turned out ok in the end.

A few weeks ago, when making the sugar skull flower pots (a weekend of craft projects), I also decided to do the cool T-shirts with swirly designs made with a bleach pen. APPARENTLY I used the wrong kind of T-shirt because it was a total flop, and all my effort in making cool swirls didnt work.

(The blue shirt is actually darker than it looks... and its not that you couldnt SEE it... it didnt leave a SINGLE bleach mark- like it never even happened!)

SO with a different style shirt (not the Old Navy ones) I tried again, with a sugar skull. I love these because you can just draw a face, and then doodle in what you want!

So now I have a cute bleached out shirt just like everyone else. If i were to do it differently, I would have made the skull bigger so that it covered more of the shirt.

Valentines day. yay.

I personally don't care for Valentines day (as far as mushy gooshy ooey gooey love me and buy me things to tell me that you love me!! while everything is splashed with extra hues of red, pink and white lace.)

 But what I DO love is that it is just one more reason to get together and giggle and laugh and party and play and enjoy food and dress up!

♥♥♥So Happy Valentines day to the people that I love, and who should already know it because I have shared this with them the past 364 other days of the year♥♥♥

(And because no holiday is complete without a little something special and sweet and pretty, I made chocolate covered strawberries..... not because I can eat them due to the whole chocolate allergy thing, but because people like them and I like to see people happy!)

I could never...

Be a Radio-D.J.

And not because I couldn't sit and talk and talk and talk and talk for 4 hours worth of  a morning show, or wake up at 3:00am just to make it into work on time... but mostly because in order to be a DJ you would have to have things to talk about that do not involve "going to work, went home, did some home work, watched a little TV and then went to bed where I woke up with drool smeared across my face" (I paint a pretty picture, right?) ... not quite the exciting life that you hear about on your morning commute.

Now, this hasn't always been the case. When did it change? When did going to bed "on time" become more important than stumbling in the front door at some obscene wee early hour giggling quietly so I didn't wake up roommates? Or taking pictures that didn't involve the 'duck face' but involved opening your mouth so wide that you can see the number of cavities on your back molars??  (no un-like the HIMYM cast)

man that makes me seem old...

But I digress...

You may be wondering , "What made her think of this?" Well, with all the social media outlets we can put pictures and status's and updates of all the cool things were doing (or not doing, but what we are eating at any given moment of a day) and we the viewer get to peek in on the lives of our cyber-buddies. And  I would be lieing if sometimes I thought to myself WHAT! that is so cool, why cant I do/be/act/involved in/ eat/laugh/joke/hang out with/party like/ etc... them ??? WHY ??

Any ways... In order for me to live up to the dream I never really had of being a radio D.J. I need to find a whole heck of a lot more entertaining and interesting things to discuss and do (preferably in place of the mounds of homework currently biding for my constant attention)

Pinterest-Pa-Looza! Sugar Skull

I am about to share a very personal not-so-secret-secret. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest. Its true. Work computer, home computer, and now I even have instant access from my phone. Its just so EASY and simple and there is something about that bright red "P" that brings a peaceful warm feeling to your heart.

So after clicking and liking and scrolling thru endless lists of anything your mind could comprehend, I decided that rather than just 'pinning' thousands of projects/pictures/recipies/crafts/quotes/etc... that I should do SOMOETHING with them! I mean, that is why I have the "crafty DIY projects" board right?

So it was decided! Pinterest-pa-Looza was on for the weekend! No school work looming, just me, my crafts, walmart/michaels/homedepo and my how-to instructions printed....

My first project:

(Image from Pinterest and  http://blog.creativekismet.com/2011/10/18/day-of-the-dead-planters/ )

Cute RIGHT????

so I attempted my own...

I got some pots and painted them white

Then  using out-door-acrilic paint and a small tip paint brush I parked it at the table and let my painting skills out for a wild crazy night on the town!

You would think living in a desert you would be able to find cute cacti (you would be wrong)

**I also have been wanting to try a little cheveron pattered anything...not perfection, but still fun**

And I dont even like Spaghetti...

 First off, I should tell you that I don't even like spaghetti- or red sauces in general. 

 however, on the rare occasion that I do crave the meaty red warm garlicky goodness... This is where I turn.  This was given to me by a friend who got it from his mom who got it from someone who got it from someone... and so on- apparently it's legitimately Italian or from Italy...It tastes amazing, so I don't really need its pedigree.

And it makes enough for about 300 people, so be prepared (but honestly the left overs are ALWAYS better when your talking about spaghetti! Right??)

