Surfin' Sunday: Dec 9th, 2012

Ok, so we all know it's "Surfin Sunday" in my house and I go all the places on the internet I've been wanting to go all week (yeah, I even make a list sometimes, lol) instead of working or fb or etsy or... you get the picture :)

Today was pretty fun and I'm wiped out (big surprise ha?) and almost ready to turn over the computer to somebody else for awhile.

First I went over to some blogs I made a list of this week. I got my eyes *full* of lots of great stuff people are writing about, cooking, crafting etc. Here is a partial list:
http://allrecipes.com/

http://homefront.prudentliving.com/prudent-pantry-gifts-in-jars/

http://www.bhg.com/christmas/crafts/handmade-holiday-projects/#page=16

http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-centerpiece.html#

 but I spent most of my time at http://www.thecraftyblogstalker.com/

There is a whole series of "What can you do with..." craft articles. Wood pallets, pool noodles (known as "floaties" around our house), altoids tins, embroidery hoops and even things to make with old Crystal Light containers. I must admit, I was intrigued by all but especially the Crystal Light containers. I recycle Crystal light containers for many things but it usually just involves taking the label off and either putting my own label on or writing directly on the label-less container with a sharpie and putting the stuff in etc. I use them for holding many small items for camping: strike-anywhere matches, household matchbooks, toothpicks, AAA & AA batteries, plastic silverware, sunglasses cases, mini first aid kits, portable/disposable lidded glasses, small kitchen items (corn on the cob holders), fill them with water & freeze them for the "mini-coolers" and I use them in the studio for crafty stuff, odds & ends, brushes and...well, pretty much anything I can "stuff" in them, label the thing & be done. So I was intrigued as to what other uses they might have. Post was worth the anticipation and the others were just as interesting too.
wood pallets
pool noodles (known as "floaties" around our house)
altoid tins
embroidery hoops
crystal light containers

Then I went over to pinterest and looked at pictures. Y'all know how I like pictures :) and there is a ton on pinterest. Lovely lovely photographs of nature and babies and Christmas and...and...and... oh yeah. Lots of nice pictures :)

Other places of fun I visited were:
Pacific Science Center
Smithsonian Museum Collections
MOG: Museum of Glass (Tacoma)
Royal BC Museum: Thunderbird Park

I want to go back to the Royal BC this coming spring and take the kids. I want to go back so much I'd go without the kids if I had to. I love this place, it's so amazing. And...I want to go see Tut before he leaves North American for good. Had a good time perusing the Smithsonian collections and of course I had to go visit some Chihuly works. Sigh...glass...light...sigh...pretty...

Then I went and looked up this recipe I've been wanting to try: Spiced Apple Cider Vinegar Caramels over at WonkyWonderful.com
I'm excited to try this recipe but not today, I've got something else in the works today so maybe mid-week I'll do it. Gotta remind myself later. This pic will definitely help me remember :)

I also went and looked up my recipe for
Ratatouille
Because I've been thinking about it for a bit and I want to try a modified game version of ratatouille with elk. I'm crazy inventive that way (lol). No...it just sounds good. Since ratatouille can be so labor intensive, I've been thinking about an easy going recipe that the steps can be done somewhat leisurely for people like me. People like me who like to cook but sometimes forget they are cooking and take a nap (sometimes until the next morning).
 I marinated the elk (cube steak, diced) in a basalmic herb mixture overnight (oh shut up, it is *not* overkill! It is not! It just means it's really, really REALLY tenderized now. I just forgot---sh! dang internal editor) and then I threw my diced up summer squash, onions, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes etc with about a quart of water into the crock pot on low for few hours. I let it cool enough to transfer to a strainer and reserved the liquid ---this is where having more than one crockpot comes in handy. As a bonus, I have vegetable broth on the side later for other stuff :)

I have all that done so now I'm going to get off of here and complete the final steps for this and throw it in the casserole dish and pop it in the oven. In theory this is all going to go well and smooth. Get back to you on that one...
I am in SUCH a GOOD mood :)
I LOVE SURFIN' SUNDAYS!!!