Fuzzy Izmit's Blog

Dreads at about 3 months

2009-11-09T21:33:00.002-05:00

Just took these yesterday. Dreads are a slow progression, but it is what it is.

A trip to the Odder Side!

2009-10-07T09:13:00.002-04:00

I just started a new blog that will feature all the odd, strange, gross and crazy things and people I love on etsy! Take a second and check it out!
Celebrate Odd Etsy!

I love Halloween!

2009-10-05T11:24:00.003-04:00

I had to share all the lovely Halloween stuff I have been accumulating all month. First off, if you haven't gone to your local Target store and checked out their Halloween stuff, you should. They have the best displays and candies I have ever seen...though this year I have yet to see any gummy dissection kits :(
Target is also the only place I have found that carries the rare and wonderful Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses. I found them last year and by the time I found they were the equivalent of candy crack... our local Target had sold out. You should go out and buy as many bags as you can afford now. You will not be sorry. I promise.
Last year I picked up a great skull cookie jar to go with my eyeball salt and pepper shakers and brain bowl. I am determined to have a 'mad scientist' themed kitchen... but I digress. This year I picked up some great metal skeletal hands serving forks. They are just great fun to play with! (I the shirt in the picture was also bought at Target... along with a dozen or so other Halloween themed T-shirts).

There was also this awesome black/silver fiberglass skull pot thing. We couldnt quite figure out exactly what it was supposed to be... you couldn't put candy in it without fear of little kids falling in (plus it would take a metric ton of candy to fill it) and it didnt have any drainage for potted plants. We drilled said holes, and now it is a planter waiting for spring to be filled with photosynthesizing organisms.

Not pictured, I also picked up a pair of knit gloves with skeletal fingers printed on them for a buck. Working in a medical building... I get a lot of complements! A glowing skull to hang from our balcony, bloody hand prints for the sliding glass door and a skeleton cling for my back seat of my car also been making their appearances for the first time this year. I have also gotten a plethroa of Halloween themed socks just for fun too.

I have also been working on a Halloween wreath, complete with hand painted skull, black and purple flowers, sparkles and black feather boas. It looks pretty darn kick-arse if you ask me!

New Shop!

2009-10-04T16:29:00.003-04:00

I am going to officially announce that I am opening a second shop that will focus on fiber goods of all kinds: Fuzzy Hearts Yarn! It will (eventually) have all my knitted and crocheted goods, handmade needles, hand spun yarns, stitch markers, destashes... and what ever else I think might fit. I hope I can keep two shops straight... because that is my biggest fear that kept me from opening two shops for a long time. I felt that my first shop was just too cluttered and it was time. I will slowly be adding stuff from my current shop into my new one as they expire and list new stuff directly to my new shop. My first item is a lovely hat, if anyone is interested!

Dread Journey: 1 Month 1 Week

2009-09-13T22:49:00.003-04:00

I know I said I would take a picture of my dreads each month, but right now I think it is going to be when ever I can. This picture was taken at one month and one week. They need a lot of tightening, both at the root and at the ends. My ends tend to curl when they are just washed too... which is a bit strange, but cute when I have them up in a pony tail. I like them about 150% better when they are up in a pony tail. I worry about back combing them too much and having the hair break.

I know they are just baby dreads, but I want them to lock up as fast as I can make them! So far, my hair regimine is: wool sleeping tam, 1:1 dilution of Dr. Bronners Tea Tree Oil soap, spray with saline solution occassionally, spray with lemon juice solution occasionally, one a week no-poo baking soda/vinegar rinse treatment, and backcomb/crochet hook when ever it is clean and I/my husband have the time. I dont think I have ever put this much work into a hairdo ever!

Stuff Just For Me

2009-09-09T21:34:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to show off two of my latest creations.

The first is my attempt at the Wren pattern. I used some Lorna's Lace Shepard Sock Yarn in Hermosa. I like how it came out, but I may reposition the button.

The second item is a tam, just for me to sleep in. I have heard that sleeping in a wool hat will help them dread... so bingo! That what I want to make! I used Fisherman's Wool from Lion Brand in Nature's Brown. The yarn was different to work with... as it felt at times slippery or greasy. I dont know how to explain it, but the final product was just fine. Maybe it was because it was 100% wool and I had never worked with wool like that. I started out using a pattern from a book I had, but pretty quicky I went off the 'chart' and just went free form. It still worked out just fine.

