Ewwww.....

Ok, so two things... the first is that I pulled a ridiculously large dog tick off one of my cats today. She's an indoor/outdoor cat (out during the day so she can molest and digest small woodland creatures and inside at night so she can sleep on my head) and I was petting her when I felt a large pebble lodged on her neck. Now, usually pebbles don't lodge themselves on a cat's neck, so I inspected it a little further and saw what appeared to be a greenish-grayish pebble the size of a penny. I managed to pop it off (freaking out the ENTIRE TIME) and called my vet to find out that dog ticks don't carry lyme disease. Whew. I have her on Advantage, but apparently the kind I use doesn't cover ticks. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

Ew.

THEN, I go to pick up my toddler (who spent a wonderful week with his grandparents at Disney) and they gave me back a defective model. I gave them a healthy child and they returned a child running a fever with a clogged nose. No thank you, I don't accept returns for defective merchandise!!!

I'll be honest when I say this is the *second* time in his three years that he's been sick. Of course, they stuffed him with *way* too much junk food (well, I'm an organic nutjob... so any junk food is bad), took him to Disney way to much and he didn't sleep nearly enough -- no wonder he got sick! I think he went to bed at 7 pm tonight he was so sick, the poor kid (though the sickness didn't stop him from running around my house like a maniac a few hours earlier).

*sigh*

Molly, our Great Dane, came out of her spay surgery just fine... but she's not liking the Buster collar one bit -- the first time I tried to put it on she freaked out and started running around like a crazy dog... and she's a licker... I don't know how I'll be able to keep her away from her stitches. She's been mopey and tired today, though, so I'll try the collar again tomorrow.

Anyway, before the chaos of the tick, sick toddler and mopey dog, I managed to finish up our latest custom project -- a memory blanket that will be a Christmas gift (don't worry, I know they don't read this blog... Hey... does anyone read this blog?). I did it without sashing (which, in my opinion, is *harder* because tshirts have a tendency to stretch and it's hard to get the corners to mesh nicely). I tried to get the green and gold of USF, but the gold was a little off -- it was either this or yellow... I think the mustard is more "gold" than yellow, I so chose a nice soft fleece to match with the hunter green snuggle flannel.

Let me know what you think!

Oh, AND, I added new items to my Art Fire listings:

Amy Butler Coriander and Paisley Blanket
Heather Bailey Pop Garden Blanket
Winnie the Pooh Blanket
"Pretty in Pink" Burp Cloth and Bib Gift Set

I'll be adding MORE items over the weekend *and* I'll be writing a few articles for their "Art Daily" newsletter... I'll post the link when I'm published :)

Take care and have a wonderful day !!!

Jen

PS: We'll be at Homegrown for the Holidays -- a local artisan-based craft fair in Orlando on December 20th. More info tomorrow :)

Yay :)

Today will be a busy day... I have to finish up the latest memory quilt -- pictures to come -- start on a few other projects, my son is coming home from grandma's house and my puppy is off to get spayed.

Whew... I'll post pictures of the FANTASTIC new fabric I've gotten lately and my finished projects soon.

Oh, and I'm going to be the featured artist on Art Fire soon... so keep your eyes out!!!

Take care!

Jen

Check this out...

Ok, I don't really know how accurate her "facts" are, but this is an interesting video that makes a *lot* of sense when you sit down and think about our culture.

Story of Stuff

At 20 minutes, it's a bit long... but it's fast-paced and fascinating. These concepts are really a large part in why I've gone more organic through the years and stopped buying so much *stuff* ...

Take care and let me know what you think!

Jen

Now for something positive!

I am seriously stoked about a new place I have found lately -- it's a handmade website called Art Fire. They seem like they took everything I dislike about Etsy and fixed it -- creating a whole website with a great search function and a fun atmosphere. The admins are very active and the whole place keeps getting better and better. I really like the people there.

You can bet your bippie that I'll be adding a whole schmeal of stuff to that site soon!



I did jump right in and buy a Verified Account badge -- they're offering around 4,000 more at the discounted price of $7 / month for the life of your membership. It entitles you to 10 pictures, a blog, access to the guilds and *so* much more! It's really not a bad cost when you think about it -- plus you get a Charter Member badge for your profile. Oh, and did I mention there are no fees? No listing, no selling, no fees at all. How refreshing!

