Top Secret...shhh

The $250  Neiman Marcus Cookies...They are divine!!!

The legend goes: A woman ate delicious "Neiman-Marcus Cookies" while out for lunch at Neiman Marcus. They were so excellent that she asked if they would give her the recipe. The waitress said it was a secret recipe, but she could buy it for " two fifty". The woman said "great deal! Just add it to my tab". Thirty days later, she received her VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $250! She tried to get them to take off the charge, but they refused. So she made sure to share their “secret” recipe. It was sent to as many people as possible.

Here it is...

(Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter


4 cups flour 


2 tsp. baking soda 


2 cups granulated sugar 


2 cups brown sugar 


5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder)


24 oz. chocolate chips 


1 tsp. salt 


1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated) 


4 eggs 


2 tsp. baking powder 


3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) 


2 tsp. vanilla 

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

A Little Bird told Me...

Never Waste Pages of a Paperback Book

Still finding ways to recycle the pages of this 50 cents thrift store paperback. I couldn't resist a little birdie project!

I started by printing out this template. I did not make a template for the wing as I just made it up as I cut out - pretty simple shape though! Once I had my templates I tore three pages from a paperback book, traced and cut out. I made the shapes three pages thick so the birdie would be stiff enough to stand up straight. You could also use sheet music too, which would look fabulous!

I gave my birdie a light rub with my Tim Holtz Distressed Ink Pad, making sure to get the edges a little darker.

I added a little sparkle by gently rubbing a glue stick onto the shapes and dusting with my favorite vintage mica flakes.

For the base I simply used a regular ole' wooden clothespin ~ They stand up perfectly! I gave it a light coat of Heirloom White, sanded and distressed the edges just a bit. Standing upright the clip nicely holds the birdies body in place. The wings were then stuck onto the side of the clothespin with a dab of hot glue.

I curled the edges of each wing just a bit by rolling the paper around a pencil.

I may add a pearl button eye... but kind of like him the way he is! Enjoy!

I just love this idea and I will so be making a few of these sweet birdies in my studio.  Thanks again to Under the Table & Dreaming

Paper Flowers

Rolled Flower Gift Toppers

Here is a quick and easy way to add a little charm to your gift packages.

I know a lot of bloggers have extra book pages from all the fabulous paper projects floating around. Here is a way to use some of those scraps so that nothing goes to waste! You can also make these with scrapbook paper, cardstock, fabric and of course felt as shown above.

You want to start with a square shape. I used three sheets together to add a little volume. None of this has to be perfect...I promise...they will have character and charm even if you eyeball it!

Using a pencil or a light colored pen or crayon, you want to draw a spiral circle onto the square. I used a black marker just so that it would show up in the picture.

Next you want to cut out all the lines that you have drawn continuing until you come to the center of the spiral leaving a small circle at the end.

You'll be left with a long paper snake!

Starting with the outside of the spiral roll the paper inward in somewhat of a cone shape. You want to start off rolling tightly (which will become the center of your flower) then loosely once to get to the edges.

Keep rolling until you get to the end. You will want to put a dab of hot glue on the back to hold the shape. The circle that you left when cutting the spiral will finish the back. I cut it off on this paper flower to show you the roll; however you can see the circle in tact below with the felt.

I gently rubbed some Tim Holtz Distressed Ink (Antique Linen) on the edges of each flower for a worn look.

I simply attached them to the packages with a dab of hot glue and added some ribbon and hand cut felt leaves. For the tag I cut out an initial from a scrap page.

I followed the same process for the felt. It just happens to photograph better so here are some more pics!

Here is the end with the circle I was talking about. I filled the inner part of the flower with hot glue and folded over the circle for a finished look. This also helps to hold the flower together.

I love using scraps to decorate my packages. It is always a challenge to see what you can come up with! Happy wrapping! Enjoy!

I found this on Under the Table & Dreamin

Word

For Flowers...

Oh yes. I'd also like one (or five) of these recycled glass vases please.  Also from Brook Farm General Store.
Recycled beach glass!

Glow

This sweet little lantern is made of plant fibre and skeleton leaves and then treated with a fire retardant to make it candle-friendly.  You can purchase one (or perhaps a whole slew of them) on pacha design. Wouldn’t this make a unique and completely lovely hostess gift for the holidays?

Checking my list twice...

I apologize for my absence. My to do list is longer than I can even stand. I am trying to do it all and am barely getting through the my days.

Had great weekend at my art show in Maynard, MA at ArtSpace. 3 days of it. Sold a few things and made a lot of really good connects. One great lead in to a gallery in Natick. So things are really starting to look really well with getting out in the world and showing everyone what I can create. Pimping my stuff is really hard for me because I really feel uncomfortable talking about my art work along with my jewelry. I can sell anything but my own stuff. Today a girlfriend sent me an email with a link to it...I made the news, okay so I made it into the local paper, The Beacon Villager, still pretty cool.