Winners in the Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce Giveaway!

2009-09-07T17:40:00.004-04:00

Congratulations is order for the two winners! Congrats Christa and Aik! You will be contacted soon and I hope you enjoy your free sauce!

Product Review: Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

2009-09-01T21:34:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago I was contacted by the good folks at Country Bob, Inc to do not only a product review of their All Purpose Sauce, but to run a great blog give away (see my previous thread). For this I have decided to try a few applications. I have tried it straight from the bottle, sausage gravy, on and in turkey burgers and in a stew.

First off: Straight out of the Bottle:

The sauce is thick and a dark reddish brown. The taste is pretty strong, and very sweet. It reminds me of a steak sauce. It would probably make a great steak sauce, because it tastes like a mix between ketchup and A-1. I actually like it better than A-1 because instead of the vinegar-wine bite (which I think can be a bit strong) the Country Bob All Purpose Sauce is nice and sweet. The only down side that I can see is that the product contains high fructose corn syrup, which I am trying to cut out of my families diet.

Breakfast: The Best Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

I have made basically this same recipe before, but without the sauce. I also used the sausage drippings in addition to the butter for the base. I used the same sausage (Bob Evan's Brand) and biscuits (Bisquick). The sauce looks a little darker, but that makes sense because of the darker color of the sauce. The sauce has some nice molasses undertones and I feel it rounds out the sage from the sausage nicely. It transforms the gravy into a more hearty flavor than spicy flavor normal Bob Evan's style gravy tastes like. If you use a less flavorful sausage, I think you would taste the sauce more. It is a nice addition to this breakfast treat!

Lunch: Turkey Burgers (sorry, no picture)

This recipe was an original by my husband. He used a little sauce in the ground turkey burger (along with a few spices, bread and milk). We also put some on the burger once it was done cooking. It wasnt too bad, but I found I actually could taste the sauce in the meat when I ate a few patties cold the next day. Warm, the there was just a little sweetness of the meat. My husband did notice that the burgers had a tentancy to burn in the pan... but that could either be because of all the sugars in the sauce (HFCS, mollases, sugar) or that he had the pan was too hot. We didnt put any other condements or extras on the burgers... so that may also change the interplay of flavors.

Dinner: Slow Cooker Stew

I followed the recipe for this one pretty much dead on, but I used lamb instead of beef. You marinade the meat the night before, which emparts a sweetness to the meat. The stew itself was tomatoe based, which we dont normally do. It actually reminded me of my mom's version of goulash (which isnt a bad thing). There was a lot of liquid in the slow cooker. The stew meat kept some of the sweet flavor, but I think the gamyness of the lamb overpowered the some times delicate flavor but the meat was very tender. We couldnt really taste any of the sauce in the drippings.

Overview: I would definitly use this as a steak sauce. I prefer it to other, more common, steak sauces. I will probably continue to experiment with it in other recipes. It is pretty flavorful when it is by itself but you may need to tweek the amount of the sauce in recipes if you want to make sure you taste it. I recommend trying it, especially if you find normal sauces too strong in the bite department.

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce Interview and Giveaway!

2009-08-28T08:20:00.009-04:00

I have some exciting news! I have been contacted by Mr. Al Malekovic from Country Bob Inc to review on of their products, Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce, on my blog. Mr Malekovic also was gracious enough to answer some questions for me for an interview. What makes this even better is he is putting up two bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce for a blog give away! I cant fit all of these wonderful things into one blog post (who would want to read through ALL of that anyway!?) so I am splitting it into two blog posts, one that contains the interview and blog giveaway, and another that will detail the culinary creations my husband and I make and try using Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. First off… the interview and giveaway!

Mr. Al Malekovic answered the following questions for me.

What’s the story behind Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce? What was the inspiration? Country Bob was a carnival barker and a Don Rickles all wrapped into one. He owned a gas station and would BBQ for the cronies that came and gossiped. He came up up with the sauce in 1968. In 1982 Country Bob, his son Terry, (He is my son-law), Reed my son and I stared a Corp and put it on the market. We had to learn the hard way. Trail and Error. He died in 2001 of cancer. You can also look at our web site under story.

How large is the Country Bob’s company? We are a very small company, 14 employees, but we are fully automated and have a fine crew. We use food brokers, who help get Country Bobs in the stores.

