home made salsa!!

To make the best salsa, you want as fresh of ingredients as you can get. (I was a little lazy tonight and used minced garlic instead of whole clove garlic!)

tools:
1 food chopper (I got mine from pampered chef..you can also use a knife to chop everything)
1 large bowl
1 knife
1 rubber spatula
1/4 tsp measuring spoon

ingredients:
4-5 medium size tomatoes
1 small white onion
1 jalapeno pepper (or more depending on how hot you want your salsa!)
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 lemon
approx 1-2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp minced garlic (or 1-2 cloves, chopped)
1/2 tsp sea salt



directions:
rinse all the veggies and cut each end off. I left the seeds in my jalapeno, but if you don't want it as hot, take the seeds out. (You may want to use rubber gloves when dealing with jalapeno seeds, because the oils can get on your fingers and stay there for a while. You don't want to accidentally rub your eyes and get the oil in your eyes.) Cut the veggies into sections that will fit into the chopper. Chop all the veggies and put them in the bowl. You can use a board scraper to pick up all the pieces. I got mine at Target. Add 1/2 tsp of garlic and 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from each half into the mixture. Add about 2 Tbs of finely chopped cilantro. Stir all the ingredients well. Make sure to taste the salsa, and add more salt or garlic to taste. (I ended up adding another 1/4 tsp of garlic, but I love garlic and onions and anything stinky!!)


Serve in a large decorative bowl with your favorite tortilla chips. You can also make tortilla chips by buying soft taco shells, cutting them into triangles (like a pizza), brushing them with olive oil, adding a few of your favorite spices (I use the pre-mixed blends for bread dipping, but experiment to see what you like!), and then baking at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until just crispy. They will crisp a little more once they cool, so don't over do them in the oven.

Recipe makes quite a bit, so enjoy for a party or a group of friends. It also keeps for about 2 weeks in the fridge!

Enjoy!!

new etsy items

I didn't do the goals that I set for myself last week. That being said, I DID make three pretty hemp necklaces today while watching "Memoirs of a Geisha". I will be posting these on my etsy shop, but I have to wait for better lighting to take pics in. I think I may walk around in the park and look for some pretty yellow, orange, and red leaves to take them with...here they are:

The first necklace I made was the one with three red wooden beads, the second was the red glass beads, and the third was the three jade green beads....it is purely coincidental that they appear in order of production in the pic...

Here is the jade green necklace again. The picture is showing the closure.

And the red wooden bead necklace. I took this pic just after I finished it.

Each necklace only took me about a half hour to make. Not bad. Of course, now I have mild rope burn on my hands...that's why I keep a big bottle of lotion on my end table!

goals

I have been beating my brains out lately about finances. Money is the BIGGEST stress of my life...well...lack of money anyway. So, it got me thinking. I have the means to make money, I have the talent to make money, and I have the dream. My biggest downfall is that I don't have the mini goals to get me to where I want to be. Where do I want to be? I want to sell my handmade goods and make a fairly decent living at it. Duh. But, the real question isn't where I want to be...because that's obvious...no, the real question is what do I need to do to get there? The answer, I've concluded after a lot of self reflection is to set mini attainable goals. Well...first thing is that I need to finish a project TO sell. But I'm so ambitious that I start a handful of projects at once, then I end up not finishing them..
So, I've decided to create a detailed list of things that I need to do. And I'm going to do this list a week at a time. At first I'll create small attainable goals. Then, as I get used to it, I'll add more to challenge myself a little more.

First list...here goes:
goal 1: Make three coffee cup cozies by the end of the week (Friday)
goal 2: Finish the drop stitch scarf by the end of the weekend.
goal 3: Post the products of goal 1 and goal 2 on etsy.

Unfortunately I missed prime selling time for my favorite holiday..I can't sell Halloween stuff :( But, I'll start making things for Christmas and Valentines day.

Anyway, I think I've talked enough about my problems and my goals. Have a good night.

a few new things

Here are a few projects I've been working on in the past month.



The first is a circular shrug I started at annual training. I set it down for a few weeks when I got home, but picked it up and finished it within two days! I'm so lazy! I could have just finished it in August...oh well. I finished it just in time for fall.

The second is kind of a sneek peek. I've decided that I'm sick of stray litter on the floor from when my cats come out of their box and I had a bunch of balls of yarn laying around that are mad from fabric that have been cut into strips and sewn together, so I decided to make a litter box rug. So, this pic is a sneek peek of my kitchy farmgirl rug. It was hard to knit at first..I'm using size us 15 needles and it's still really tight, but I'm used to it now, so it's going a lot faster. Should be done in the next few days.

more stuff

I made another coffee cup cozy for my etsy...however, alana came over and it matched her purse perfectly, so I gave it to her! here's a pic for good measure anyway..I'm currently making another for my shop!

