DIY Lace Resin Cuff Bracelet

Oh this is a fun one. I feel like I haven't done an in depth post about anything arty or do-it-yourself-ish for a while. As today is  free day from work (thank God), I decided to go for it. Not without some trial and error, such is experimentation.

A cuff is my favorite kind of body embellishment. It is a statement without being IN YOUR FACE. I like a statement necklace as well, but since I am petite I often feel like the necklace swallows me. A cuff bracelet is more subtle but just as statement making.

This one happens to be made of Shrinky-Dink resin paper. You can get it at Michaels or any comparable craft store.

Your materials:

1 sheet shrinky dink matte sided 'paper.'
1 pair scissors
1 design you like (I used an image of lace)
1 oven

Directions:

1. Print the design you've chosen onto the sheet of Shrinky-Dink paper (make sure your printer can handle it and that the color will not rub off on your skin - if you're so inclined, you can buy special printable Shrinky-Dink paper but it's a bit dear for the wallet).
2. Pre-heat the oven to 325,
3. You'll use the entire length of the paper but the width is up to you. If your paper is 8x10, use all 10 inches, but you may want to trim the 8 inch width down to 6 or 7 inches - I trimmed it to 6 inches.
4. Punch holes on either end of your shrink paper. These are where you'll add the leather or wire or whatever element you'll use to close the cuff (that which will keep it on your arm).
5. Lay the prepared piece on a parchment lined cookie sheet printed side up.
6. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and check your design after about a minute. *when you check the piece it will look curled in the oven - don't fret - remove it, wrap it around a glass or anything of similar size to your wrist - and put it back in the oven to remove bumps and blemishes.
7. After you've removed your piece, move quickly and re-shape it if you've put it in the oven for a second go 'round.
8. Let it cool and add your leather. The closure type is up to you. I originally did a double slide knot but the leather kept breaking so I didn't use that type of thing, instead I wove the leather.
9. Voila! You have an enviable cuff. If you can find Shrinky paper that is longer than 10 inches you could forgo the leather part altogether.
10. NOTE: Using this medium is trial an error. It can be a frustrating material to work with but hang in there. The end product is worth the trouble.

This was my first attempt. You can see the break in the plastic on the upper right part of the bracelet.

I should've re-though the wearer; my arm renders as if I am an 80 year old. But you get the idea.

"The Salt" - There's Talk

I love to give a shout out to my local peeps. I've loved this San Francisco trio - "There's Talk" - for a little while and I am so happy they are growing. I saw them at Bottom of the Hill back in November and I was hooked. I visit their website from time to time and since they are now releasing their first EP - "Tiny Strands" - I thought I'd give a look see! And voila - A simply stunning video of "The Salt," on the front page of Vimeo.

They are a folk/electronic band, fully listenable by anyone at anytime. They are fronted by Olivia Lee whose vocals carry you to other lands much like your favorite book - both angelic and haunting. Her range is amazing and the bands lyrics are ethereal and prophetic.

This beautiful art piece supports the fact that often times we don't know we are incomplete until we meet a complementary counter-piece. I could bathe in the sound of this for days - the visual makes the lyricism all the more sumptuous.

Enjoy!



THERE'S TALK : THE SALT from marta m. m. dymek on Vimeo.

Happy New Year

I haven't posted since October. It just seemed like life got to be too much. When that happens you know - something has to go. Unfortunately, I dropped yoga and Poppies. Not so sure those were the best things to let go of, but those went and I can't change it now.

What's great about the New Year is not the raucous night of partying but the whole "Happy New Year" thing is a free pass - A RESET! And who doesn't like to start over? With this said "reset" we can focus on the things we CAN change.

I'm not big on the resolution thing because I never keep them for more than three days. So this year I have committed to "Tiny Tweaks 2014." There are several things on the list some of which include:

• drink at least 60 oz. of water per day
• try to dissipate guilt 
• take vitamins daily 
• commit to yoga once a week
• journal daily
• have consistently healthier eating habits

In eating a consistently healthier diet, I know that as a grown female human, for optimum health (weight maintenance, muscle recovery, hair/nail strength, 15% increase in metabolism) I should have at least 100 grams of protein a day.

