Ahhh! It's What? Already?!

Wow! I have been so busy with school that it slipped past me to post here! Bad me! Bad Me!

I have my final faculty critique on March 4, so I've pretty well lost my mind I think. I'm hoping to have all my work pretty well done by then. The opening for the exhibition is Mar 28, I want that time in between to make any final tweeks with out running to the last darn min.  I'm fairly well on track time wise with my work, but it means I don't have much time for fun. Still need to take care of my household and I'm not content if I don't do that.  I try to take at least one day a week off, so I can spend time with my husband.

This weekend I need to finish getting some things ready for electro-forming on Monday. By the end of the week I hope to have that done, a cushion sewn, and another large sculptural piece finished.  I'm not insane, right?

So, all this means I've not been doing anything fun fibery related. No time, or my hands are to tired/sore to want to do any when I do have some time.  My husband and I have been trading off meals and they've all been simple quick things mostly. But I was treated to homemade California rolls one night by a friend. That was an awesome treat.

Other things epically throwing a wrench in my time? My car being a butt and dying. Mind you, it's our only car. The battery was dying. We eventually where able to replace it. But not till after spending the week going,. ok why is the battery half dead? is it this bitter cold killing it? no.. it was just old. Duh!
Then the other day, my husband ends up going to the ER at 6 am from work. :( Epic bad bad bad panic attack. This left me at home with no car and our car at his work and him in the hospital... that was a fun dynamic. I did get a ride a squared it all away. He know has a Doc appointment and is doing ok. But it's still a big ball of stress when it happens.

In other news, my grandfather brought me an air compressor and nail gun. Why? Cause he bought him self a new one on a super sale! Not that there was anything wrong with the "old" ones. I think I'm just a good excuse for him to get new toys. lol.  I guess it's good to be a sculpture/metalsmith.  Did I ever mention I'm actually really good with wood? hahaha.  This just allows me to do more fun stuff.  I wonder when I'm going to inherit a table saw, drill press, and sander? that would be useful.  I actually own a really nice table saw blade.  Unfortunately I don't really have a place to easily put those things to use them. More than half my basement is finished and this would all just make a bad mess of it. But darn it, I love doing mixed media work. I love my metals though so much too... and fiber.. lol.

Nom Nom of the Moment
Well, I thought that even though I'm not doing epic awesome cooking as much right now I would still share A recipe. I have some friends who like me need to only cook for one or two. So I'm going to share a simple meal scaled for that. 

Garlic Potatoes  serves 2
2 potato's
2 tbs butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt

Quarter the potatoes length wise (peeling optional), and boil them for 10 mins. drain well. While the potatoes are on to boil, preheat the oven to 350F.
Melt the butter and place it into a baking pan, add the garlic and potato strips and toss/turn them to coat. Sprinkle with salt.  Bake in the oven for about 45 mins, turning them at least one. They should be a golden color. :)

Oven Fried Chicken serves 2
1.5 lb Chicken Pieces
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (not from the can...)
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Salt
pepper
1/4 cup Buttermilk
butter for greasing a baking dish

Preheat the oven to 350F, butter a baking dish.
Rinse off the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the bread crumbs with the cheese and seasonings.  Dip the chicken in the buttermilk and then roll/dredge it in the breadcrumb mix. Place in you baking dish.   Bake for 1 hour.

For both recipes, make sure your baking dish is just large enough so that your things have room to cook. A single layer for the potatoes and enough so the chicken isn't touching each other, also, use SEPARATE baking dishes. :)  We don't want any cross food contamination.  If you have any questions, leave me comment and I will happily respond!    Oh, this chicken would be awesome to take on a picnic too!

Happy Nomming!

What? A Head Cold? Bleh.

Yep, that's right I have a head cold that is refusing to hit the road. If course, it could be a sinus infection. I'm pretty good at getting those too. Either way, it's annoying.  It started last Saturday (16th) after a couple days it let up and I thought it was going away, I was wrong. It's lingering and refusing to check out. Because of the constant head ache and ear ache I'm leaning towards my sinuses being infected. GER!

