Friday, April 3, 2015

Feature Friday: Wilde Designs

The weird stuff is the best stuff

This weekend we're getting to know a little more about Wilde Designs, and its co-creator/co-owner Beth Howard. (She recently featured Stitches by Ashley Nicole and me on her blog!)

What kind of items do you offer in your shop?
I specialize is jewelry, art and design, but I tend to gravitate toward anything with a geeky or oddball edge, so you never know what might show up.

About the shop:
Wilde Designs consists of Beth and Wes Howard, a pair of geeky professionals from Texas. We both work all day (Wes in technology, and Beth as a graphic designer), then devote our “off hours” to our son and our second job running Wilde Designs. We create together and apart to continually improve and find new things to show all of you.
Is there anything unique about your shop that readers should know about?
As much as possible, I try to include repurposed or reused materials. The domino necklaces in the shop are all made from vintage and hand me down dominos. Wallets and necklaces featuring celebrity or fandom images that aren't illustrations by me are made with pages from calendars, magazines, and other secondhand sources.

What are some fun facts about you that you'd like to share with readers?
I'm a huuuuuuuge geek in case you couldn't tell from my inventory, so my secondary passion is going to conventions and cosplaying. My current favorite character to dress up as is Black Widow (the Marvel cinematic universe version).
What inspires you?
Usually something from pop culture. More often than not, it's a show or a movie I'm obsessed with, though it can be as simple as seeing a really shiny bunch of beads at the craft shop and not being able to walk out without them. My shop features a lot of different types of items because I like trying new things. Experimentation and playing with new techniques inspires me to try even more new stuff.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
That is such a hard question! I love music. I HATE driving if I can't have music. But I think that Duncan Sheik is consistently my favorite. His music has fantastic lyrics and a beautiful sound. My old domain name was named after his song "Bite Your Tongue." Ray Davies, the former lead singer of The Kinks, is a very close second.
What is your favorite song and why?
"Bite Your Tongue" by Duncan Sheik. It's funny and sarcastic and yet hopeful somehow. It's a good song to listen to when you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and just get stuff done, which I think we all need from time to time.

What is your favorite color?
That varies wildly from day to day depending on my mood, but lime green is always way up on the list for me. I admittedly love some truly, obnoxiously bright colors. They make me happy.

What is your favorite quote?
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde (not coincidentally, I have several items in the shop featuring this quote)

GIVEAWAY: I'd love to offer one of my Glittery Green Skull necklaces, which retail for $6.

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Friday, March 27, 2015

Feature Friday: The Dizzy Windmill

geek couture and quirky wearables

Meet Shelly Mourick, the talent behind The Dizzy Windmill!


What kind of items do you offer in your shop?
Eco friendly, handmade winter wear, bracelets, home goods/decor with a quirky or geeky flair.
About the shop:
Using the best supplies I can find from a independent local yarn shop, I've been putting the form and function into fiber since 2009. I specialize in geek couture and quirky wearables and home goods. I love a challenge to create quality unique goods for anyone, geeky, nerdy, or otherwise. In April of 2014 I changed the name/brand from Tiger Knitty to The Dizzy Windmill. I loved the idea of 'windmill' being in the name somewhere as I am part dutch. And the idea of a windmill being dizzy amused me and I think appealed to the quirky and geeky style of my products.
Is there anything unique about your shop that readers should know about?
All yarn scraps are saved to stuff toys with, items are shipped in upcycled boxes.
What are some fun facts about you that you'd like to share with readers?
I used to live in a really small town so if I wasn't in school or working, I would spend a lot of time in my room with some music on and knitting. The first couple times I made hats - they were completely the wrong size. But now I love them, I can make rather quickly usually, unless I'm busy or its a complex pattern. I am a bit of a nerd myself (sci fi and music) so I've realized I would like to work more in that area. I've started to learn what kind of materials I prefer to work with, and generally love what I do. From looking at patterns to shopping for yarn and seeing all the amazing colors. I really cant wait to see what happens next.There are several crafts I will like to eventually get into such as weaving, basket weaving, chain mail jewelry and dying my own yarn to use and sell.
GIVEAWAY: Barista mitts, winner's choice of color - as seen in the shop. Winner agrees to pay shipping.

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Friday, March 20, 2015

Feature Friday: Mizziexoxo Boutique

Cute Geeky Creepy Jewelry Accessories and More


What kind of items do you offer in your shop?
In my shop I offer mostly jewelry, and accessories, and some crochet items. Lots of resin necklaces, clay jewelry and charms.

About the shop:
Mizziexoxo Boutique offers cute,geeky,and creepy jewelry and accessories. Great for preteens, teens, and of course the young at heart.