So I baked high protein, whole grain bread. This little loaf packs a wallop! It's about 12 servings and each serving of bread is only 80 calories and 6 grams of protein. Plus it's fatless and filling! Served with  mascarpone and pepper jelly I also made today - it's out of this world!

High Protein Whole Grain  Bread

3/4 C Rye Flour

3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 C Rolled Oats

2 1/2 Cups Chobani Non-Fat Yogurt

1 tsp. baking powder

Bake in a baking sprayed bread pan at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

Pepper Jelly in the pan.

Pepper Jelly in the Jar.

Pepper Jelly on the Mascarpone on the High Protein Whole Grain Bread.

Yum.
May all your hearts desires be granted in 2014.
XO

Birthday Girl - The Show Must Go On

The Show Must Go On from poppiesandpaperbacks on 8tracks Radio.

The Inspired: Have You Met the Devil?

Have you met the Devil?

BE BRAVE BENJAMIN - Devil Fool from Pablo Maestres on Vimeo.

I have.

5 Day Work Weeks
Hangnails
An Overdraw
Poor Communication
Depression
Overpopulation

Please. Add to this list.

He's Crafty, Too! And All Mine! Caution: Bad Language.

My husband is one of these fellas that works very hard but somehow he makes everything look effortless. This quality is something I both admire and envy. I always feel very lucky that he picked me to walk with him through this crazy human adventure.

He recently built a new fence outside the house. It's gorgeous. Redwood paneling, dog ear fence slats, steel pipes for sturdiness and excellent craftsmanship (he never half asses an engineering project)!

The fence was up for about two day when some little shit came in the wee hours of the night and made some 'art' on his beautiful fence.

When we returned from the Pancake Circus after a delightful greasy spoon breakfast, we were met with a cartoon hand "flipping the bird" at us; spray painted right on the fence. I FREAKED!

My husband in a way that only he can, calmed me down and said it would be easily removed. I relaxed and went on my day while my husband set on his course to fixing the fence.

He would not stop at fixing the fence. He knew instinctively that the same thing would happen again unless measures were taken. So, he (from scratch) made a street light all our own. He is truly a craftsman. And no punk will brave the 100 watt metal halide lamp we have out there as a new security system!

Before: Our super surprise! I was livid. But my sweet husband calm as a cucumber and ready to take this project on.

After:   Bulent went to work with first with pain remover. It did not work as the wood was too porous and absorbed the rattle can artwork like a sponge. So he got out the drill and used a wire brush attachment. That's the final result. As close to pre paint perfection as possible. 

60 is the New Sexy

On New Beauty, they talk about 60 being the new sexy. It's a great post and couldn't be truer. In this day and age, women of all shapes and sizes are represented but true beauty doesn't always come at any age. I myself am an undisclosed age though younger than 60. At 60 a woman has raised her children, contended with difficult men, divorced the difficult man, had a career and likely seen things we younger counter parts haven't. At the end of summer, it seems apropos to post about women in the richness of the new prime.

Below is a photo of Helen Mirren. She is a true beauty at 60. I recently met a lady at Magpie (while getting their sumptuous ice cream sandwich). She was sitting at the counter and I simply had to comment. Her hair was a natural silver, her eyes clear as a sunny day and her skin, flawless. She was "Sexy at 60!" Meet Joy! Her spirit was as youthful as anyone my age - younger even and her warmth unmatched. She was not arrogant or standoffish. She whole heartedly encumbered the elegance, beauty and charm of not only a woman of a certain maturity but of a woman who was delightedly proud and happy to be who she is. I sort of envied her ease, her "joie de vivre," if you will.

I've included the piccie of Ms. Mirren because as a woman of the New Sexy, I hold her in high regard for her accomplishments in her craft and her elegance. I do not, however, know her. I was lucky enough to spend a short stint with Joy. She was, simply put, beautiful!