Well even though I've not been fully functioning at my best I have still been working on my metal work and knitting. Wed. I ordered more wire and was very surprised to have it arrive the next day! I went right to work with it only to have to problem solve, after problem solve, after problem solve. UG.  I REFUSE to give up. I WILL have a finished piece. Tomorrow is the day I will get everything to work together. I'm sure of it.
Today I went into campus to help my Professor set up and get ready for his gallery exhibit that opens Tuesday.  Being there has put some pep back into my heart, to try harder and to see my concept come to fruition as a finished work. So, here's to hoping for a very productive day tomorrow in my studio and not a day frustration.

Fiber Basket
Knitting wise I have been pretty darn productive. I have been stuck on the couch a bit with the not feeling well. This is good for knitting, till I'm too woozy to see straight. HA!  Well, I finished a hat, and a scarf! I finished the horizontal cabled band on another hat too. I need to pick up 152 stitches on it now to knit the top.  I tried to finish my little house hippo out of the orange Wollmeise that I have.. UG I simply CAN'T do it. I'm HATING the WM. I know blasphemy to so many. I do not like knitting with it. I don't want the yarn to ruin the project for me so I've set it aside again. I'm going to pick out a different yarn that I have some scraps left of and make my House Hippo out of that. I have some bright blue safety eyes for it too.

Nom Nom of the Moment

I don't have a nom right this very second to share, but I am watching the show "Worst Cooks in America" on Food Network. I'm a bit floored by some of it, I kind of turn my head sideways and go ehh beehhh whhaaa??  At the mistakes that the contestants make. I understand that cooking doesn't work for everyone but I've not been subjected to those people. Those around me that lack in the cooking ability always leave it at that. They don't cook.  I can't recall a time that I didn't want to help in the kitchen. I remember standing on chairs to help.  HA! I remember standing on chairs to wash the dishes! Doing chores and cooking at a young age, I assure you, did me nothing but GOOD!  I love to cook! I get the idea to make something, I will go through my shelf of cookbooks comparing variations of a recipe before I settle on how I'm cooking it. Usually, tis a success! Woot! 

I did make some whole wheat chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday. It was my first time using whole wheat flour.  You see, I tested positive for having a Barley allergy back in August. We tested it among many other foods with an elimination diet afterwards. Barley had to go.  Standard all purpose flour is allowed to have up to 25% barley flour added to it. To my dismay most all purpose flours at my local supermarket have it.  Along with most EVERY BAKED GOOD out there. I'm now constantly found reading labels and sadly putting something back on the shelf.    So the cookies felt like a treat and they where good. Even my husband loved them. (he can be a picky bugger)

To give an idea of my dietary frustration I think that maybe I should tell you my restrictions. It will help you to understand why some future recipes may seem.... odd. Or different.
Food Allergy List:
Barley (Malt, Malted barley flour, Barley flour...) this is everywhere
Beef
Chicken (but not eggs oddly enough)
Raw Tomato
Bell Pepper ( I plan to re-test this one soon on the elimination diet)
Banana
Grapefruit
Strawberry
Mango
Cashew
Walnut
Almond

I also no-longer have a gallbladder. So about a year after surgery and I was having some other odd dietary issues and hives... My doctor sent me to an allergist.  Between a bad gallbladder and allergies, no wonder I was sick so much and just outright cranky! Now that I no longer have the pain of the gallbladder and the misery of allergies, life has become much more enjoyable. Knowing what you are allergic to is half the battle, once you know it you can take the steps to avoid those things.

~Hugs~

Hello World!

Hello! I’d like to introduce my new blog, I’ve tried to blog before with no direction,” Married, with Furballs”. My previous blog went no-where, I never knew what to post and when I did I felt silly because I was rarely posting anyways so why bother? Well I’d like to rectify that. Starting with my blogs title! The title happened this past week while I was happily sitting on the couch after a day of accomplishing some domestic house duties, which I enjoy doing I might add. I’m married and I have 3 furry pets plus a decent fiber stash. So “Married, with Furballs” encompasses a lot of different “furballs”. 2 cats, a dwarf hamster, a fabric stash, a yarn stash, and a fleece/spinning fiber stash. I really enjoy and take pride in keeping my house too. Though, sometimes it does get past me if I’ve been super busy with school or work things. Do not think that my home is Sparkling, I have my off days.