This is the original....

1 lbs Ground beef or sausage (I have tried both and 50/50 sausage is the way to go- and I double mine...)

 1 medium Onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh, also tried both, I vote fresh)

2-3 (12-13oz) cans of tomato sauce

1 Tbs chopped garlic (the slurry in the little jar works perfect)

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

Salt / Pepper to taste

2-3 Tbs Sugar

My additions: Not sure where I got it (I swear the recipe called for it once) but I add a  5oz can of tomato past to thicken it up, red-pepper flakes and Cherry tomato's if I have them

OK, let the foodie-blogging-begin!!

I mix mild and hot sausage because I like a little kick to it

I cook up the sausage AND I mix in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes now

When the sausage is done cooking I take it out and drain out the grease just a little...

After chopping up the onions, I saute them with garlic and salt & pepper

I split the cherry tomato's- The recipe is fine without these, but I usually have some laying around that need used

When the onions are nice and golden and soft and makes your house smell AMAZING, mix in the mushrooms to soften them up a little- not to much.

When the onions, garlic, and mushrooms have all been mixed and softened up a little, mix in the meat and the tomato's (Including the cans of tomato sauce and tomato paste)

And last but not least, don't forget the couple tablespoons of sugar- I hate sweet sauces, but honestly you cant even tell its in there, this is very savory... but it makes a difference when you don't

Once everything is in the pot, let it simmer and meld and mix and percolate and exude deliciousness until you are ready to eat it!!

This sauce is good on any pasta, I like angle hair and vermicelli (thin spaghetti)

Make some buttery garlic bread, and a green salad and ENJOY!!!!!

An Ode' To Jodie on [ or around] the day of her Birth!

Who is Jodie you ask?

and what is an "ode'" ?

This is Jodie.

(and an Ode'  is a noun. A lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied or irregular meter.)

Roommate of about .... 3.5 years.

(And we have been through A LOT in those few years...A.Lot.)

Student. (Or at least has been the whole time that I have known her... we share the "study zone" ... and sometimes actual studying takes place)

Medical Professional (and a great massage therapist and not just to half naked men in our living room, but she shares her mad skills on me too!)

Artistic. (Not just with snookie-style-hair)

Kind.(she took care of this hot-crying-whinny-swollen-mess when I had my wisdom teeth ripped from my mouth...and buys my O.J. and grilled cheese every single time I'm sick!)

Animated.(She has a mix of hand gestures, facial expressions [displayed below] and elevated vocal cues...and uses them in a way only Jodie can)

Spiritual. (um...um...She is, I swear!)

Funny. (Don't let her cool and mature demeanor fool you...)

Story Teller.
 (while her story's are LONG and fully of wacky tangents that have nothing to do with anything, and that I sometimes LOOK like I have tune out, I haven't [usually]...she tells a great story)

Passionate.(about everything)

Considerate.

(Even while on vacation she takes the time to send me pictures of random handsome and very attractive gentleman that she thinks I would enjoy ogling over... This is one of them; a sexy mix of bald hunkyness)

 

Generous.

(With everything she owns, and the compliments she gives. and she puts up with me

[and me wiggling my bum all the time],

 which is MIGHTY generous)

Great Dish Washer.
(She does my dishes because she loves me, and because she knows I get a 'lil OCD neurotic crazy clean, and I rarely have time for that crap...and sloppy/messy people piss me off and maybe she just doesn't want to hear me complain and whine...It is all suddenly making sense!)  

Dedicated. (To what ever she puts her mind to)

Beautiful. (And not just on Halloween)

And All-In-All ... Just a GREAT friend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRIEND!!!!!!!

2013......

How does 'Grumpy Cat' always know the face that goes along with how I am feeling!

You have done it again  grumpy. You have done it again.

Perhaps my first day back to work after a nice long New Years vacation isn't the best time to update my blog- Ill try and keep the snarky and sarcastic remarks to a minimum.

This New Years really doesn't feel like it always did when I was younger. Parties, dances, playing monopoly, celebrations- singing "Shot thru the heart, and your to blame, you give looooove a bad name!" by Jon Bon Jovie at the top of my lungs along with some lobby cover band just isn't what it used to be.

This year just doesn't seem to be starting off with such a BANG!

I guess it could be worse.... right?

I just need to talk myself into it! I need to pump myself up with excitement... or maybe really low expectations is just what the Doctor ordered (I better get a prescription for that)

Here is to a mediocre year with low expectations!!!