Mexican Sugar Skulls

All finished, as you can see, we went the lazy route and used glitter glue instead of making royal icing for the decorating. It doesn't look quite right because the moisture from the glue seeps down into the sugar (kind of like pee in the snow). I do like the way the sequins and sticker gems look though. The sequin pack had all sorts of other shapes included- like the baby bottle someone put in the skulls mouth in the lower right hand corner...

The good part about using glitter glue was that I was fine leaving the project out on the table all day, the kids would stop to decorate a few, then move along- it was less messy, less supervision necessary, easier perhaps than royal icing.
Happy Halloween and Day of the Dead!

Mexican Sugar Skulls

We haven't done much in the way of Halloween fun with the move and all- in fact, the kids are even wearing costumes made in previous years- unprecendented in this house... I don't think I could have made costumes this year if I'd wanted to, everything sewing and crafty is still in boxes, somewhere. So, when Q had a assignment to make Day of the Dead Mexican Sugar Skulls for her Spanish class, I was relieved that we already had the molds and I was able to find them.

Super- duper easy, just make sure you have meringue powder handy (get it at the craft or grocery store), and a 5 lb. bag of sugar. I think I got the molds on Olvera St. in LA a couple of years ago, or you can order them here.

They need about 8 hours of drying time before they are hard enough to decorate and not crumble when touched. We've got to get some royal icing mixed up today, dig out the glitter glue and sequins from a box somewhere and do some after school decorating. I hope we can make some cute enough that we want to preserve them for posterity. As I recall, the last time we made them, they were all tossed in the trash Nov 2 because they all looked like a preschool (with no supervision) art project. I believe the key is to use the tiniest tip when putting on the icing details, or give up being a purist and use puff paint... stay posted.

basil

I got the last of the basil harvested just in time, the temperatures dropped this past weekend and there's about two inches of snow on the ground right now. Feels like Christmas, not the week of Halloween.  These leaves look a little hammered, but they'll taste just fine.

I made 3 batches of pesto until I ran out of olive oil. I freeze them in ice cube trays or small plastic storage containers (like the one in the picture)- to use throughout the winter months.
With the last pile of basil leaves ready to go, I  realized I was out of olive oil. Not in the mood to run to the store or borrow anything else from our new neighbors (until they borrow something back from us, we are up 2 eggs) I searched the cupboards for possible substitutes and found a bottle of walnut oil. I did a little research and found this recipe:

Walnut Oil Pesto:
3 cups basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnut oil
salt, to taste
Blend all ingredients in the blender or food processor.

Here is the pesto recipe I usually use:
Pesto Sauce:
1 c. fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
coarse or rock salt, just a sprinkle
2 tbsp pine nuts (giant bags available at costo)
1/2 c. olive oil
4 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp pecorino cheese or more parmesan
Place basil, garlic, salt, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. add olive oil with motor running, the add cheese. blend one more time until ingredients are mixed well.

Basically the same, excepting the pine nuts when you use walnut oil instead of olive oil, this might be a good pesto option these days as the price of pine nuts soars so high even Costco has stopped carrying them.
Just a note in case you're entertaining or trying to impress your diners- the walnut oil pesto browned noticeably quicker than the traditional recipe. Otherwise, the taste is basically the same.

This bowl full of lunch may not look very delicious- but it is. It's is my favorite way to eat pesto these days- with spaghetti squash instead of pasta, then mix in whatever else you have handy- some protein (salmon, tuna, ham, soy beans...) and more vegetables (tomatoes, green beans, peas...). Delicious.
I've finally arrived at the year when all of the kids are in school all day... a mom milestone... this means I can catch up on the Sunday New York Times (that takes me all week to get through) over lunch.

basement, underway-

Top o' the list on moving into this house was finishing the basement, otherwise, we've just moved into a house smaller than the first when we are still growing. So... here we go.
The space is about 2000 sq. feet. What we need is:
- family room
- 2 bedrooms
- bathroom
- art/craft room, sewing room
- storage
No plans for the basement exist, so we get to make it up as we go. This is harder than you think. First, you have to factor in things that cannot be changed like 2 load bearing walls and window placement, the rest is up to us- how many rooms and for what, traffic flow, storage space and closet size, bathroom layout... does the plan we've drawn up make sense? If we were to resell the house would the basement we've finished be a selling point or send people running the other way?
Anyway, I'm really trying to do my best as a jr. architect...
Here's what we've accomplished in a week, thanks to some wonderful subcontractors (and a slow economy)- all the framing is in, ductwork for heating and the gas fireplace in the family room. There is a gas fireplace in the master bedroom upstairs, (along with an awesome bathroom, both major selling points) we decided it would be wise to cozy up the family room/commons room, share the love in the basement too.

A very patient plumber did lots of jackhammering to find the right pipes and get ready to put in the right places. Call me naive or crazy, but I had no idea that this sort of under concrete searching happens all the time when finishing basements. I am kind of in awe that pipes set in concrete can be so readily shifted and moved around. The bathroom ended up rather large, so, we've divided it up- tub and toilet in one part and 2 sinks and vanity will be in the other part. This will be the teens/kids bathroom, divided up space should help keep everyone happy.

We added some angled walls to match a couple of similar walls upstairs. I really like the the way they turned out, it looks much better than square and should make things flow better, visually and physically. Straight ahead is a cold storage area (under the front porch) crammed full of stuff waiting for it's rightful place. This closet will stay concrete, shelved and a metal door added, to keep things cold.

