Boredom in the craft room

My first attempt at using fantasy film. It burns a little faster than I anticipated, but all in all I like it.

Once again, I remind myself that even though I have a million fricking punches, I lack flower shaped ones. I still like these though. Pages from an altered book that I ripped out, now flowers. :)

The nest turned out alright, I saw the idea on cut out and keep for a wire nest today on my lunch break, this turned out okay for my first try.

Second try with soldering, my iron was acting up. McHottness thinks I need a higher temp one. We'll see. I plan to keep playing with this, so I may need to upgrade that.

Saw a necklace and tried to recreate it

Lessons learned: Need to make the books thicker. Perhaps find different colors for covers too. All in all though, it turned out okay.

Took pages from a book I'd altered (the pages were ripped out) and cut them to fit. Bottom book is fake leather with cardboard base cover, other two are fabric alone. Wire through the middle.

Finally broke out the new soldering iron

The petition is up to almost 25 THOUSAND!!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/first-mortgage-corporation-dont-foreclose-on-a-disabled-schoolteacher

Thank you so much to everyone who has signed.

New curio

Took scanned images of newspapers from the early 1900's and printed them in 1/12th scale to cover the box. Teeth are fossiled shark teeth (small obviously). Bird skull, not sure what species (I keep random skulls and bones in my art room). Wish bone from a bantam chicken. Beetle compliments of McHottnes trapping weird bugs for me on the porch, lol. Shells, drift wood and rocks from our recent Morro Bay camping trip. Butterfly is an antique button...

Hung this up in my art room. :)

Little alteration

I had this odd little picture frame for a couple years, never bothered to put pictures in it. Decided to pretty it up. I used copper paint and patina, then added little collages to both sides. :) I like it better now.

The Occupy Movement in support of my mom

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/murrieta/murrieta-occupy-our-homes-movement-rallies-around-potential-murrieta-foreclosure/article_cbc9de44-815c-5cc0-9c0b-5f36cac7dab2.html

This is one of several articles from yesterdays occupy. I can't thank everyone enough for coming out! The Occupy San Diego movement, the ACCE and everyone who took time out of their lives to show support for a stranger in need of help. You guys are amazing and I am humbled. Thank you.

Some pics from the event  are up here:
http://occupysdphotography.tumblr.com/post/14306323412/occupyourhomes-disabled-teacher-hosts-one-night

News conference on Thursday

https://www.facebook.com/events/215913818487050/

There will be a news event at my mom's on Thursday!!!!

Holiday party time

Yes, year 5 of the Hunter party. :)

I will be on the news tonight

www.10news.com

Michael Chen came out today to interview my mom and I about her house situation! It will be on the 7pm broadcast, you can watch it online if you aren't local.

Also, we are up over 2500 signatures on Change.org!!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/first-mortgage-corporation-dont-foreclose-on-a-disabled-schoolteacher

Amazing updates with my mom's house

http://www.change.org/petitions/first-mortgage-corporation-dont-foreclose-on-a-disabled-schoolteacher

HUD agreed to add another 90 day hold to First Mortgage while we sort out this mess and save my moms' house!
Change.org has listed my mom's petition in the featured section and has done a press release about it. It was even in the email they send out. (Thank you to my dear 'adopted' munchkin for that find.)

Additionally, Occupy Wall Street in New York is issuing a press release about my mother today in honor of action against foreclosures, and the OB Rag will be talking about my mother at the San Diego Occupy  Rally as well. The Occupy Homes movement has committed to being at her house if it comes to that (which I sincerely hope to avoid by saving her house prior to that) but it is nice to know that there will be a mob blocking if need be.

I am so happy I have been nearly bunny hopping all day. This has been amazing. We will be doing a live broadcast from my mothers home on the 15th, I will link it here.

While dealing with First Mortgage Corporation in trying to help my mom, it made me question how anyone could be such a soulless monster such as the VP of Loss Mitigation for First Mortgage Joe Sanders (His contact information is in a previous post by the way). I might post some of his emails later for examples. Things like this restore my faith in humanity. Several people have suggested occupying First Mortgage's corporate office and I am kind of hoping that happens.  :)

This is why my husband's co workers love me.

It is that time of year again. When I bake more than normal...

The caramel recipe was in a previous post, I added 3/4 c. walnuts to this.

Andes mint cookies:

2 1/4 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 c butter

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

4 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 c andes mints chopped up

Oven 375, stir flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt together and set aside. Beat butter with sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs mixing until incorporated. Blend dry and wet ingredients, add andes mints at the end. Bake 9-10 minutes until golden.