If you do decide to join Art Fire and become verified, please let them know that you heard about it from me. Why? I'm not shy -- if I refer 10 people who become verified members, I'll get a free membership FOR LIFE. I think it's a great way of drumming up interest in a fledgling online venture. My link for referrals is below, or you can simply type in my user name: MadeByMoms.



Also, I have a new marketing and promotion site at My Craft. If you're on My Craft, come and be my friend!

Anyway, what do you think about Art Fire? Positives? Negatives? The traffic is low, but it's a new venture. I feel with the right amount of marketing and promotion, traffic will be up in a bit.

Comments? Discuss!

HELP SAVE HANDMADE ITEMS FOR CHILDREN!

Please, everyone, spread the word... talk to your congressman or woman and help save us small handmade artisans !!

Why the plea for help? Apparently, back in August 2008 a new law was signed on to the books -- the Consumers Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). It mandates that EVERY single manufacturer of items for children under the age of 12 must test every component of their items at certified testing labs for levels of lead and phthalates. This means that every ribbon, every fabric, every button, every bead -- everything that goes into my items will have to be tested for lead. This will cost hundreds of dollars per test and would effectively put me, and most other small businesses catering to children completely out of business. We can't even rely on suppliers testing their materials (which, it should be THEIR responsibility ANYWAY), the onus of certification is on our head. The cost of noncompliance? Thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time.

My choice is between completely shutting my doors or violating the law.

Please check out the following websites for more information :

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/ (this site has an option to sign a petition! Sign it PLEASE)
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/ (has good information in their Recent Posts)
http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html

If you like buying handmade and supporting local artisans, please rally to this cause. While I am the first one to admit that there are far too many chemicals in our lives today, it shouldn't be the job of small business manufacturers to test. Testing should be done in batches by the large-scale manufacturers. It's sheer stupidity that if I and three friends go to a fabric store and each buy three yards of the *same* fabric, we'd each be forced to run the same tests for lead and phthalates. If the manufacturer batch tests their fabric to conform to the new safety regulations that SHOULD BE ENOUGH. No need to shift the onus to July Seamstress or Bobby Wooden Toy Maker.

This is far-reaching regulation. It impacts everyone -- you make hair bows? Wooden toys? Felt toys? Stuffed animals? You crochet baby clothing? Make blankets? Bibs? Burp cloths? Knit baby booties? How about child's clothing? Stockings? Socks?

Do you make, or know someone who makes ANYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE USED BY A CHILD UNDER 12? They will be impacted by this.

Please help, fixing this legislation is the only way to keep reputable businesses from choosing to close down or operate outside the law.

Thank you!

Jen

New auctions on Ebay...

Ok, so I've held off on doing this for a while... but I feel like I need to try and sell on Ebay. I know, I know, the dark side with crushing fees, but so much stuff sells on there... I figured I'd splurge about $3.00 in fees and list two items.

One is my satin and cream blanket, listed here.

The other is a burp cloth, bib and blanket gift set in Michael Miller's Retro Rocket print, here.

Both auctions end around the same time -- December 16th at 12:50ish EST. So about 6 days and 22 hours, lol. With the satin blanket, we'll donate 10% (or minimum of $5) to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and with the gift set we'll donate 5%. We are also still doing the "Donate 1 can for every $5 you spend" promotion, so make sure to keep us in mind for holiday gifts.

Have a great day and don't forget to check those auctions out!!!

Jen

Recipe Time -- Rum-flavored Cheesecake, a perennial favorite!

Ok, so I know I promised some major recipes when I started this blog and, months in, I have yet to deliver. Bad Jennifer, I know! Anyway, I thought I'd post a holiday favorite in my household -- my rum cheesecake. It's an old recipe that I've adapted throughout the years and goes wonderfully paired with either a chocolate or caramel sauce. If you're a novice cheesecake baker, make sure to read up on both cooking methods to see which one you'd like to try (you should always read the whole recipe first, but you already know that ;) )...

Anywhere, here goes...