I love the red contrast stitch on the black and white background...

bohemian fall colours bag

I started a crocheted bag a few days ago. Once it's finished I'm planning on selling it in my etsy shop! It's really coming along..it should be finished in a few days...of course, I'll have to line it, and I've never done that before..not to mention I'd have to do it by hand because I'm sans sewing machine at the moment! It should be fine though....as for the lining fabric, there's a small second hand shop in the basement of hospice that has a decent craft section...they sell vintage fabric for $1.00 a yard. If you can get over going into hospice (which I don't have a problem with because the money benefits the place) then there are a ton of great finds! Anywho, here's a pic of what i've got done!

(that's not white, it's tan..the other colors are green, camo, and brown)

etsy stuff!!

So, I started my etsy shop (finally!). Last night I worked on a couple cozies to put in it (I could have done more, but I was feeling lazy and watching reruns of star trek the next generation!!) Tonight, I'm going to make animal print coffee cozies! I think those will sell better than the fun summer colours! Anyhow, here they are!

I know it's not much, but at least it's something in my shop! I'm thinking of taking the earrings I made and put up in the coffee shop and putting them in my etsy!

new things

Before I left for Annual training, I stopped at the Yarn store in ER and picked up a few fun finds. The Buttons are military inspired by vogue, and the yarn is patons silk bamboo in orchid. I bought the yarn to swatch for a short sleeve deep v sweater. It's incredibly soft and I can't wait to start on it.

So, my annual training was kind of crappy this year. We stayed in DIRTY barraks in sleezy Grayling. Now, if I were just spending my time on the field it would be one thing. But, we're in the band. Part of our job is to look our best. How can we do that when we're living in filth? Anyway, the beggining of the second week I got a call from my mom saying my great grandmother was sent to hospice. My command ended up being really cool and releasing me, so my squad leader drove me home for the night so I could see her one last time. She ended up dying on Wednsday morning at 3 A. M.
So, I had a crappy AT. I get home and find a package on my kitchen counter filled with goodies from Wales. It didn't fix my broken heart, but it lift my spirits significantly. Inside were the buttons I ordered (although, I only remember ordering one set...I think the second set were a gift.), and the vintage Rudiments of Music book.

And, SUPRISE!! Birthday gifts from Wondra! Thank you so much! My cats really liked the i.d. yarn. It was apparant when I went up to my attic and it was unraveled all across the floor. Not to worry though! It took me about three hours, but I was able to untangle it and wind it back up into a ball....I almost killed my cats....Ok...so, I googled british military buttons, and I found the two small silver ones. Don't know if you know this Wondra, but the buttons you sent me are almost three hundred years old. No, not almost, ARE!! And they are beatiful..mabey I'll make a doll and use them for eyes, just like in coraline...j/k...I do think I'll use them in my Mrs. Lovett costume though. Anyway, THANK YOU for my presents!!

I bought some more yarn to make more shrugs..I'll be making them in multiple sizes and putting them in my etsy shop. The yarn I picked up is a nice forest green...should fit the falling leaves motif. I'll be starting on a size small tonight. Anyway, I've talked and talked tonight! I'll be back soon!!

grrr

I woke up this morning to my circular shrug-in-progress on the floor and the ball of yarn destroyed...GGGGRRRR!!!! I'll be rewinding the ball in about five seconds....

I started a new shrug today. The pattern is called "circular shrug", from Ravelry.com. Thank you Julia Allen for outlining such a cute piece of clothing using any yarn with any size needle. For mine, I chose to knit it in Patons Divine in white on size US 11 needles. The project is going quite fast, and hopefully I'll have it done by the end of the week. I started the project in hopes that I'll have something to knit to help pass the time on annual training, but I think I'll be done by then, or at least shortly into it! I think I'll bring some cotton yarn and a crochet hook and make a shopping bag, and mabey some washcloths..I want to do so many projects! Right now my knitting ADD mind is going "pack a bunch of different yarn and needles so you won't get bored!!" I think I'll limit myself to the washcloths and bag...MABEY I'll bring a skein to make another strug.

......

i love my cats...i love my cats...

hmmmm

i want to invent a robot that mows the lawn...one who can stand the 90 degree heat!