How many different products does Country Bob’s make? Do you have any new products waiting in the wings? We have four products, Country Bobs, Country Bobs Spicy, Seasoning Salt and a BBQ sauce. Because of the cost of developing a product we are not coming out with anything new. We use to have a Sloppy Bob sauce but we were having it made somewhere else and that company went under and we could not find another to make small batches for us. It was a great product.

Where can you find Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce? You can find Country Bobs at Kroger, Wal Mart Super Center and about every store in *Cincy! (*Cincinnati, Ohio... for those of you who are not familiar with the area)

What makes Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce unique? What makes Country Bobs so unique, it truly is a All Purpose Sauce. Use it on steaks, a great dipping sauce, bbq sauce and to flavor up soups, stews, casseroles etc.

What’s the most common recipe Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce gets used in? Most people use it as a dipping sauce and with appetizers with little smokies and meat balls.

What’s the most unexpected recipe Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce can be used for? The most unique use is in fudge recipe in our cookbook.

What is the best complement or comment you have had about your products? The best compliment we have had is from the kids. "Gimmie more Bobs Mommy"

Here comes the fun part! The giveaway! It is really simple. First, go to the recipe page at the Country Bob Inc website, pick out a recipe that looks interesting. Next come back to this blog entry. In the comment section, leave a comment with you email address and the recipe you found! That is all you have to do! Incomplete entries will not be entered. This contest will last until the Sunday before Labor Day. September 6th, 2009 at midnight Eastern Standard Time. Two winners will be picked at random and each winner will receive a FREE bottle of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. Winner will be contacted via email to gather the needed information to send you a bottle.

So what are you waiting for? Go over to the recipe page and find something yummy! If you try anything and write about it, let me know. I will link it on my blog!

Images used with permission from the Country Bob Inc website.

Second Try at Real Dreads

2009-08-19T08:15:00.003-04:00

WARNING: Long and full of pictures!

I have decided to take the plunge again! I have been itching to get my hair redreaded for ages now, but I had to wait until after I got my new job. Then I had to wait until I was sure I could get them in said job (another lady in the office has them, so I figured they couldn't stop me, right?). Then I had to try and find someone to do them (cause, as much as I love my husband, I know he didnt want to dread my hair again)... It is tough moving to a new city in a new state and trying to find someone to put dreads in! I found Nature's Outer Beauty on line, and decided to give them a try. Right on their website they said they use the latch method, and no wax... so bonus! The ladies there were very nice, but it was a long wait even with an appointment (I think they had some walk ins). The salon was a tad small, but nice. Everyone was very chatty, and I got a some work done on my knitting while I waited. The waiting didnt really bother me. I had waited probably close to 6 months to get this done, another hour and a half wasnt going to kill me. Did I mention they have hours on the weekend? Another bonus!

Well, here is a before picture. I know what most people think... why would you ruin your hair?!?! I dont see it as ruining, but improving! If/when I dont want them any more, I will just shave my head like I did last time. I love having my head shaved as well, and the only reason I grew out my hair this long (I HATE this length!) was for the dreads.

All I ever do is put my hair in a pony tail anyway wit it that length! It took about 2-2.5 hours of chair time, but even after they started on my head, I had to give up my seat occassionally so they could finish other people up. I got there for a 4pm appointment and didnt leave until like 8pm or so. I was HUNGRY... but that isnt as important. I was hoping they would do the crochet hook method seen HERE but they just did the latchhook-pull through method. That is okay, it will help secure the roots, but I would have liked a bit more back combing and locking going on.

It didnt really hurt that much, but sleeping that night was a bit tricky. The latch hook method didnt work all that great on the hair at the base of my neck because it is so short... they tend to want to flip around. Wearing head bands to work (for a more professional look until they lock up) isnt helping. I think those will need the most work, and they are the hardest for me to see.

She also didnt back comb or try and dread the ends at all. Go figure. I was a bit miffed, but I figured for the price (which was totally reasonable in my opinion) I could work on the ends myself (and with the help of my hubs). What I really needed help with was sectioning my hair and getting them started.

This last photo is of me 1 day post dread. The stray hairs and loose ends are driving me mad, but I know dreading is a long process. I will try and take a new picture every week or so. If I dont blog about it, I will have it up on my flickr account. I just hope this poofy/messy stage doesnt take too long!

WIP: Felt and beaded double sided headband done!

2009-08-13T09:10:00.002-04:00

I had this idea a while back for a felt headband with leather straps for ties. I kicked it around in my head for about a month then decided to try it. In that month, the headband grew a skull and sported some bead embroider. Oh, and it also became double sided. This first one I finished is just a prototype for me to keep.

