Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Years Eve

 
New Years Eve
Not only did we have a parLoty to go to,
we actually had a baby sitter!
Me goofing around with my cheesecake brownies and some vintage glasses.

Let's move on to the boo~fey!

Black Beans and Rice
Cheesecake brownies
Loads of mun~chi~chi's!

a few of the pEEps.
The rest of them were at the boo~fey...
My firework pictures did not come out.
But hey, great playlist, and well, we all know....Music is our friend.

Fun was had by ALL!
Happy New Years!




Playlist:


Lido Shuffle ~ Boz Scaggs

Heart & Soul ~ Huey Lewis and the News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TdaXhpjHws

Memories Are Made of This ~ Dean Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vxLi2Cw8xI&feature=channel

You Should Be Dancing ~ Bee Gees {Don't Touch the Hair}

French Music!....La Rose des Vents ~ France Gall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WrcqknXSds

Fight for Your Right ~ Beasty Boys

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Holiday Lag Day

 
Today is trying to get caught up and out of the lag day.
Finalizing Yulemas decoration put ups;
Scanning future projects for the blog so I can return the books to the Library;
Kids are in daycare, so I get to  grOOve along smoothly to My frantic tempo.
oy.
too much too much....
My Journal;
Laundry;
Dishes;
LEGOS LEGOS LEGOS and even,  more still....LEGOS!
Pine nEEdles;

sigh......I need a Dr Suess vaccuum cleaner.
But alas, I have not.

So whats a chick to do?
Slap on a Frownie, Crank up the music, and get to Hustling.

The Trouble with TriBBLes







I really can't think of ANYBODY who hasn't heard of The Tribble.
Not only that, They get that slightly crooked smile, and for a moment, a dazed far~off look, while they trip back to that episode of Star Trek.

I loved Star Trek. 
I love Trekkies.
They are SO CooL!

This episode originally aired on 
December 29, ....wait for it........1967!
What can I say??? It was a DAMN gOOd Year!

Even Mr. Spock was smitten with {ok well, liked} The Tribble.

 
and Oh! The Intrigue.....
Tribble Trouble
A Surgically altered Klingon Spy
and even a "western-style" brawl {at the BAR, no less!}
But its no Tribble,

Captain Kirk saves the day from All the Trials and Tribble-ations with His usual Dashing, Suave, grOOvy Self. 

Here's the full episode:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHTs7zzharg&feature=fvst



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribble

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708480/

Monday, December 28, 2009

Rockin Robot resin pendant



Supplies:
***********
Robot paper
White stock paper
India Ink
Bezel
Transfer sheet for frame~up cut out
Resin
Glue

Taking a piece of clear transfer paper, measure Your bezel and cut the square out.
Mark the edges with a dark marker for a frame~up.
Using Your frame~up, determine how You want to have the Robot look.
When positioned the way You would like, trace around Your frame~up with pencil.
Cut the Robot and two pieces of White stock paper; 


 


 









Apply the India Ink to cover the background and make it uniform. 
LiTTLe goes a Long way. 
Once the Ink is dry, using a small amount of Glue,
layer the Robot paper and two pieces of Stock paper together and let dry.
Once the paper is dry, smear a small amount of Glue inside the Bezel and place Robot paper stock on the Glue, using Your finger to gently rub the paper stack to the Bezel.
Again, let dry.
Mix up Your Resin and pour into Bezel. 








 
 

To get rid of BuBBLes, use a straw to gentle blow on the Resin
{and for goOdness sake! DON"T SUCK UP THE STRAW!}
or very carefully use a heat gun. Not To Close!
After the Resin is completely dry, usually over night at the least, if needed, mix up a small batch of Resin and touch up, put a final layer in the Bezel.
Add cord.
Its Out of this World...... 


Bezels
http://www.etsy.com/shop/aPassionForFashion

Bezels
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bunnysundries

Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay Ink
http://www.docmartins.com/index2.asp


Sunday, December 27, 2009

Merry Merry Ghost ~ Carolyn Hart

 
Holiday Read
As I've mentioned before, I love to stack up on bOOks to coincide with the hOlidays.
Carolyn Hart's new book Merry Merry Ghost is another hit.  
Racing against time to solve the mystery, save the child, sort out the bad guy,
Bailey Ruth does it all with Style.
Perfect for that Holiday wind~down, with a cuppa of Your favorite drink, and for Me,
Botan Rice Candy
{is SO CooL! comes with a edible paper!}

Bailey Ruth the Spirit 
has so much Holiday Spirit 
She could be the fourth Spirit in A Christmas Carol!

Breaking ALL the Rules, which, let's face it, is Fun,
comes naturally to Bailey Ruth.
and even more so, when it's to save a Child.