ALMOST....THERE....

this was the most rewarding project i have ever completed...mabey because i didn't use a pattern and figured it out on my own...not quite finished yet, all i need to do is put a few rows of ribbing on the sleeves and weave in the ends. i have some really pretty shiny tan beads i might but in various spots...not sure it'll be worth the work though...i think it's just fine without them. and now a few pics...(please excuse my hair...i just finished my run prior to the pics..)

from the back....jankey photo...had to take it backwards...but, i'll have someone take a real pic from behind once i'm totally finished and glammed up!

from the front....i wasn't sure how it would turn out...but i'm pleased with the results!

first things first....

a teaser of my shrug..almost done!

i was unpacking and found this guy....his hair is falling out, so i need to fix him with something else...don't know yet though, but as soon as i see something it'll hit me!

a few bubble magnets..

speaks for itself....

and audrey two...my venus fly trap....isn't it a contradiction to have a plant that eats meat? mother nature strikes back...take THAT!

new house

so, i moved into my new house a few weeks ago...i've just been lazy and haven't uploaded any new pics, so, HERE THEY ARE!! tadaaa....

Bathroom...decided to go with spa colours...

kitchen...i think i'm going to paint it yellow....there is a TON of storage space and counter space...haven't baked any cupcakes yet though!

living room...done with this room for now...i'm happy with it...even if the curtains are a little old lady-ish!!

uber creative...

Last night I think there was a muse lying in bed with me. Sounds kinky, I know. But, all of last night, all I could think about was creating new and exciting sweaters. I drew out about five designs. Now, all I have to do is figure out the patterns and submit them to various (paying) sites. Mamma needs high speed internet!
I'm almost finished with the back of the bed jacket. It's not very far, but at least it's an accomplishment. Only five more sections to go! I figured with the amount of time I acctually knit, it'll be a section or so a week. I'm going to do the arms at the same time so they're even with each other. I may even do the front two pannels the same way.
I know I'll have a ton more time to knit in a few weeks. Tommarrow I'm going with my mother to look at a house for rent. I've seen the outside, but I don't think I need to see the inside to make up my mind. I've already done so. So, all I'm waiting for is for the construction crew to finish renovations. When I'm living on my own I won't have anyone to talk to except my cats, no cable, no digital converter, so I'll be able to knit a LOT!
One of my mothers co-workers is selling a brand new reclining couch for $75. SWEET! Now I'll be able to have company over!
So, I promise I'll get pics of my knitting and the house up soon. Mabey I'll throw in a couple of my cats, because I know everyone is just DYING to see how they're doing!
Just one more thought....I'm browsing patterns on ravelry and I came across a couple from the new issue of Vogue knitting....I'll have to pick that issue up...there are some really cute peices!

Have you ever been so excited about something that you feel like you're about to faint? That happened to me today. Before I go on, let me tell you events leading up to this moment. For the last two weeks or so, I've been searching for a new appartment. I work at a coffee shop, which is the hub of town, and have been asking regular customers or customers that I know have property whether they or anybody they know has property for rent. I got a few leads, but they all ended in miserable disappointment. For example, I know one customer owns the building next to our shop and HAD an appartment available, but had just signed a lease with a new tennant the day before. Everywhere I turned I would come up short. About a week ago, I asked a girl that works in the shop next to mine if she knew of anybody trying to find a renter. She said that the family of the elderly gentleman next to her house was trying to find someone. I was thinking that I would never be able to afford a house with a nice yard and a garage. But, on a whim, I called the landlord. We are now at the moment that I almost fainted. Upon telling me about all the repairs and the acre of land the house sits on, the landlord told me the rent. The WHOLE property is almost two hundred dollars LESS than what I was looking for. What repairs you ask? I'll tell you. There is a new roof, a new toilet and bathtub, new carpet, new drywall, and a few landscape repairs. Apparantly the water drained towards the house and caused black mold in the basement, but both the mold and the water drainage issues have been resolved.
My mother and I drove past the house today. Acctually we drove by about three times. I'm afraid that the people working on the house thought that we were two psychos because we drove by really slow and staired. I don't care though. It's a cute little white house with room for a vegetable garden and flowers under the windows. And it's within walking distance of work.
The best part about this whole thing is that it's a two bedroom house, so I'll be able to have a proper craft room!
I don't sound too excited, do I??
My mother is going with me on Saturday to view the house, but it's just a technicality. I just want to picture what it looks like inside so I can decorate in my head!

new new years resolution

so, i've been thinking...maybe my resolve to knit a new sweater every month was a BIT much...i'm only bringing this up because the sweater i'm making for my mom is taking FOREVER!!! plus school is about to start and i'm still working full time....SO, i've decided to resolve to knit one project at a time, start to finish....i'll try to work up my speed though..i've got a ton of projects lined up....
but, i'm still going to do the sweater i had lined up for january next.
i found my camera...it was at the bottom of a laundry basket that i piled a bunch of sweaters and jackets on...they were clean! i swear! but i'm just lazy and haven't put them away yet...anyway, i'll post soon, but i don't have time right now....