It took a lot of energy to make it, so I am unsure if I will make more for my shop. I might (and I will probably break out my sewing machine next time instead of doing all of the stitching by hand). I am not completely happy with the quality of some of the felt (hint, dont use craft felt unless it is the thick kind).

I like the way it came out. I haven't gotten dreads yet to test it out, but that is why I gave it braided leather straps: so I could wear it with either 'normal' hair or dreads. I also love that it has two sides. It is more versatile that way. I am definitely going to make templates out of card stock next time!

Big Butter Jesus!

2009-08-10T09:45:00.003-04:00

I know this is post is a long time in the making, but I have been super duper blooper busy lately. Last month my hubs and I took a trip back to our native state to visit a super little niece for her birthday party. On the way, we had to stop by a local crazy landmark... Big Butter Jesus!

Well, he is not really made out of butter, but he sure looks like it! It was thundering and lightening quite close to us, and my camera was on it's last bit of battery juice, but I managed to take a few shots. If you want to see a few more shots, just follow that picture to my Flickr page to see them. If you are not familiar with Big Butter Jesus, he was made famous by the great Heywood Banks song you can see here!

Oh, and my niece had a great party with an awesome pink princess cake made by a neighbor!

Kitty Toes

2009-06-11T09:39:00.004-04:00

I know it has been a while since I blogged, but I have been super busy. Moving, starting a new job, being separated from my husband and (trying and failing) to write my dissertation has kept me pretty much strapped. I did snap this photo of my kitty Mesha's toes. I just wanted to share them and say "I am still alive!"

Oh, and if anyone knows of anyone who can help me dread my hair in the Cincinnati area please let me know!

I am a writer!!!

2009-05-15T09:18:00.002-04:00

I wrote a little article about future fashion in Viva La Mode magazine! And it is now out on the web for everyone to look at! The whole magazine is a great read... so check it out! I hope to have time to write an article or two for the next issue too!

Joe's Gizzarad City, Potterville, MI: Food Review

2009-05-07T08:59:00.003-04:00

About two years ago my husband and I took a trip to a great little place that I just want to share with the world! This tasty deep fried treat is called Joe's Gizzard City in Potterville, Michigan. First off, I love chicken gizzards and getting to go a place that specializes in them is a rare treat around here. Another added bonus is that half the things on the menu are deep fried. This isnt a place if you have a history of heart problems! The town is tiny, and the place has the look of a classic old dark 'townie' hang-out where they serve their beers in mason jars (seriously!). It is actually a somewhat well known place for bikers spot! Our server, Matt (with two T's), was a great and extremely friendly.

And now on to the important part... the FOOD!!

Here is everything that we ordered.

Appetizer: Sweet Corn Nuggets
Meals: Gizzard Dinner (me) and Bacon Cheese Burger (my husband)
Dessert: Deep Fried Dessert Platter (I dont remember the actual name, but that will give you a good idea of what to expect!)

Appetizer: We decided to try the deep fried sweet corn nuggets because years ago at some random Big Boy my husband and I stopped for breakfast. I am not a big corn fan, but they had some deep fried creamed corn that was absolutely wonderful. I had never seen them since or anything similar until I went to Joe's. The nuggets are served with ranch, which goes well with the crunchy shell. These nuggets seemed to be a mix of creamed corn and chunky corn, but they still tasted good. They didnt seem to burst all over, which some times is an issue with deep fried creamy stuff like jalapeno poppers (I always seem to have those explode all over me, covering me with hot cheese!). I thought it was the perfect food to start off a deep fried meal... it is a veggie so it has to be healthy right?

Meals - My Husband: My husband 'chickened' out and got one of the more normal items on the menu... a Bacon Cheese Burger. I do have to say, the last time we went, he got the deep fried burger, so I suppose he paid his dues :) The burger came with fries and my husband got the 'Everything Deluxe' version. We have a saying in my house, the more messy a burger it is, the better it tastes. Well, this burger wasnt as messy as my husband would have liked, but the taste was good. It was a solid burger, nothing to be ashamed of, but nothing to write home about either. My husband especially liked the bun. The ketchup they had was Red Gold brand, which definitely tastes different than the standard brands. I like it, but I dont think my husband did as much. That was okay, he ended up dipping his fries in my ranch!