What are some fun facts about you that you'd like to share with readers?
My name is Melissa. I'm 25 and live in Ontario,Canada. I love green tea, ramen noodles and eggs. Oh and don't forget crafting!


What is your favorite color?
Purple

SALE:
Code is FEATUREFRIDAY for 20% off in my Storenvy shop.


Here is everywhere you can find Mizziexoxo on the internet:

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Friday, March 13, 2015

Feature Friday: Violet's Buds

Eco-friendly accessories for you and your little flower


I am so excited to bring to you, Melanie Gipson of Violet's Buds this week in the Feature Friday spot! I am a big fan of her her hair accessories, but I don't have a daughter, so I have not bought anything yet. But I will make a purchase someday. (Seriously, how beautiful is this set?!) Don't forget to check out the other places that you can find Violet's Buds in the shared links at the end of the post.

What kind of items do you offer in your shop?
Eco-friendly hair accessories for girls and women of all ages, plus handmade hoop art décor to brighten any room of your home.

About the shop:
Handmade eco accessories for you & your little flower. Hair accessories for all ages, and hoop art decor to adorn your favorite rooms.
Violet's Buds strives to be green by upcycling, repurposing, and making the most out of all our supplies while creating a unique item for you.

Is there anything unique about your shop that readers should know about?
Violet's Buds items are unique in that the majority of the fabrics used are either remnants, or are upcycled from clothing & linens. Beads, pendants, & buttons in Violet's Buds accessories and art come from old & sometimes broken costume jewelry, clothing, or scouted out at flea markets.

What are some fun facts about you that you'd like to share with readers?
I have a degree in Photography with specialization in portraiture, but currently use my skills to photograph my own products plus items from several other makers. I also write photography tip posts for Daft Crafts.

My family is crafty, and my husband is the owner/creator at GipsonWands, as well as a graphic designer who helped to create my logo. Our daughter is on her way to becoming a maker as well!
Here is her adorable daughter modeling for her.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
My favorite musical artist is Ben Folds. I've seen him in concert, both solo or with a band, around ten times total and it's always amazing.

What is your favorite song and why?
I have a tough time choosing one favorite song. It depends on my mood, or what I'm into at the moment. One song my daughter and I love to dance and sing to is Man, It's So Loud In Here by They Might Be Giants.

What is your favorite color?
My favorite color is purple (no surprise there!)

What is your favorite quote?
I found this quote online last year and don't know who to attribute it to, but I wish I did. "You can't reach for anything new with your hands full of yesterday's junk."

GIVEAWAY:
I will send the winner a mystery grab bag of hair accessories worth $20, with free shipping in the US only. International winners agree to pay shipping and any applicable customs fees.

SALE:
I will offer all fans a 20% discount with the code ShopHandmade. The code will expire 2 weeks from the end of the feature date (03/27/2015).

Are there any auctions, giveaways, sales or other events that you're participating in that we should know about?
I will be in an upcoming multi-vendor Spring giveaway at Life's Gems, April 1st- April 8th. I will be participating in the local Strawberry Swing Spring craft fair May 2nd & 3rd. I'll have details posted on my blog and facebook page soon, plus there are details on Strawberry Swing's facebook page.



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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Recipe Wednesday: Mexican Pizza

I made this a few weeks ago because I wanted pizza for dinner, but we'd had our normal version of pizza the night before and since the experiment turned out well and we all liked it, I added it to our list of possible meals. The first time I made it, I didn't use meat, so it's easy to make this a meat free meal, if your family also does meat free meals.

MEXICAN PIZZA
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
2 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil
A generous sprinkle of taco seasoning
A generous sprinkle of yellow cornmeal
1 cup warm water
Toppings
Corn and black bean salsa
Black beans
Corn
Taco seasoned ground beef
Mexican cheese blend

Directions
1. Mix dry ingredients; add water and oil.
2. Stir until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.
3. The dough will be soft, not sticky. If too sticky, sprinkle a little flour and mix some more.
4. Use the salsa as you would pizza sauce, then add the toppings, followed by the cheese.
5. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

Dry ingredients
Pizza dough all rolled out
Salsa and toppings
Oops! Forgot about the ground beef!
Fresh outta the oven!
I forgot that I had browned and seasoned ground beef, so it ended up on top of the cheese while the rest of the toppings were under the cheese. What toppings would you add to your Mexican pizza? 
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Thursday, February 5, 2015

#happyhandmade week 99: my favorites


Every Wednesday on the Daft Crafts blog, there is a #happyhandmade link up where handmade shop owners can share up to three product links and are asked to share at least three of the other products on social media with the hashtag "#happyhandmade."