Bailey Ruth's Christmas Traditions are worth the Laugh.
We should all dress up like Reindeer and pull a sleigh with all the Sugar Plum's presents
{must belt out song and paw feet like a real reindeer!}

Need a break, more than a kit kat can give ya?
Have a sit, bring supplies, and put your feet up
Enjoy the literary moment

Saturday, December 26, 2009

{exhale}....

Even the toys are tired.


Resting Holiday begins now....

Friday, December 25, 2009

HaPPy YuLeMas, Wynter Tidings, and MeRRy Christmas,

Apparently, Naughty can be Nice!











 Sweet Sugar Plums! Daddy's come home...muah!


 I Saw MoMMy KiSSing Santa Claus ~ The Ronettes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFj4D11Wmn4

Santa Baby ~ Eartha Kitt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOMmSbxB_Sg&feature=related

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Fantasia Fairies ~ Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy


 Every Yulemas Eve, its a tradition to fall asleep to Fantasia 
{well, we try anyhow}

Its warm
Its cozy
Its magical

The tree lights glow like the Fairies themselves.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Yulemas EvE Celebratories with Muppest Christmas Carol and Fantasia

Yulemas EvE finds us, the Parental Units, just as excited as the Sugar Plums are.
Its showers, 
and setting out cookies, and carrots, 

and snuggling up to watch the Muppet's Christmas Carol 















and then drifting off with Disney's Fantasia,
while the lights on the tree mesmerize us into a deep wynter rainbow dream sleep.







After all, in the infamous words of Kermit Kringle, after all, there's only one more sleep til christmas.....

I"m too excited to sleep!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The Monkees Christmas Special ~ December 25, 1967

The Monkees Christmas Special
and dare I say it???
1967!!!!

Fond, Fond MeMories of The Monkees.
All part of the Happy Childhood that I was Lucky enough to have.
Chock fuLL of Shenanigans,
those Cheeky Munkeys!
Add the two together
The Monkees AND Yulemas and You've got a great show.
Frosting on the CupCake ~ aired December 25, 1967!
{okay, I was but a mere BaBe that actual night, 
but I caught on the next go round}

That would make this song the Silver Star Sprinkles that go on the Frosting on the Cupcake.
Absolutely Lovely ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRljpaOe2YI
















  

Have The Man, splash on some Old Spice, pour the eGGnoG... settle in for some Vintage Fun.


This blog has the whole episode in 3 clips:
http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2009/12/monkees-christmas-episode-with-special.html

http://www.monkees.net/default.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkees

Monday, December 21, 2009

Spirit of Ursa Yulemas ~ The Yulemas Bear


Bear is a great protector. 
As a Child, Bear would scare Me.
As an Adult, I came to understand Bear, 
She was there for Me, not to harm Me.

Wynter is a time for Resting, and Hibernation, a look inside..
A perfect Tyme, to become One with Bear, 
To give Thanks;

 Especially as We get closer to The Wynter Solstice.


This is the most Sacred time and will be the time of the Alban Arthuan, the Light of Arthur.  This is the Wynter Solstice, Yule or the Wheel of the Year.

In the ancient tales this would be when Bear travels into the dark places,  where We are scared to go, and retrieves the Sun from the Stag, Son of the Heavenly Doe.


Bear hibernates in the cold months, allowing access to the Unconscious in order to blend Introspection, Intuition and Instinct leading to attaining personal power.

This animal reveals the interrelationship between the Person: within the environment of creation, within the clan and within the universe.
Bear helps People recognize personal truth and strength, when to stand up for rights and when to walk away.
It imparts Inner Knowledge that makes it possible for People to seek alternative paths to Their goals.

She represents Primal Power and defends with fierceness from all dangers; She has the ability to use Intuition to find Truth.
This Primal Power and Intuition merge into one uniting Star.

The Yulemas Bear is a reminder to go within,
to find it,
use it,
Become One with it.
Let that Star Shine....
and She does it all with LoVe!
{hence, the Heart at the center of Her crown}










 Printed On Card:
Spirit of Ursa Yulemas {The Yulemas Bear} 
She represents Mother, a Fierce Protector, especially of Her Young. 
She blends Introspection, Intuition, and Instinct so You can recognize Personal Truth. 
She is most powerful during the Yulemas Season, 
with Her power the greatest on Wynter Solstice, 
Her most Sacred Time. 
In Her Hibernation, or Dream Time, 
She goes into the darkest places where We are scared to go, and brings back the Light. 
She is Strength (or primal power) and Intuition 
merged into One Uniting Star, that radiates forth.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Turkish Tea

 
Turkish Tea

 People are paSSionate about Their Tea.
No doubt about it.
Back to that Turkish heritage, Lucky Me!!!

There's a ritual to making Turkish Tea, 
and the right taste is in the brewing to Some, 
   For Me its the amount of water added to the cup. 
To little and the brew is strong, to much and its watery. 
I have a Cousin that went by color, deep rich amber.



