The Hotline

So here's the newest design in The Shop, it's called The Hotline and it's pairs my love of over the heart graphics with old rotary phones. Which if I could find one in working order I would totally have and use and gladly forfeit the caller ID luxury.

I just pressed a few in the red and gray for now, but have pink and turquoise coming soon. I'm really loving this design and hope to have a few pillows with it added to my couch and to my shop very soon. I also wanted to show off my grandma's sewing scissors that I finally put in a shadow box.

Up until last week I was actually still (gasp) using them and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the gentlest touch when it comes to scissors so they really are better off with their own little place to call home. Instead of being man handled by the likes of me.
-M.M.

Rainy day patch party

Okay, so I don't own a umbrella, but I make up for it by having not one but two pairs of rain boots. Which to Andy's horror I wear even when it's not snowing or raining, but I love my Chooka boots and they always cheer me up. Any wellies really, have been floating my boat and I find I'm slipping them on more and more lately. It's been such a rainy/windy/dreary week that I needed to have a bit of fun so I had a bit of a patch party and pressed a bunch of fun new and old favorites that will be along shortly for the X-mas season.
I really love the sew a go-go patches and their close cousin the gift tags that are perfect for adorning those handmade gifts with. So now that my studio's floor is littered with scraps of brightly covered felt and paper, and my hand is cramped from all that cutting I'm going to settle in for the night with a nice cuppa cocoa in the worlds best cocoa cup that I found at the thrift for .20 and watch White Heat because someone has me in a James Cagney kinda mood.


Cheers Sunday! Don't let that bastard Monday beat you down.

-M.M.

Crafty Love in Route

The last few days have been uber busy, and now that I have this lull I'm taking advantage of it by doing a few of the things I really wanted to do but somehow someway slipped by me (boy are there more then a few).

One of those was sending the sweetest girl I know on the west coast a belated birthday/care package. I have the tendency to horde things for people and then send or give said horded items over all at once, but I've never gotten a complaint about this tendency yet. I included some yerba mate, an issue of Bust, Ann Taintor tissues with our mantra on them, stationary from the letter writers alliance (as a hint that I'd like a letter every once in a while), a embroidery kit I put together and tucked inside a pouch I made special for her. Oh and the "gift" that's more for me, one my old digi cameras. I really miss seeing her and I'm hoping she'll be more apt to send more pics if she has her own camera. Oh and perhaps get another person addicted to my mild obbession that is flickr. Off to work on new patch packs for the holidays and other fun stuff!

Happy Tuesday all!

XOXO-
M.M.

Am I the last one to know?

So many times I feel like I'm the last to know about anything, but I especially feel that way about these two ditty's that were dropped in my lap recently. A dear friend of mine recently gave me a Tom Waits album to listen to, and although I had heard of him before I never gave him the chance he so well deserved.

I reluctantly put it on and was instantly induced into a creepy nursery rhymish trance. The mystery and theatric graveness of the album is superior to anything I own. Before I even knew it was originally written for Kathleen Brennan's opera Alice, I thought how it was perfectly suited to be an opera it would be. My favorite tracks are "Everything you can think of is true", the gruff voice paired with whimsical imagery is insanely awesome. I highly recommend this album, in case I'm not really the last one to know.

So the other thing I should have known about is "The Other Boleyn Girl" which I only rented for the magnificent costume eye candy, but got oh so much more from this baby. Even more then my beloved Lifetime movies have ever dared to give. The story follows Anne Boleyn's sister Mary who in order to advance her family's interest reluctantly abandons her husband to become the kings mistress and bears him 2 children. Anne driven to be queen, encourages the king to abandon Mary and his wife queen Catherine. Chaos then ensues. Seriously if your the other person who hasn't seen it yet, do it! If only for the costumes, swanky dialogue or scandal after scandal!

Happy Thursday,

XOXO-
M.M.

Nutty Granola Bread AKA The Easyiest Bread Ever

So it's no secret that I'm a baking fiend. But I really love baking bread, there's just something so gratifying about the whole process. The kneading, the rising, taking the loaf out of the oven, slathering it with really good butter and not to mention the amazing aroma that fills the house.

Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy, but must have homemade bread I use this recipe (which is happening more and more lately) not only is it a really yummy bread but it's so easy and since I've found the recipe I've had to make it at least once a week. I originally found it in one of my Nigella cookbooks but have tweaked it a bit to what i had on hand and I'm sure you all will do the same. Theres no kneading, no rising time and the oven does all the work. Well except of the eating of course. Hope you all enjoy it as much as we have.

Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups of flour
- 2 cups granola
- 1 pack of active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water

Simply mix the dry ingredients together and add the milk and water. Stir until it looks like a thick porridge and pour into a greased loaf pan (don't be alarmed if it fills up more then half way).

-Put into a COLD oven and then set the oven to 225 for 45 mins.
-When those 45 mins are up, kick the heat up to 350 for 60 mins.

You'll know it's done when it's a beautiful golden brown.

That's it! Told ya it was easy. It's a dense bread that's a perfect side to your favorite comfort food or great all by it's self lightly toasted with butter and jam.

Enjoy!

XOXO-
M.M.