This week my internet sales are on fire!!! I have been really busy filling all of the orders along with having to make lots of Greek leather bracelets because they are selling faster then I can keep them on the shelves. Man I sure could use a couple of Elves in my studio these past few days.  My email is filling up with orders on an hourly rate right now. Busy is good, but this is just crazy nuts:)!!!

I have spent so much time in my studio this week that when I stop and  look around my house I see we still look like Thanksgiving.  My husband and daughter went out the other day and got our Christmas Tree, it looks really pretty with the lights on it, but I have not put anything else on it because I have not find the time.  We still have 3 pumpkins sitting atop our stone wall outside our door. I am sure anyone walking into this house thinks we are all a bit nuts and that we don't what holiday we want to be having going on right now.

My laundry room has a pile a mile high of dirty clothes.  The sun porch/kitchen redo is finished but still needs to be painted.  I have all the right tools and gallons and gallons of paint just  waiting for me to get to it.  But have not found the time to paint the walls.

As for gifts for friends and family haha, that's just gonna have to wait till next week maybe.  No ideas either WOW... I have never been this out of mind in all my life. 

Trin keeps asking when can she go see Santa so that she can let him know what she wants for Christmas, poor kid she is 4 years old and this Christmas she really seems like she is really getting excite. In the years past she was really really scared of the big jolly fellow.  Oh how things have changed.

Our holiday cards came in this week...Looks like they might go out next week if I find the time.  Can we have more hours in a day just in the month of December?

And, oh yeah our new foster puppy is showing up this Saturday.  Oh so happy and I so can't wait to meet her.  She is a 3 month old Great  Pry, Husky mix.  She was saved from a high kill shelter in TN.

 

My list....

The Clothes Line

The idea has been rattling around in my head for awhile, creating funky, cool graphic's for tee shirts.  After dreaming up a few ideas and finally setting them to paper, I have come up with 3 designs that I am very happy with. I am offering the Triniti;s Closet clothing line with tanks, tee's, long sleeve tee's and hoodies for women, along with a line of organic kids wear.  Stop by at www.studio23hudson.com under Triniti's Closet.

Flaming Heart

Everyone has a hard side. Everyone has a soft side. This Tattoo art design has both sides turned all the way up. Cute, sultry, playful, edgy, ballsy, relaxed, daring. Just pick a word and it works.

.

Peace isn't a big thing it's a million little things

 

Ink

I have really been digging a lot of new "tattoo art" looking t-shirt designs.  So I went head first into designing one, boy was this fun and hard!!

Flaming Heart...Everyone has a hard side. Everyone has a soft side. This Tattoo art design has both sides tuned all the way up. Cute, sultry, playful, edgy, ballsy, relaxed, daring. Just pick a word and it works.

Flaming Heart

Eco Tip: Mothball Alternative

Did you know..

..Mothballs often contain a compound called para-dichlorobenzene? The reason mothballs contain this compound is because it is very harmful to moths.. but, guess what? This carcinogen you are putting in your drawers with your clothing is also very harmful to you!

A safer way to keep pesky moths out of your favorite clothing items is to buy sachets with the scents of lavender and cedarwood. Moths steer clear of these scents and you'll be one step closer to making your home greener.

SHOES...need I say more.

I have just discovered  Molly  the founder of Hydra Heart. Her mother taught her how to sew at a young age, and with the birth of her own daughter her love for sewing has flourished. She  provides quality handmade shoes and clothing. Each prodcut is constructed from an original pattern that was hand drafted by Molly herself. All products are vegan and earth friendly. Most materials are gained from renewable resources. I hope you enjoy Hydra Heart's products, I really enjoy them!  I have to say I think I am in love with this pair of shoes!!! You can check out Molly's Esty shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/HydraHeart

A crush on 2

I have a bit of a crush on 2 amazing woman ...

Crush # 1

Steph of Deconstructress created the most coolest dresses that started with sample wedding gowns that turned into Corpse Bride costumes back in 2004. She had so much fun with the concept, that she spent the next year collecting fabrics, dresses and other items to upcycle into unique costumes and interesting formal wear. Steph released her first collection of twenty costume dresses in 2005.  The name makes so much since: designs begin as several wedding dresses "deconstructed" to one and recreates a one-of-a-kind master piece dress. Now that's recycling big time. She also has many that are all original designs made from scratch.  The prices are great when you really think that they are a true piece of art.

Crush # 2

Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin! I've been following her via the internet for several years - absolutely wowed by her incredible designs, dedication to traditional handicrafts, impeccable personal style, and her revolutionary business model.

I wasn't aware of it when I first started Studio 23 6 years ago, but many of the philosophies that have shaped my business have been employed by Natalie, also. Alabama Chanin is built on green practices, and is dedicated to keeping alive the spirit of the female community, of hand sewing and home crafting. Her garment are breathtaking and worth every penny of the fair amount she charges. She shares her craft through workshops, her book, and has even made a documentary featuring some of her inspirations.

2 New Somethings for Your Wrist

Had a great day in the studio!  Finished 2 new bracelet designs.