Next on the list is electrical/TV/phone, finishing up moving the plumbing and patching the concrete, running gas lines for another hot water heater and the fireplace, bathtub installed then framing around the tub, framing around ductwork in the ceiling to prep for sheetrock. Here's hoping we can check all of those off by the end of this week.

hot pots

As the winter approaches, I get more excited about the 110 ° F/ 43 ° C  hot spring here in Midway. (Just for reference,  hot tubs max out at 104 ° F.)  I haven't been all the way in yet, unlike Steve O (as you can see here) who likes to swim laps while everyone watches- jaws agape, very impressed.
It might be cold enough this weekend for a momentary soak, longer if I can stand it. Mind over matter folks,  it's all in your head...
...have a great weekend everyone.
Thanks for the picture Munn!

bike thief

I've had a few bikes stolen throughout my lifetime and I feel like I can relate to this ad. Stealing a bike is the bottom of the heap, in my opinion- don't even get Steve O started on the subject...
Although, I do want my bikes back, especially the tandem. Whoever stole it can take a long walk on a short pier, and their passenger too.

moving to the country

The mist over Deer Creek Reservoir and Mt. Timpanogos, 8:17am.

draperies

I ended up finding some fabric I liked at Urban Outfitters, sewn into the shape of a duvet. I spent entirely too much time picking out the seams (instead of just cutting the seams/edges off), but then I was glad I did- I ended up needing every last inch of fabric for the windows I wanted to cover.
As a sewer, I've always loved the fabric panels at Urban Outfitters, I didn't see any on this last trip, word is, now you have to purchase them online.

I had these clippys from Ikea (they can be purchased anywhere) leftover from some other project at the other house, and my some miracle was able to locate them when I finally need them. So easy to use, especially for lightweight cotton curtains like these. They might not work as well for something heavier. In the end all you need is a piece of fabric, no fancy sewing on curtain holder-oners on top.
I went back to Ikea to find curtain rods- the trouble was finding one long enough. I think there was only one available (or maybe just one I liked) for a window 107" long. Then I found this one at Target, maximum length- 120"- I like it better too.

There are even cute little tie backs that match, I just haven't put them up yet.

In the end, the full/queen duvet didn't quite give me enough fabric to completely cover all the windows. It works out fine because we've got blinds coming for the big window next week. The sliding glass door is the important part and those curtains cover completely. Really, we are not the blind or curtain closing family, but now at least we'll have options, and a bit less echo when kids start getting loud.

iplunger

I've been searching around the internet, and driving around town, looking for an affordable area rug that I really like (not an easy job) and some curtain inspiration before our new neighbors get weirded out by us and our naked windows. Along with some really groovy home furnishings under the heading "apartments" (perhaps I should grow up and look for something more mature to decorate the house with...) I came across the iplunger at Urban Outfitters.
Here's the stocking stuffer of the year my friends- for 6 bucks, why wouldn't you?

19 wonderful years

Today, we have been married 19 years. I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.
This isn't our engagement picture, but one from the roll of film shot that day. Can you see why we didn't use it? This picture says so much, and is wrong for so many reasons-  First of all- what is with my dress? It used to be one of my favorites, I wore it all of the time- in this picture I could have weighted 200 lbs. or 100 lbs. (OK, maybe not quite 100 lbs.) and no one would ever know. How am I suppose to gauge how I'm doing 19 years later with a fit like that?
Then there are Steve O's ripped jeans, this speaks volumes for family history and fashion buffs alike...
The crazy face? Funny, I've seen Steve O pull many faces since, but I don't think I've ever seen this one again- he sure does love getting his picture taken.
Ahh- good times, these 19 years, I wouldn't change the last 15 for anything (this is his joke, not mine).
Happy Anniversary dear.

Moved, done/finished.

We did it. We've gotten all of our belongings from Springville to Midway. This is way, way easier said than done. For those of you who have moved in the last year or so, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't moved recently than the only way I can describe it would be to relate it to natural childbirth. After each of my children were born I swore I would never ever have any more children. Then time passes, you forget the pain and suffering of labor and delivery and next thing you know- a couple of years later, you're pregnant again. I'm telling you- moving feels the same way. It's this massive mental, emotional and physical effort, that I'll soon forget I'm sure, which is why I'm writing this. To remind myself to never do it again (or at least not for a few years).
While things on the main level of the house are getting themselves sorted out and put away, this is what the basement and my sewing room look like. This is actually about 1/32 of the boxes and tubs of sewing and crafting goods I brought with me. I hope it feels like Christmas and not like yard sale leftovers when I get to open these boxes again in a few months. Onward, to the next chapter- finishing the basement.

And some more supplies of mine, waiting patiently in the garage for their rightful place. Anyone need a almost brand-new microwave before I list it on KSL?

absolutely inappropriate

Once again, moving puts you in touch with all sorts of things you forgot you had. Like a pack or two of candy cigarettes- most likely nearly petrified. It's funny to think back on my childhood and remember buying packs of candy cigarettes any time I was at the candy store without parental supervision, doing these very same moves. Ahh, the good old days...
Just kidding, of course, after this picture there was a mini-class on the perils of such behavior and how candy or real cigarettes can ruin lives, families, hopes and dreams- just like the lecture I got when caught fake smoking by my parents. The circle-of-life folks, circle-of-life.