Meals - Mine: I got the gizzard dinner, with a dozen gizzards, half Traditional Beer Battered Deep Fried and half 'Naked'. It came with coleslaw, bread and a potato. I got mashed potatoes with chicken gravy.

The coleslaw came out first with a side of bread. The slaw was good, but had a bit of a bite to it... and by a bit, I mean you could definitely taste a lot of what my husband identified as horseradish. If you dont like horseradish, dont get the coleslaw. The bread was like a mix between toast and croutons. Very tasty!

The mashed potatoes were good, but the real interesting point about them were the gravy. I have never seen such yellow gravy in my life! It was literally the color of mustard! It didnt taste like mustard though... it tasted like a gravy version of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup. Interesting combo. Oh, and it looked as if the skins on the potatoes were left on for the mashing, wish means they were made at the establishment!

Now, on to the good part, the gizzards! Just so you know, not only do the gizzards come with marinara sauce, but ranch (not pictured) as well. Both are good. There are pros and cons to both kinds, Traditional and Naked.

The first kind, traditional is beer battered and deep fried. The breading keeps the gizzards EXTREMELY moist and tender. They just melt in your mouth and some of the best meat I have ever had. The slight issue of the breaded traditional is the breading adds a lot of bulk and you cant eat a lot of them without getting full to quickly... and tearing all the breading off to get to the wonderful morsels seems a bit wasteful.

The naked gizzards have no batter and because of that, when they are fried, they get a little tough on the outside. They are still tasty, but they are not really as moist and tender as their battered counterpart... but you can eat a lot more of these. I like these better for cold leftovers.

Dessert: Deep Fried Platter: Deep Fried Strips of Elephant Ears, Deep Fried Oreos, Two Deep Fried Nutter Butters, Joe's Nuts, Deep Fried Cheesecake, and Deep Fried Cookie Dough. Oh, and there are three dipping sauces: Chocolate, Caramel and Strawberry.

Let me tell you, this is one HUGE dessert platter. You can, of course, order these items individually, but variety is the spice of life right!? (and the destruction of your waistline) Our platter actually came in three 'courses' because first, the cheesecake didnt turn out, then they forgot the Joe's Nuts... so we got a free third doughnut once those came out of the deep fryer!

First we ate the deep fried elephant ears (the two thin strips of dough on the left hand side of the image). Yep, they taste like elephant ears! Given that elephant ears are normally deep fried, they had to be the least exciting item on the plate.

Next we moved onto the deep fried Oreos (in the top of the picture, behind the caramel sauce!) OMG those were heavenly! It was like the cookie liquefied and was just a wonderful gushy mess. This was my second favorite dessert on the plate! See the insides in the image? That is pure yummy!

Third we turned into next item on the first plate and dug into the Deep Fried Nutter-Butters. The peanut butter cookies also seemed to liquefy, but not the extent as the Oreos. They were really good with the chocolate sauce.

The last item on the only came with a single 'dose', and that was the Deep Fried Cookie Dough. I am going to admit, I am biased. I LOVE anything cookie dough, just about as much as I love bacon. Basically it is a huge lump (probably 2-3 cookies worth) deep fried. The second time we went to Joe's we got a whole plate of these suckers, 3 huge balls! Anyway, this puppy is warm, chocolaty and gooey! It is like a mix between raw cookie dough and a cooked one... I dont know exactly how to describe it. I think this something you either will love or hate, and I love it! Here is a candid shot of the nom-a-riffic insides!

Our Deep Fried Cheesecakes (second image, the wedges) I think had gram crackers mixed into the deep fried shell. These actually had a tendency to burst when you bit into them, and they were hot... so if you decide to go this route, just be careful. The strawberry sauce went perfectly with these little wedges. They were also high on my list of things that taste wonderful deep fried.

Lastly, we got Joe's Nuts. These are deep fried mini doughnuts. They were pretty good, but to really enjoy them, I found that you need to eat them cold! We couldnt quite finish our third doughnut so we brought it home with the leftovers. I love cold leftovers, and the cold nut has like caramelized sugar layer under the deep fried batter. Nom nom!

Overall Impression: I am moving, so I am going to miss this little gem of a grease spot. I would never eat here everyday, but for a special heart clogging treat, it cant be beat. If you are planning a trip of back roads and little town hot spots in Mid-Michigan, give Joe's Gizzards City a try!

Gift? I Guess Not!