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Keep Calm and Carry On

Thought for the Day

Cow Girl Creamery at the Ferry Building

Charlene and I went to san Francisco recently. Because of the BART strike we thought it would be better to park in Vallejo and take the ferry over. It turned out to be a great idea!!! It was $50 bucks for both of us round trip and it was painless, hassle free comfortable travel and it dropped us off exactly where we wanted to be!!!

Our first stop was Cowgirl Creamery...Cheese is a macro nutrient right? It is when you spend $25 on it!

The first cheese we tasted was Casatica Di Bufala - soft and ripe but citrusy. Totally oozy and gooey and completely palatable all on its own or on a toasty piece of crusty bread and a sliced fig. Easy eating and delicious rind too! Its Buffalo cheese from Lombardia, Italy made from water buffalo milk - a super richly creamed milk which contains twice the cream of cows milk...needless to say this cheese is velvety rich and little goes  along way.

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The next and perhaps my favorite is the easy eating goat milk Detroit St. Brick from Michigan.. It's spicy but not chili pepper spicy. It's black pepper spicy and it imparts a truly unforgettable flavor. My mother cooks with pepper. She has always been a supremely sensational chef and her dishes are never lacking in flavor. She hails the black pepper and touts it often as her "secret ingredient." Though it's no secret for me, I can't seem to get enough of the stuff! I bought a sliver of this cheese and savored it every day. I ate it on flat bread I made here myself and coupled it with a hardy (and local) Crispin cider. The black pepper paired with the spiky cider was unmatched! I reccommend trying it. This pair is more my speed. It reminds me of a summer evening bike ride to fireworks or a crispy spring morning when you can smell the dew drops or a breeze coming through your window on a hot night bellowing the curtains in the breeze...you get the picture. I have romanticized this Michigan cheese with this California cider. It's a superb match!

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This whirlwind of cheeses brought us to a yummy smear of Harbison. A creamy, ripe cheese that tastes of the country side and mustard flowers. It's wrapped in bark and Hails from Vermont. And when I say mustard flowers I mean it! I saved this creamy cheese and made a pork roast. I served the pork roast on home made sweet rolls that I smeared with the Harbison and grilled onions. Talk about a hit! There were people at the party who asked why I would waste a fine cheese on a sandwich...let me assure you, this was not any sandwich and certainly not just any cheese and they paired delightfully well and don't try to tell me that your mouth is not watering right now!!!

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Challerhocker was the only hard cheese we tasted. It was delish! A swiss cheese that is creamy and dense with some tooth to it. A bright, intense flavor, great all on its own or paired with a buttery chardonnay. It's a washed rind cheese. By the way...this was a lovely cheese but not my favorite on this list.

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Details at Disneyland

I have never understood people who say weird things like "I hate Disneyland." I feel like that statement is kin to saying, "Being rich would stink," or "sugar is lame," or "I wish I was ugly." See these are non-statements and all complete lies. Everyone wants to have abundance, everyone loves sugar and no one wants to be ugly! So how can someone not love Disneyland?

When you walk through the gates you are immediately a kid again - no responsibilities or bills, completely innocent, happy about not being at school or work and usually, you are attending with people that you at least like if not love. Again, what about Disneyland could possibly be repellent? 

Walt himself thought of everyone and everything. I don't really care if he was anti-semitic, nor do I care if he treated his staff badly or had major scandals or any other ugly things people throw at me about the history of Walt Disney. Because at the end of the day, some of my fondest memories of childhood were Sunday nights which started with Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom followed by Walt Disney Presents  while we ate Grinders in the family room and everyone loved each other and forgot the woes of the world for a whole two hours a week.

Again, Walt thought of everything. And in the typical Disney style and consistency for high standards, the legacy has continued. Visit the Family Museum, you'll see!

My mom and sister and I recently went for a girls trip to the DLand and CA Adventure. We were lucky enough to stay at the Grand California Hotel and took full advantage of all the amenities! But the thing that struck me most on this trip was the fact that truly no detail goes left undone. These folks think of everything and every detail is pin perfect - right down to artisan made umbrellas - which you can see here.