One of my New Years Resolutions was to try 5 new recipes a month. And seeing as I believe cooking to be an entirely experimental and creative exploit, I've decided to document it here.

If it has a gold star in the corner that means it's a keeper. A sad face means never again. If the corner is blank, the jury was well fed, but not wildly moved.

If you want additional comments and/or detailed recipes leave a note.

Child's Play. For Grown-Ups.

I'm all about vintage toys and making old new again. And for the record, I was all about retro before retro was like, a thing. I'm not a band wagon jumper... I'm a wagon driver.

Phew. I feel better now.

Anyway, what I've been diggin' most recently, is when they find a use for an oldie (but goodie) while making it comically relevant to today. For example:

Etch A Sketch iPad Case

Now ThinkGeek is pushing the idea that it deters thieves as a selling point. But I really think this is all they need to say: "You can even run the Etch-a-Sketch app while using your iPad in its Etch-a-Sketch case, which is so much awesome that our heads might explode."

Boom.

**If your iPad is cold this winter, check out the iSweater from ScrappyLynn on Etsy. Welcome back flannel.

The Incompleteness of Being Complete

My basement is finally "complete"*. It was a year+ long project involving my entire family. My brother and father began by putting in studs for a new wall, which my mother and I then built, painted and trimmed. My mom sanded and patched all the exterior walls while etched and painted them with masonry paint**. My grandfather and mother installed new electrical outlets and light fixtures, and I figured out how to hook yet another TV to the exterior antenna. I then painted all the floors, misc posts, and stairs, while doing aerobic poses to reach behind water heaters and dryers. Then I was able to move in!

It's still definitely a basement—cold and full of spiders. But now at least the spiders have pretty art on their walls, TV to watch and a fluffy green rug to curl up in!

*I put complete in air quotes because any homeowner will tell you that no project is ever complete.
** Painting with masonry paint is like painting with clay while walking in a sand storm. It's the worlds thickest paint and it has sand-like particles in it so as you roll it onto the wall, sand bits rain down upon your face. It's like having your eyeballs exfoliated.

New Car. New Computer. New Year.

2011 hasn't been great. In fact, it's been 20 very non-awesome days. It's time to start over.

I'm hereby declaring it it 2011.2.

So here's a chance to make additional Resolutions—why not make a new resolution and place it one of these adorable Momiji Dolls?

Momiji are message dolls. You place your very own tiny, secret message inside through the bottom. "Inspired by friendship and little kindnesses—It's about filling life with memories and messages."

Happy New Year everyone!

No. Computer. Can't. Breathe.

The last seven days, I've been without a computer. Well, without a properly functioning computer. I'm still not completely sure if I'm back up and running, but I'm trying to be patient as I wait on new software and RAM. But as Blogger works, I'll reflect on some of my recent trauma.

The first couple days it was almost liberating to come home and pick up a book rather than positioning myself back in front of the glow. I still had my cell phone so I could check email, and important things like FaceBook. By day three however, the feeling had lost its sense of liberation and began to turn towards the pit of despair. It was as though someone had removed my arms. I started having severe chest pains–my mental anguish was causing actual physical pain.

Computer hiatus did give me chance channel my inner Martha, and I sat down in front of a different machine—the sewing machine. Now, what I made is a gift, so I can't share it with you (yet), but it felt good to create something using scissors rather than a mouse.

When did the computer become the basis for creating? For 2011, lets step away from the white noise and get back to the essence of craft. I hope by 2012 I'm saying "Facewhat?"

Hand Cut Fries—the ultimate DIY!

So I was given an old french fry cutter for Christmas, which is really just the perfect blend of my love for antiques and my obsession with potatoes.

I finally got to try it out today, and while it's still in experimental stages, my taste buds are very satisfied.

I'd love to tell you where to pick up your own fry cutter. But I like to imagine that mine is one-of-a-kind. :)

If you do find one to call your own, here's the most important tip I can share: if you're lacking in upper body strength, use small potatoes.

Frothing at the Cup

To date, my most used Christmas gift has been a coffee frother—froth makes everything better. (My most unused gift has been my new treadmill belt. But as New Year's resolutions are now in effect, that will change.)

As I my mind tends to wander at work, I pondered today whether it was possible to froth cocoa with marshmellows. This is what I found out.

Beautiful colors. I think my love for coffee and chocolate have led to a love for the color brown. Or perhaps vice versa.

Left: Shot of espresso with Milk
Large shot of coffee with large shot of hot milk. Gets a nice layer of foam. I sprinkle cinnamon on top, but I have yet to master foam art.

Right: Cocoa
This was a powder cocoa made with half milk, half water. Maybe it would have frothed better with all milk. It also had a dozen marshmellows in it. I thought the marshmellows would create a great sea of foam. But they just vanished—so added sugar and calories with no marshmellowy fun. It did blend real well, and it stayed blended vs. the chocolate floating to the bottom as it sat. That's a plus.

I'll continue to experiment and keep you posted! Apple cider perhaps? Send tips and requests!

Frothing is easy! Get your own coffee frother.

Sounding the Alarm

For those of us fortunate enough to have the last week off work, our fortune runs out tomorrow. If you've behaved anything like I have, it's been a very sluggard few weeks.

But tomorrow that all ends. And I have no doubt it will be painful.

It's time to get ready, which means lining up my 5 alarm clocks and strategically staggering their sound. That's not a joke. This blogger is not a morning person. I think it may, in fact, be time to add another more effective clock to the arsenal.

Here's some interesting alarm clocks I've been checking out.

1. Clocky Robotic Alarm
2. Sonic Bomb with Bed Shaker
3. The Shocking Alarm Clock
4. Rolling Ball Alarm
5. SnūzNLūz - Charitable Donation Alarm Clock—uses wifi to make a $10 donation to charity (of your choice–which you don't support, each time you hit snooze.)
6. Flying Alarm Clock
7. The Wake'n Bacon

Any personal recommendations?