2009-05-04T22:03:00.002-04:00

A month or so ago I finally figured out what to make out of some scrap yarn I had laying about. I figured I would use it to make a two sided pillow to give as a gift. Fast forward a bit... all done! Custom cut foam pad etc... everything. Now I just have to keep it away from cat hair and cat butts until I can gift it. I should have known better. Just look at her smug face... filling the fibers with feline follicles that will not budge!

Not only has Mesha decided it makes a great cat pillow, but I have also seen Dot on it as well. I guess it is mine now... even though I hate pink. It does have a gray side... guess I will have to keep that side up!

Sunny Side Up Breakfast Pizza: First Attempt

2009-04-12T21:46:00.003-04:00

My husband and I had an idea the other night that we thought we might try. We have had macaroni and cheese pizza (both from a restaurant... if you can call it that... and homemade) so why not try a breakfast pizza! I am sure someone else has made something like this... but we didnt look up anything and just went with our gut instincts.

We used store bought ready-made crust, a can of Alfredo sauce, whole eggs (hence the name), bacon, corned beef hash, and cubed Velveeta. Oh, and we salt and peppered it a smidgen. Here is what it looked liked uncooked:

We let it cook a little long, as we were a little afraid of runny egg yolks. We figured liquid egg yolks in our left over pizza was a bad idea. A side effect of the longer cooking time was the cheese type substance was a little darker than it probably should have been.

As for the taste, I actually liked it. It was like a compact breakfast! My husband thought it was a little on the salty side because of the corned beef hash. The eggs tended to be a bit rubbery... and had a tendency to come off. Overall, I think it was okay. Next time I would suggest scrambling the eggs and maybe mixing some cheddar or mozzarella (or both!) in with the Velveeta. We used the Velveeta because 1. we had some, which is rare and 2. it melts really easy. Maybe too easily? It makes for a memorable Easter dinner!

My New Baby!

2009-04-10T22:02:00.002-04:00

My wonderful hubby has been squirreling away little bits of money of a long time for some mysterious reason. This week I found out why. He was saving money for my graduation gift... a brand new guitar!

To be exact, an Epiphone Prophesy SG EX! I cant tell you how beautiful this guitar sounds and looks! The kicker is.... I cant play it until I graduate, and because of some scheduling issues that wont be until August at least! She will stay protected in her hard case, and her Vox Mini5 am anxiously waiting to be used. I dont mind, I can stare into her black smokey burl wood and beautiful inlays and just dream of the tunes I will learn. Take that mom!

Product Review: Glilttersniffer Eyeshadows

2009-04-04T17:45:00.002-04:00

I didnt think I would have time to blog this month, but lo and behold... I have a few spare moments! Since I am going to be starting a new (and more grown up) job soon, I decided I needed to replace my ancient cosmetics I have had for years and years and years. I wanted to invest in some nice stuff, but also some more natural stuff. I had been skulking around glittersniffer's shop for a while, just waiting for an excuse to go hog wild. Well, one day she was having a huge sale, so I jumped on it! Glittersniffer is not only really well known on etsy, but she is also a member of DIYscene which I am a member of as well.

I went crazy and bought 15 new eyeshadows to experiment with. My list included the following:
Boss
Shwag
Money
Redrum
Nova
Liar
Fusion
Universe
Kristin
Raw cocoa
Playboy
Silk sheets
Roxie
24k
Blow
Kush
I tried to get a variety of colors so I could mix and match stuff to go with all my work outfits, and still have some fun if I ever decided to get dressed up or go out. Each pot (except for Boss) contains 5 grams of loose powder. This stuff is extremely potent and a little bit goes a LONG way. I have only had them for 2 days, but I just love them so far! They stay on great, and the depth of the color is wonderful. All I need to do now is invest in some good makeup brushes and eyeshadow base. Since I am not used to wearing makeup, I tend to forget and accidentally rub my eye... the base should help with that. I wish I could have bought every color! There are even some shades named after other etsy sellers!

Here is the very simple look I put together this morning. Nothing special, just some Boss blended with some Universe!

Overall Impression: I love this eyeshadow and I would recommend Glittersniffer to anyone. Her shadow is 100% pure minerals, plus she has some eyecreams that I need to get my hands on! They might seem a little pricy (at least to me... wet'n'wild used to be my thing) with 5 bucks for 5 grams, but it is worth every penny!!!

