Creative Goodies

 I have a real love for mixed media and I think this is where my love for making tile projects sort of comes from.  I have heard back recently from my 'guinea pigs' (AKA Sarah and Jeremy, who have my first set of coasters as a wedding gift), that they use them, have them set out, work great and that people actually ask where they got them...If that doesn't make me want to go full bore into making more I don't know what would!  I have recently began to experiment with various sized tiles as well.  The larger ones can be used as decoration or as tea pot plates ...it is up to the person.

Things I have made ....... more to come

So I'm slowly getting this blog going and I am getting images up as well. Here is a family menu board so everyone knows what the food choices are for the week and because it's glass, you can use a dry erase and change it up weekly - help with groceries as well.

 I have also started to make coasters. These ones I made for my friends, Sarah and Jeremy's wedding present.

Baking Sundays

I think I am going to start a new house/family tradition on Sunday and make it a baking day!  Baking usually chills  me out and I can get Dave and Dakota to help me out too, which makes it way more fun.  It will also create some quality time with the people in my life I care about - which is something I want to make a priority.  Here are some Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies I made this past Sunday. YUMMY!

Here is the recipe I used:

Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 
  
• 1-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 12  tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3  cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1  large egg
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1-3/4  cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) milk chocolate chips
• 1  cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1/2  cup raisins (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking power, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. In large bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture and milk. Stir in chips, oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are crisp but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Yield

ABOUT 3 DOZEN

Summer Market Adventures

Dakota and I started off our Saturday shopping day at the St. Norbert Market.  The drive was nice and and traffic was at a minimal - got to love long weekends in the city.  Once we got parking and got to the market we pretty much figured out where everybody who does not own a cabin in Southern MB were - the market.  The place was packed - luckily people were in good spirits and my normal hatred for crowds was not at a medicinal high.  The buying of veggies started right from the first few steps - I am a sucker for bright coloured food and today was no exception.  We picked up some little carrots for our bunny Ella and some beans (yellow and green).  Walking around only made our shopping bag grow bigger and it was soon filled with carrots that were red, burgundy, yellow and orange (all in one bunch!!) - I had never seen those colours on carrots before I was pretty excited.  Next we found some purple beans - another never seen before variety of a fave.  After looking at all the market stalls selling their wares and enjoying the sunny hot day, it was time to leave the market and head back into the city for other shopping errands for the day.  Here are some pics of the day:

Bedlamdesigns

I have decided to start my own personal company name to support my creative interests.  Bedlam Designs.  This company will be the bubble that holds both Sharon Elizabeth Photography and my stitching/ craftiness pursuits are under missevilinc. 

I started a facebook page that will highlight my knitting, sewing, and photography, as well as, any other creative mediums I try to do from here on in.  This is the name of my ‘company’ and hey you never know – maybe it will actually take off one day.  Here’s to hoping

I will also attempt to blog more – I am not blog savvy so it may be a slow process but everything is a learning curve right?….right?  Since I have an obsession and love for archives, history, vintage, and tattooing I will be adding material relating to all to this blog.  I still do dream of one day getting my PhD and I have been collecting material for that for years – so you never know. 

Christmas is coming up (way to fast) and there are loads of crafty gifts to be created.  Hopefully early next year I will be getting more into my sewing adventures and start making some really pretty stuff. 

Resolutions.....

Are a load of crap...This being said,  I do believe in setting goals for myself for the coming year, just not as a 'resolution'.  I always found that New years Resolutions never worked - having to give up something (generally a vice) on the first of January and sticking to it FOREVER.  And their lays the problem - being a commitment phoebe the word FOREVER scares the bejesus out of me (foreshadows for future blogs). It is overwhelming to make that kind of commitment right from the gecko and stick to it.  So instead the last few years I have chosen to set 'goals', which can occur at any time throughout the year - even if it is Dec.31 at 11:59pm.  I also try to have a look back and see if any of the goals I set were achieved and if so great, if not perhaps they will move into the new year list. 

The only solid time sensitive goal is my getting back in shape goal - which I plan to start officially Feb 1, 2011.  And by officially I mean signing up for a gym membership and hiring a personal trainer.  Now don't get me wrong I'm still the good ole Ghetto ass poor Sharon you all know and love and by hiring a personal trainer does not suddenly send me into a social class of royalty and Hollywood bliss.  This is the only way I feel that I can actually get my ass into shape.  I have become so lazy since having a kid that it is impossible to wrap my head around the amount of work required to get back into shape.  Funny as it sounds seeing as I used to (prior to moving to WPG) work out 4-5 hours a day, 2 at the gym and the rest at the skatepark.  So having a personal trainer will make sure that there is someone there kicking my ass to do it!

So getting back to goals....I have a bunch that I need to look at starting this month (in regards to getting back to shapesville) and ones that will occur at some point this year.  So the ones to start this month in order to prep me so to speak for Feb 1st are:

- Drink more water (4L/day)
- Get at least 7 hrs of sleep
- Go to bed no later then 10 (generally...I get up at 5 most mornings)
- Eat breakfast (apparently coffee does not cut it..whodathunk?)
- Eat no later then 8 pm (apparently my 10pm ice cream sessions are a no go..good lord cut off my right arm why don't ya)
- Get more protein in my diet (insert smart ass remark here)

So seems like a lot eh?  Well hell yes it does - but I'm hoping slowly I will adjust to it and it will be come habit.  Now as for year long goals:

- Knit more
- Get a sewing machine
- Sew more
- Knit a sweater (already have the pattern)
- Knit a sleeveless sweater (already have the pattern)
- Lose 30 lbs at most (see above hard-fast goal)
- Relax more (probably the hardest of the goals-if you know me)
- Play my guitar more
- Learn Take 'em All on the guitar
- Do more creative stuff
- Do lots more photography
- De-Clutter ... De-Clutter... De-Clutter
- Continue to cultivate my boy Dakota into the great little man he is turning into
- Do my best to be the best partner to Dave as I know how to be.. I can only get better at this whole relationship thing

So that is it...my goals...in a nut shell

Happy New Year!

So this is the first post - I hope to add many many more throughout the year.  You will need to be patient with me though as this is all new to me.  I have decided to put the ramblings in my head down on the page - It is a project that I have started on paper in previous years that never seemed to crystallize itself.    Feel free to comment, to follow, do what you will.  Till next time.....