{Tea is essential to a Turkish Hostess with the Mostess}


 
                                
The Turkish Mother
While waiting for the cOOkie dough, 
I asked The Turkish Mother to show Me
how to make The Turkish Tea.

Fill the bottom of the Turkish Tea Pot with water.
Put 1 to 2 Tsp. tea leaves in top, with about 2 tbls of water to steam.
Once the water in the bottom starts to boil, 
let it boil approximately 5 mins 
and then add about 1 cup of the boiling water from the bottom to the top.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

 

Add tea brew from top to glass, about 1/3 full.
Add boiling water from bottom to glass
Sweeten with Sugar....I LoVe using Sugar Cubes!
 
 Short and Sweet...
perfect with Turkish Cookies
Fresh bread and cheese
Baklava
Borek
Sour Cherry Preserves and Bagets
Simit Turkish Bread

Turkish Tea
  
Making Tea

 Kafkas Sour Cherry Preserve ~My fave brand

 Simit {`smit} Turkish Bread


Borek [Turkish Meat Pie ~ have not made these particular recipes}
http://www.turkishfoodandrecipes.com/2008/12/turkish-borek.html

 The Meaning of Tea {movie/documentary}
http://www.themeaningoftea.com/

Turkish cOOkies

Turkish Cookies

These are the most Fattening, Indulgent, Damn gOOd cookies in the World, 
in my humble onion.
{yes yes, I am ToTally in the Turkish Cookie Cult}

Wait till You see the ingredients!
This is another of My Childhood past~times. My brother and I would get so excited when MoM said "We're making cookies".
One great thing about this dough is that you can play it like play doh. We would use everything from straws to cups to braiding the dough.  
And We would eat the dough along the way.
Over the last several years, it has become a Yulemas tradition now, for all the grandkids to go over and make a batch. 
 A BIGGG!!! batch.
I purchased this bucket of cookie cutters from ABC Distributing  a looooong time ago.
ABC doesn't appear to have them anymore, but Amazon does and it looks like even K~mart might. 
Wilton's 50 piece Animal Bucket. 
The Sheep, Cow, and Cat are my absolute FabFaves.
My Mom bought the Dinosaur and Heart & Circle sets.


The Sheep wins out for Santa's plate.

Turkish Cookies are basically a shortbread type cookie. They are made thick, so they have a cake like consistency. They aren't an overly sweet cookie, sweeter than a shortbread, but not like a sugar cookie. To Me, it's the very slight orange flavoring that makes it a Turkish Cookie  {and also that's what My MoM called them}.  
They are even more YummY the next day after the Flavors have melded, and the texture is perfect.  Now, this is another of the recipes that I've grown up with, so I know more by sight. And translation can be, challenging.


I recommend trying a smaller batch first to get a feel and taste for it. 
I recommend not giving it up. 
It really is worth getting to know. 


My mom calls this a 2 cup liquid batch. all the liquids equal 2 cups.  







Turkish cOOkies:

8 cups flour
5 cups sugar
2 cups eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup melted butter
1 cup oil {cooking}
2 tbls baking powder
2 tbls vanilla
1  to 1 1/4 tsps. Orange Zest


Glaze:
egg yolk
1/2 cup milk


.........like I said, this is a BIGGG! batch {4 families, 8 adults, 7 grandkids}


Mom says there is no order to mix, just put it all in, and start mixing by using your hands.

You want to Fold and Knead kind of together. You want the consistency to be, as she put it "the same as your ear lobe".  It works.  You will also want to taste the dough when you get it mixed for the Flavors. Is it sweet enough you can just taste the sugar? Can you taste the hint of orange? If you need to fix either, I would go about 1/2 cup sugar, with an extra tablespoon. Watch Your Orange Zest, I wouldn't go more than 1/8  tsp. and a pinch, because it will get overpowering and bitter.


Let your dough rest, cloth covered in the refrigerator for at least a 1/2 hour.
Grease Your cOOkie sheets, and preheat the Oven. 
Remember The Rule of the Oven:  Gas and Electric are very different.  Mom bakes her cookies at about 375 in her gas oven.  The electric oven next door had to go to about 350. Do a test cookie or two. You want a golden brown.  Some cracking can occur during cooking, its normal. And watch the bottoms so they don't burn. 

Put your rack in the oven middle.


Lightly flour Your area, take a nice handful of dough and and roll a few times with hands to smooth your dough, and then we just patty cake it on the  floured area. I would say the thickness is 1".  Using your cookie cutters, proceed to cut your stuff. Lay on greased cookie sheet ; make sure you leave enough space for the cookies to rise when they cook, about, um, 1/2". When the tray is full and right before you put the tray in the oven, brush the glaze wash over the cookies and put in oven.  As stated above, watch your golden scale. Once the cookies are done, remove from the tray and place on rack or plate to cool. Store covered when completely cooled.



and of course, EVERY year, everyone wants to eat MY! cookies and leave Their burnt wonky ones for Me.