(Hint; Take them out when they look 'almost' done and they will be chewy and not get too dry.)

Universal day

My boys took me to Universal to celebrate my B-day a little late. The Toad is almost as tall as his dad and I now... Crazy.

Marshmallows, Take 2

We tried a new marshmallow recipe.....
Ingredients
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Directions


Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows
Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

As always Toad tested and approved.

Holiday time!

Put up our tree today!

Birthday awesomeness

I came into work today and found this. I <3 my co-workers.  Then went to my mommy's house and the birthday love continued.

*Happy birthday girl*

Sleeping outside for fun

Camping was awesome.... I <3 Morro Bay so much.

Things I am thankful for, in no particular order

-Having a strong, beautiful and amazing mother who taught me how to be the woman I am.

-A husband who makes me feel like the only woman in the world, and loves me because of all my weird quirks, not in spite of them. (that makes a huge difference) And he's really hot, which is also a plus.

-A brilliant and talented son who is quickly turning into a quirky, self assured awesome man.  

-Several of the coolest people I have had the privilege to know as friends.  And quite a few less cool, but still alright people as well... hehehehe. Kidding. I am lucky to have such great friends.

-Being healthy. Seeing my mom go through her disability day in and day out, I do not take being healthy for granted.

-A sister that is also my friend, and is wicked fun to hang out with.

-An adorable, loving little fur ball that is always happy to see me when I come home.  It is hard not to feel important when Wicket's excited little face greets you the moment you walk in.

-A stable job surrounded by competent and caring co-workers. In this economy any job is a blessing, but being able to work with good people makes it even more so.

-In laws who treat me like their own daughter/sister/aunt.

-Living in a beautiful place that makes me feel peaceful when I come home.

And a million other things, but those were the first that came to mind this morning. Happy thanksgiving everyone. I hope this finds you with just as many things to be thankful for.

Love,

Kris

Grandma, Me, Mom and my sister

Pumpkin cheesecake time

Yummy....

Pumpkin Cheesecake
15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove to taste
 
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large can pumpkin
1 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan. (Makes 2 cheesecakes) In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Add pumpkin, and spices, mix well. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

The crust sometimes needs a little more butter. Melt a tablespoon at a time to get the correct consistency.

All done....

....

Last couple weeks I've been having some sort of artistic block. I want to go into my art room and get all of this out of my head, or maybe put a pen to paper and write it out, something....anything... And then there is nothing. Just half thought through ideas, like trying to remember a dream you woke up in the middle of.



My skin feels too small, the room feels too warm, too crowded, I don't know. The monotony of it bears down on me, the stress of trying to fix my mom's house situation, to be "wife', 'mom", "employee', "daughter", "sister', 'student'... to be all things to all people and still have time to be myself. It's exhausting. Sometimes I don't even remember which one is really me, they all are but none of them are.



I want to be protesting. I want to be dancing. I want to be studying. I want to be building things in foreign countries that need things built. I want to be creating. I want to be indulging in the hedonistic pleasures of the flesh.  I want to be reading. I want to be able to fix my mom. I want a lot of things. I'm trying to balance the reality of the life I have built against the things I wanted that life to be; and somehow reconcile them in a way that doesn't leave me feeling like I bypassed the things I loved for the safety of things I tolerate because they are 'comfortable'.



Bleh.



Going out of town this week. I think perhaps the change of scenery to someplace I adore will help my frustration. At the very least, there will be good hiking and clam chowder.

Winter baking/candy making begins

Candy making this evening.... Caramels... Yummy.

Been out of the art room this week

Things have been a bit hectic and I have been neglecting my stuff. :( I'm hoping to focus some time this weekend to finish a few projects since McHottness is away on business and the Toad will be visiting with family. Wish me luck. I've got some baking to do as well...... :)

Congratulations to Bruce and Dion!!!!

One of our favorite people got married yesterday to an amazing woman. :) It was a beautiful ceremony on board the Renown, a beautiful antique yacht. We're about to head down to the second day of celebrating with them. :)

They look so happy. :)

Me and my amazing husband.

ATC's, Assemblage curio

I finished 2 of the round ATC's and the collage curio....

Almost up to 300

We've almost hit 300 on my mom's petition. I wanted to share this, this is the disease my mother has had since 1991...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hgyTnmOxSk

Round ATC's

These aren't done yet, I just finished the backgrounds. Not sure what I want to do with them yet, I thought the rounds shape was fun though.