In no particular order, here are my favorites from this week:

How pretty is this lace and tulle headband? You can view it here.

My husband recently decided that he wanted to watch all 7 seasons of "Doctor Who" that Netflix has available for Instant Streaming, so when I saw this print, it made me think of him.  You can view the listing here.

These heart button earrings are sweet and conjure up thoughts of Valentine's Day so perfectly. You can view them here.


Another dainty and perfect item for thoughts of love. You can find it here.

If you're a fan of green items, this reusable tote is for you! Find it here.

You've seen my favorites. No head on over to the Daft Crafts post, check out the handmade goodness and share your favorites! Or better yet: buy your favorites before someone else does!
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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Recipe Wednesday: Pancake Muffins

My soon to be three year old loves pancakes. My husband loves pancakes. I love pancakes. Neither my husband nor I like to eat cold pancakes. The compromise: pancake muffins! They're such a super easy, yummy breakfast and you can change them up to what you crave each time. We mostly stick to maple syrup and cinnamon sugar though.

PANCAKE MUFFINS
Ingredients
Pancake mix of your choice
Add-ins of your choice

Supplies
Muffin pan or silicone baking cups

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare muffin pan. - I use coconut oil to grease the muffin cups, but you could use silicone baking cups or the paper ones to like the muffin pan.
3. Mix up your pancake batter as directed. - Depending on the brand of pancake mix, I need to use the second or third measurements given.
My mix-ins of the day
The highly precise method of swirl until it looks good 　
Optional 3.1 - Add in your mix-ins. - Normally, I only mix in maple syrup, but the day I made them for this post, I also added in strawberry jam.
4. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. - With the Krusteaz brand mix, I have to bake them for 15 minutes, but the store brand that I used to buy, it was only needed to leave them in the oven for 13 minutes.
Optional 5. Lightly spread butter on the still warm muffins.
6. Serve and enjoy!

My son loves these and asks for more until the whole pan is gone! He doesn't care if they're cold and it's dinnertime, he'll ask for pancake muffins. lol
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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Recipe Wednesday: Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells is one of the meals that I make one day and freeze enough for dinner on two more days. Sometimes, I finely chop broccoli to use instead of the chopped spinach, and we enjoy it just as much. It's a good way to sneak extra veggies into my older son, but it's no longer needed to sneak the veggies into him. He loves to eat plain, raw baby spinach and asks for it!

SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS
Ingredients
24 jumbo shells - cooked to al dente
1 lb ground sausage
15 oz ricotta, or light ricotta
8 oz shredded mozzarella, or Italian blend
9 oz chopped spinach - thawed and drained
1/2 tsp dried basil
(2) 26 oz jars of pasta sauce

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brown the sausage - be careful not to burn it! Ours was a little burnt because I had "help" from my three year old. lol
2. In a 10" skillet, brown and drain the sausage. 
The stuffing minus the mozzarella and sausage.
The well mixed stuffing mixture.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, spinach and the basil. Mix well and then add the sausage.
Spread the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Spread approximately 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
I used up all of the stuffing mixture and there were a few empty shells leftover. I added them to each baking dish.
5. Spoon approximately 3 tbsp of the mixture into each shell and place in the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the shells.
Two will be frozen for future meals and one will be dinner!
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until heated through.
I wanted to get a picture of the baked dish, but my husband and son plated it up for us before I could. This was all that was left in the pan when I remembered that I needed the picture still. lol

I don't normally measure the mozzarella because we like it extra cheesy, so I just use a generous amount from the 5 lb. Costco bag of mozzarella that we buy. Because I separate the shells and freeze 2/3 of them, I use a smaller baking dish and make sure that I have at least 8 shells in each Pyrex dish since that is the minimum we need for our family per dinner. Also, there was about half of the second jar of sauce left, but if you like it saucier, then use all of the second jar when topping the shells with sauce.

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do! 
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Recipe Wednesday: Brown Sugar Chicken

This chicken recipe is sweet, but has just enough kick not to be overly sweet. My three year old son, who doesn't like much chicken at all, even says it's "Mmm! Good-licious!" when dipped in ranch dressing. So it's quite possibly a kid friendly recipe for those of you with picky eaters!

BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
3 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly spray glass baking dish with cooking spray (or grease the baking dish with coconut oil).
Well mixed dry ingredients
2. Add dry ingredients to Ziploc® bag and shake to mix well. Add chicken and shake to coat chicken.
Optional: sprinkle the excess brown sugar mix on the chicken after coating the chicken
3. Bake uncovered for 15-25 minutes, or until juices run clear and internal temperature is 165°F.
I had to cut into the chicken to make sure it was fully cooked because my meat thermometer wasn't working properly

Enjoy! 
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