New Vest Thing Design

2009-03-16T15:09:00.002-04:00

I guess I lied.. I thought I wouldnt have time to finish the project, let alone blog about it, any time soon... but I was wrong. Last night I finished working on a design I had been kicking around for a few months. I am not an "advanced" crocheter, so I get a little intimated when I start creating stuff from scratch. I think, for a first try, it turned out alright.

This first version I will keep for myself. It took me over a month to make it, so I am uncertain if any will show up in my shop any time soon. It was fun making it.

The yarn is super soft and warm, but MAN! I used a lot of it! I probably used almost a pound! The self-striping yarn looks a little odd in the round, but I think it has some potential and charm. The colors are just perfect, and now my mom can stop complaining that I dont wear anything white. (BTW, I dont wear anything that is white, this is a very light grey).

Let me know what you think! I have no idea what to call it... a vest? A chest warmer?

Excuses Excuses

2009-03-14T15:26:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to tell everyone out there in cyber land why I haven’t been posting all that much lately. The reason for that is like 17^6 fold.

First off I am trying to finish my master’s degree in zoology. It has been quite the bumpy ride, and I don’t expect anything less for the finish. I am spending long hours in the lab trying to finish up my research while trying desperately to write my thesis up at the same time. Let me just say, my experience with my master’s degree has not inspired me to (at least any time soon) pursue any other higher degrees. While it would be nice to be called Doctor, I don’t need that to feel fulfilled in life. I am, in fact, writing this blog entry as I am sectioning with a microtome in the basement of a drab looking university building on the weekend. I would love to be home with my husband right now in my pj’s watching a movie and eating junk, but I can’t. I have to be sequestered away from the world in a windowless hole so I can finish, maybe on time.

Secondly, I have been trying to find a job, so that once I get said degree, I can be gainfully employed. About once every two weeks for the past two months (really long than that) I have sat down and devoted hours to searching up good jobs in my field. I will let you know, that gets old really quick. There aren’t many widely publicized positions for microscopists. I have, how ever, found a few places interested in me. That leads me to my third reason…

Thirdly, I have found a job! I am currently waiting for them to send me my official offer letter (UPS tracking is useless). I have had two offers, but I waiting for the second one to come in to make my actual final decision. This job will be awesome, and a welcome change in both venue and revenue! Since the job is in another state, my husband and I have been spending long hours contemplating where to live, how to get there, and in what order to do things. I even worry about how to safely and sanely transport my kitties for the long move. Well, longer than I have ever moved with pets before. This also takes a large chunk of time, neither of which either of us have much of. I, of course, have to focus on school while my husbands is starting this week to work extra long hours as his work. A coworker of his is going in for surgery and he has to train his replacement and take over her job. Fun. Oh, and guess what. This coworkers is scheduled to come back to work the same day I am scheduled to start my new job!

I have been contemplating putting my etsy shop on vacation mode so I don’t have to worry about that. I was thinking of having a “Moving Sale” but I don’t have time to devote to the higher possible work load that might generate. Oh, I also had my first canceled sale today. That was great pick me up.

So, there you have it. I have been extremely busy and it wont stop any time soon. I wish I could keep up with everything, but it takes too much time and, even worse, it distracts me from what I really need to be doing right now.

Fuzzy Philosophy: Life is like a Rubik's Cube

2009-01-27T13:01:00.004-05:00

I dont normally talk about what makes me tick on my blog, or how I see the world really. I dont know if that is a bad thing or not. Today, I want to break my inner silence and share with the world one philosophy I hold that, I think, can be applied to anyone from any time, place, creed, etc. This universal principle is something I like to call:

Life is like a Rubik's Cube

Now, I did not come up with this world renown puzzle box, but I see it as the conceptual basis of my argument. If you are not a conceptual person, you may want to stop reading this here... because it is going to get more complex as we go on. In my view, we are all born with a Rubik's cube. It represents our state of being, which has the following properties.