Arch & Pearl Bracelet

Peace Bracelet

Art Show

After fighting back a nasty cold for a week, getting every thing packed up and ready for my big weekend, and hoping for no rain. Dad and I woke up to no rain saturday the sun came out but it was really really cold outside. Setting up the tent in 29 degrees is a bit of a pain but I'll take the no rain anytime. 

The day was a great day for people watching.  I also met many very talented artist.  Fell in love with some pottery.  Brought home a small bowl and is hoping to add to the collection.

Sold a few pieces.  YAY.  Made many new contacts. 

My new bowl...

www.saxondesings.com

All in all a great day was had.

 

Junk Envy

Personally I have an affinity to junk!  I seem to be a junk magnet - it collects me! I have no control.  I don't think of it as junk, I look at it as my treasures.  It might be "junk" to some but for me I see potential in everything.  I have a really hard time of getting rid of things.  I wouldn't say I have a hoarding problem, my treasures have yet to take over my world.  But my family seems to think I am a bit crazy with the many many different thing I seem to have in my studio.  I partly blame my upbringing of recycle, save, reuse. Now it's hip to recycle your junk.  So before you go tossing something out in the trash think about what else that something can be used for.  Junk can be inspirational.

I would love to see what you may have reused in a jewelry design, or in a piece of art, and even reusing something in a totally different way.

Antique Key

Antique Crystal

Potty Shard

Apple Crisp for Dinner

Awww sleeping with the windows open, waking to the cool mornings followed by sunny warm afternoons. This is the best time of year for most living in New England. I can't say this is my favorite time of year, but it sure is pretty. With the trees starting to turn those fall colors of reds, oranges and yellows. Running Threw the yard and kicking around the fallen leaves, waiting for more to fall so that they can be raked up into a great big pile for jumping in. So this time a year around in these parts of Western Mass. the traffic gets a bit busy with all of the folks coming out to pick apples in the many orchards that are all around us.

This past weekend Trini and I went apple picking two days in a row. Friday was a field trip with her preschool class. What fun those little kids had, was just so cute to see. We all arrived to a tractor pulling a great big wagon of hay. Trini was a bit Scared about going the hay ride at first, but she got over that fear really fast and had a great time sitting next to her teacher, Miss Marsha. Our hay ride took us along the river seeing all of the funny pumpkin faces along the way,ending our trip in the middle of the apple orchard. Our guild took the little kids to an area of trees and really taught them a bunch about how to pick the apples and not hurt the trees. They also learned about the cidar apples on the ground and to leave them on the ground. So with their bags as full as they could get and munching on apples, it was time to walk over see the animals on the farm. Bunnies, goats, and pigs oh my. Trini loved feeding the goats. The kids ran around in the pumpkin patch looking for that perfect pumpkin. Oh what a wonderful sunny warm day for picking apples. 

      Suzie, Miss Marsha & Trini

Our guild telling us all about picking apples.

Trini & Jordan BFF

Tanner, Eric, Jason, Ben, Miss Marsha, Trini & Jordan

Me & Trini

 The goats

The pumpkin patch

 Trini's Class

The perfect pumpkin

Saturday was another day of apple picking for Trini and I. It was Elizabeth's 4th birthday party, which was being held at yet another apple orchard in Stow, MA. We woke up to a very wet rainy day, not a good day for apple picking.


We arrived at 10 am in our rain gear ready to make a great time of it. And, oh my, the kids seemed to really love running around the big open fields jumping in mud puddles. Some of us waited under the big red and white tents for all to show up and tried to stay as dry as we could. The rain seemed to let up a bit, and off we went up into the apple orchards to pick our apples. We were the only ones there, we had the whole place to ourselves. No hayride in the rain or petting the animals, for even the animals weren't coming out to play in this weather. We picked what I really do believe are the best apples I have ever eaten ever. Yummie. So with our bags full, we all walked back to the cover of our big festive tent for ice cream, apple donuts and cider. It turned out to be a really fun day of picking apples in the rain. Elizabeth may never forget her 4th birthday
party.

Mud puddles

Trini apple picking in the rain

 "On my there is alot of cider apples" says Trini

The birthday party - Trini who didn't want to be in the picture

It's dry under here

Elizabeth the birthday girl

Well with my kitchen full of freshly picked apples, what does one do with the rest of a rainy Saturday? ... make apple crisp. Trini and I baked the best apple crisp I have ever had ever!!! To tell you the truth this was my first time making it. I think adding the Almonds was a good idea you had, Trini. What a great time I had with my daughter these past two days. It was apple crisp for dinner.

Apple crisp...

Apple Crisp Recipe

5 Cups sliced peeled apples

2 to 4 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 Cup regular rolled oats

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 Cup butter

1/4 Cup of chopped almonds

For filling, place apples in a round save to bake in dish.  Stir in sugar.

For topping, in a mixing bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in chopped almonds.  Sprinkle topping over filling.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with ice cream or light cream.  Makes 6 servings.