Ingredients:

1 c finely crushed chocolate wafer or shortbread cookies, (about 10 - 13)
3 T dark brown sugar, packed
2 T unsalted butter, melted
5 packages cream cheese, softened (40 oz)
1 1/4 c sugar
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
1 T rum extract
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves
3 eggs

Notes:

*You can usually find chocolate wafers in the ice cream aisle of Publix, next to the hot fudge sauce and marashino cherries. Some grocery stores don't stock these cookies and some only stock them around the holidays, so call around to find them -- the brand is Nabisco and the name is "Famous Chocolate Wafers" . Worse comes to worse, you can find them online.

*You'll be able to find "Imitation Rum Extract" in the baking aisle near the other extracts like vanilla, almond and peppermint. Don't use real rum because it's not concentrated enough to pack in the flavor and if you use too much rum your cheesecake won't set.

*It's always best to use fresh, whole spices -- grate a cinnamon stick and put nutmeg through a mill.

*Best way of cooking? I'll give two directions, one for normal bake and one for a waterbath. The difference? Waterbaths don't produce the heavy, dense cheesecakes that normal baking does. They are a little lighter and a little more moist, with a less intense flavor -- which is better? Personal preference. Also, water baths have a tendency to avoid the cracks along the top (which are caused by overbaking and cooling too quickly) -- it's not a guarantee, though, just less likely to happen. Also, your crust won't be as crisp (as it's been almost steamed) in a water bath vs. the traditional cheesecake cooking method. So, in all? The waterbath method makes it easier to produce evenly baked cheesecakes with no cracks *but* it will yield a softer, more moist cheesecake that occasionally lacks the deep, intense flavor that many people love about cheesecakes!

* If you're doing the waterbath method, wrap the cheesecake with ONE PIECE of aluminum foil and wrap it tightly. DO NOT USE TWO PIECES IF YOUR ALUMINUM ISN"T LARGE ENOUGH, go out and buy extra-large foil. It needs to reach all the way up every side to prevent water from seeping in and ruining your cheesecake. You might even want to double-wrap to ensure no water gets in. This is the biggest problem people have when making cheesecakes and it'll even happen if you're careful if you accidently break a hole in your foil (yes, this did happen to me).

*If you like crispier cheesecake crusts you can bake your crust first. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before adding filling.

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and take out a 9" Springform pan. If using the water bath method, wrap with foil now.

2. Mix cookies, butter and brown sugar by hand. Press into the bottom of the pan. Follow directions above if you'd like to prebake your crust, otherwise set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer, beat your cream cheese (medium-low to medium speed) just until smooth (only a minute or so, as it should be softened already). Scrape the sides and add in the sugar, cream, rum extract and spices. Beat on Medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 1 - 2 minutes), scraping the sides to avoid lumps. Beat the eggs in on Low speed, one at a time, until well blended.

4. Pour over crust and smooth the top.

**NORMAL METHOD: Place pan on a baking sheet (this will make it easier to hold and it'll catch the grease that will escape from the pan, making your oven less messy) and put into the oven (middle rack, please). Bake until the sides of the cheesecake are set, but the center still jiggles a little when the pan is tapped (about an hour but start checking the cheesecake at 50 minutes to avoid overbaking... can be as long as 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your oven). Be careful not to overcook or your cheesecake will crack. Prop the door open a little and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour or so. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Put on a rack and let cool completely before unmolding.

**WATERBATH METHOD: Set the wrapped pan in a large roasting pan or baking dish and place in the oven (middle rack, please). Pour boiling water (or extremely hot water) into the baking dish, being careful not to get it on your cheesecake, enough to come 1/2 way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for around 55 - 60 minutes, or until the edges look puffed but the center still jiggles a little when pan is tapped. Waterbath baking is a little more forgiving than normal baking, so don't worry if you think you've left it in too long. Prop the door open and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour or so. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Put on a rack and let cook completely before unmolding.

5. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours, at least, but 24 hours is best.

Cracked your cheesecake? Don't worry, it happens to the best of us... cheesecakes are finicky creatures and don't believe anyone who says they can produce a perfect, non-cracked cheesecake every single time -- they're lying. I've been baking cheesecakes for eight years and I *still* get cracks occasionally. IF you crack your cheesecake, don't worry... steal a trick from professional bakers and cover the cheesecake with something. Chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, fruit -- no one will notice because your cheesecake will look fantastic!

So, how was it? If anyone tries this recipe, please let me know. How was the recipe? Easy to follow? Clear and concise?

Let me know by rating and happy eating everyone!

Jen