The more complete our cube is, the more happy our life is. People like having all the colors matching, even if the other sides are a mess. A completely solved cube is akin to the "perfect" life and whatever that means to that person. My "perfect" life is not the same as yours etc., but would make me happy and content for the rest of my days.
The less complete our cube is, the more chaotic and unhappy our life is. Most people do not like randomness and sorrow. A completely random, unmatched cube is akin to complete insanity and being completely miserable.
We can occasionally turn our cube through our actions and choices we make, both moving it towards completion or towards chaos. We cant always see all of the aspects (or sides) our choices affect. Like the real life game, strategies, short cuts and hits can be learned and use as a person grows and experiences life. For example, where you choose to go to university, your career, who you become friends with etc are things you control and affect your quality of life well into the future, both positively or negatively.
Others can turn our cube through their actions and choices (both directly and indirectly), wither they realize it or not. For example, having a medical misdiagnosis, being fired by an over zealous boss, a neighbor giving you some brownies they made etc. Not all are bad, not all are good. Some dont seem to affect anything.
Sometimes fate turns our cube. These are things that are not a result of anyone's actions or choices, they just sometimes happen. Natural disasters are an excellent example.
Any or all of these forces can act at any time, and in any combination. You loosing your job because some big wig at a company mismanaged money can be broken down into several categories. Rarely can you categorize something in just one category.
Death is equal to breaking the cube, wither it is natural or caused by another. I am not making any comments about what happens after you die. This only applies to life as far as I have thought it out.
Even with a solved cube, if you continue to live on, things can still turn your cube just as before. For example: You retire in your prefect place with your significant other. All is blissful and great, then your significant other develops cancer.
No matter how many times your cube is turned, the possibility for true happiness (or having a completed cube) still exists, even if it is difficult to unravel the path to get there.

So, I see my life as a Rubik's cube. All things that happen can have the potential to affect each side, or the path to my happiness. Some people live with only one aspect of their life making them happy, like having a wonderful job, but a totally chaotic (or completely unsolved) personal relationship side. Others are totally content with where they are in life, only to have their lives devastated by disease or accident. What I find is wonderful about applying this way of thinking to you life is, no matter how twisted up your life gets, no matter how chaotic and unhappy, if you work hard enough you can still achieve happiness in the future. Also, attaining happiness is an ongoing task with the ever changing mosaic that a Rubik's cube creates.

Let me know what you think. I have tried to assess all aspects of my theory, but I am sure there are things I have missed. Maybe you can apply this to your life, either future or past, and work towards your happiness.

I have been featured!

2009-01-25T21:52:00.002-05:00

It doesnt happen very often, but I have been featured on another etsy sellers blog! Check it out!

And while you are at it, check out Shine Your Hiney's awesome shop!

Orange and Black Striped Loom Knitted Shrug 1

2009-01-24T21:33:00.003-05:00

Orange and Black Striped Loom Knitted Shrug 1
Originally uploaded by fuzzy_izmit

I finally got my first ever (for sale) loom knitted shrug all photographed and up on my etsy shop. I am really excited about the way it turned out. I hope to make some more soon, but I already have an other new item in the works already. It might take me a while to create, but I think it will be worth it.

My poor skinless mannequin had to be covered with one of my favorite sarongs to make her presentable. I hope to have something more permanent soon, but I have to wait until it gets hotter out so we can paint outside. She is made of foam, so I dont know what kind of paint I can use that wont make her melt. My lightest sarong makes a good background, but it was hard to find a good place in my apartment that I could put it and still be in the light. You cant see in my photo, but my mannequin is actually on top of a cat carpet/bed thing, and two plastic litter buckets... all stacked on each other!

Product Review: Custom Thank You Stamp from Owlbaby

2009-01-22T08:17:00.004-05:00

One fine day while twittering, I happened across a glowing recommendation from one of my followers beaming about her wonderful handmade stamp from a fellow etsyian. I saw the example she linked and saw the price... and I figured a handmade "thank you" stamp would look great on my recipes! After look at Owlbaby's shop, I was sold by the quality!

I contacted Owlbaby, and she was more than happy to do a custom stamp for me. Communication was quick and clear... which is a great thing when collaborating on custom items (and one of the key components in my opinion). She showed me to a page full of every kind of font you could imagine and I picked out one called "Burton's Nightmare" which is modeled after The Nightmare Before Christmas font. I also included in my stamp my cat face logo. Once I figured out how to send a rough sketch of the layout (I forgot that etsy will only allow you to send certain formats), it only took about a week to get my brand new, totally handmade stamp in the mail! The only thing I forgot to ask about was price (stupid me, totally my fault) but her stamps are very affordable!

Overall Impression: Wonderful work for a wonderful price. My roughly (I havent measured it) 2x2 inch handmade stamp was only about 10 bucks, with my pick of logo and font! Owlbaby was a joy to work with, and very quick! If you need any stamps made, I would definitly recommend Owlbaby!

(Photos used with permission from Owlbaby)