I mentioned school; I’m in my final semester of a B.F.A degree in metalsmithing. My specialty in metals seems to be becoming fine filigree work. I do appreciate the other forms of metal work as I also like to work in pewter. Well ok. I do small sculpture and filigree jewelry right now. I really hope to learn to set cut gems soon and would absolutely love to learn enamel work. One step at a time and one day at a time though. I don’t have my own torch set up yet in my personal studio here at home. Soon enough, then I will get to some basic enamel work. Can’t wait! I have my first exhibition gallery show in the end of March this year, the artist opening is April 1st. I’m hoping it being on April fool’s day means nothing. *crosses fingers* So far everything is going real well for me in regards to the show. I don’t plan to post any of my work on here though till closer to show time; don’t want to ruin it you know. ;)

I hope to regularly share recipes of things I recently made here in my blog. I think I shall call this section Nom Nom of the moment. It could be daily or weekly, not sure yet. It will probably happen as the Noms happen. I love to cook and I have to substitute ingredients regularly for dietary allergies. So many things I make are personal concoctions or hodgepodges of having read 10 other things to come up with one. I won’t post it unless it meets Nommy criteria! So here we go…

Nom Nom of the moment!


Turkey Meatballs with a kick.
Makes 12 golf ball sized meatballs (Serves 4)

1 pound plain ground turkey
1/2 a medium onion minced
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 garlic powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9 x 13 jellyroll pan with foil. (it’s the baking sheet with a raised rim)

2. Using your hands (don’t forget to take off your rings!), mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Then shape the meat mush into balls the size of golf balls (about 1.5 inches) in your hands and arrange them on the lined baking sheet.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for 15 minutes.

Enjoy on your favorite spaghetti or cut them in half to make into meatball sandwiches with your favorite red sauce! I might add some mozzarella cheese slices if I had it in a sandwich.

Fiber Basket
In this section I’m going to talk about my fiber love… projects I have going and so forth. Whether it is a sewing, knitting, weaving, or spinning related thing; if it’s fiber, here it will be.

Knitting… oh dear. I just looked and it seems I have 7ish things on the needles waiting to be finished. I seriously need to finish one of them very soon as it is to be a gift for a friend whom is due in … 5 weeks? I don’t want to say specifically what it is as I want it to be a surprise, just in case they see this. The other items include 3 hats, a tiny plushie, a shawl, and a pair of socks. I should really get on top of this knitting!

The hats stories go like this. One was going to be a Christmas gift but I didn’t start it till after the school semester was over, well that was the doom, I had too much other stuff going on to get it finished. It’s about halfway. Another is a heavily cabled wonder I was working on in scrumptious misti alpaca in a crème color. It was set down and forgotten. The third I started in October and is very simple mindless knitting. It’s my travel project. Except I’m always the one driving. Ha!

The shawl? Well the yarn it turns out I’m not thrilled with at all. I will probably still finish it though. I think I will love it when I’m done, I’m just not enjoying working with the yarn. I see knots in the skein for one thing.

The tiny plushie? Well I realized I had no eyes for it after I made the head and set it aside in my desk drawer. Someone sent me awesome blue eyes for it and I added them to the drawer so the kitten wouldn’t run off with them. They are still there.

Those evil socks…. I knit one and realized that even though I was on gauge and knitting the pattern as stated for my size they where WAY TO BIG AROUND!!!!! They fit my Husband… that bad. So I lengthened them. One is done and I’m to the heel flap of the second. I work on them every now and then. I have little heart to work hard on them as they would have been the first pair of socks for ME. ME ME ME!!! But they aren’t now, so it’s disappointing a bit sometimes to work on them. Though, my husband loves them a lot already. That’s what has my heart back into working on them. But they are pretty plain socks to work. One problem, It has taken me a year to knit one.

So maybe I can use blogging to help push myself to finish these darn knitting projects. There is a Shawl I really want to knit and I’ve decided I absolutely cannot start it till I finish up this mess of knitting. No if ands or buts about it! So maybe you guys can help keep me inline and knitting! I sure hope so.

I will be trying to post at the very least weekly, if I manage daily to every other day that would be epic. So here’s to a fresh start and a New Year!

~Hugs~