kellycrochets

Giveaway Giveaway Giveaway!!

2010-02-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

Hey, friends! I am giving away this awesome set of homemade washcloths.
I am promoting my scarf fundraiser and need your help!

Scarf information: Scarves are pink and white and about 2.5 inches wide and 70 inches long. To recieve a scarf, simply donate a minimum of $15 to my Avon Walk fund (www.avonwalk.org/goto/kellydawnreckas)

What do you have to do for an entry?

1 entry, tweet this giveaway! Make sure you put @kellycrochets and this blog post somewhere in your tweet, or retweet my tweet about the giveaway twitter.com/kellycrochets (comment once on this post)

2 entries, blog about this giveaway. (comment twice about this post)

5 entries, donate to my Avon Walk (www.avonwalk.org/goto/kellydawnreckas) comment five times on this post with your first name and last initial so I know who you are (and a $15 donation gets you a scarf!)

I will draw a name on March 9th using the random number generator. Good luck!

Scarves!

2010-02-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

I have completed four scarves so far and I love them all. If you're interested in one, go to my walk site and, for a $15 minimum donation, I will send you one - just put "scarf" in the message to me!

Please let me know which you would like to see more of!

Pink with white

White with Pink

Light Pink

Pink Center

Tax Return Time

2010-02-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ahhh... Taxes.

I just got my return yesterday afternoon (perfect timing, as my gas tank was empty and my cupboards were nearly empty)

I have been dreaming of wonderful things to spend the extra money on. The top of the list? Yarn. Soft, handspun, gorgeous yarn.

These yarns can be found here (left to right) MustSpinFaster, LunabudKnits, Blumzieluxuryyarns, Syrendell, laikaknits, FJCruiser, TerraBellaSpun, SpinningWheelStudio, and, KISDesigns

Next on the list? A Blendtec blender.

*Drool*

Seriously, this thing is amazing. Its a 3qt jar with a 4 (YES FOUR) inch blade. It has a 13Amp motor, is faster blending than the Vitamix, has ten speeds, and comes with two jars (one with a three inch blade and one with a four inch blade).

Lets just take a moment to admire its beauty.

Up next, a case of cherimoya AND a case of white sapote. At $50/case, this is something I've never splurged on.
Cherimoya are a tropical fruit that is sweet, delicate, and has flavour reminiscent of pineapple, banana, pear, papaya, strawberry/'berry', dragon fruit, and/or apple depending on the particular variety. The outside is green and almost scaly looking:

White Sapote is a tropical fruit related to citrus. Its flavour ranges from vanilla-y to peachy.

Last, but certainly not least, a juicer. Ideally, I'd get something really high-end, but I've got my eye on the L'equip Juicer. Basic, affordable, and functional. Most importantly, Mary (who doesn't have a fun webpage for me to share with you) says it juices greens quite well.

In reality, I will be putting this money toward:

Student loans

New wheel bearings for the new car

An implant, bridge, or braces - I just had a baby tooth pulled, and my mouth is a mess. Gross.

Most likely, I will be buying new wheel bearings. Any leftover money will go toward more fun things - CSA and a heartrate monitor (or running shoes)

New blog, up and running!

2010-01-29T16:42:00.000-08:00

My new blog for recipes is up and running. You can find it here at www.kohlrabiandquince.blogspot.com

It is for talking about my favourite thing - food.

Let me know what you think!

Just a few updates

2010-01-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

1. I know its really cool to hate FresNo, but, there is this great blog about LOVING Fresno. Weird? Go read it and let me know if you change your mind. www.31daysoffresno.blogspot.com

2. I'm working on some really pretty pink skinny scarves to raise funds for the Avon Walk. I will be selling them via this site for a minimum donation. I'm nearly finished with the first and will post photos as soon as I am finished.

3. I am working on a new blog for my recipes. I figure its about time I separate recipes and Etsy. And thank you to my faithful Etsy followers for sifting through the food to get to the features (which will start again soon, I promise!)

4. My Etsy shop is in vacation mode for now. I still have some stock, and will get the store up and running again as soon as I have the time to make some more - thank you all so much for understanding - and thank you all for the lovely complements on my work - I really appreciate it.

5. In the last two days, I have walked 7 miles. I need to accomplish 8 more this week. Think sweaty thoughts for me. ^_^

Beautiful Purple Miso Soup

2010-01-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

Two posts in one day! I can't believe it.

For lunch today I made an awesome, super-simple miso soup.

1/4 head purple cabbage
2 medium sized leeks
mushrooms (I used up a package of dried shirataki)
2.5 - 3 TBL miso (of your choice, I used a mellow white/yellow), add more to taste
water or broth - about 3.5C

Put a few tsp EVOO in bottom of medium sized pot. cook leeks until soft. add cabbage, cook down. (just a few minutes)

Add water/broth and mushrooms. Bring to boil. turn down heat, cover, and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Add miso paste, dissolve in broth mixture. Cover and simmer for 10-15 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Tamales

2010-01-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

Tamales!

The original recipe is courtesy of my mom. "Hi mom!" I veganized it this year.

Filling:

Portbella mushrooms (a lot - If you can buy them in bulk at your grocer, this would be ideal - try to get 10% off for buying bulk!)

Garlic

Onion

3 Bay Leaves

Salt

Oregano

Water or Broth (I used vegetable stock)

A can or two of olives

and/or

Frozen Corn

a very large can or two of green chilis

a can or two of olives

To make mushroom filling: Use food processor to shred mushrooms. Dehydrate at around 150* until dry. Throw in crock-pot. Add about a head of garlic (to taste), an onion, 3 bay leaves, 1tsp oregano. Fill with enough water or broth to cover. heat on low overnight.

The Next Morning:

Take your package of cornhusks and separate them. put in large bucket, bowl, or dish pan. Cover with water. Place something heavy (like a glass lid) on top to keep submerged. Let soak.

Drain mushrooms. SAVE broth. Separate and throw out the garlic, onion, bay leaves.

Make mole:

¾ Cup flour

½ tsp. salt

½ Cup shortening or vegetable oil

¼ tsp cloves

7 Cups liquid (mushroom broth and water if necessary)

¼ tsp. cumin

½ to 1 Cup chili powder (more if you like it really spicy)

½ tsp ground garlic

Brown the flour in fat. Add broth a little at a time, stirring and cooking over low heat until sauce becomes thick. Add chili powder and other spices. Mix well.

Place cornhusks in colander to drain

Make masa. I buy a wet package of unprepared - I found it in the meat section of the grocery store.

5 pounds Masa (unprepared)

1 Cup vegetable oil

1 TBL baking powder

1 ½ cups of broth

1 TBL salt

Mix masa. Add ingredients in very small amounts to masa. Mix well after each addition until masa is creamy texture. Too much liquid will ruin the consistency, so add with caution. Add a couple large spoonfuls of your mole sauce for color.

Open and drain cans of olives and green chilis (if you are making chili/corn filled tamales)

Chop green chilis, rinse well

Fill bottom of tamale pot with water. Place a ball of foil on bottom of pot "shelf"

Okay, the fun part. Assembly.

You will find your cornhusks have a very smooth side and a slightly rough or bumpy side. You always put your filling on the smooth side.

Take a cornhusk, and wipe any excess moisture off with a towel. Spread some masa on the smooth side of the husk edge to edge. It should look something like this:

Now, fill it up!:

These tamales have (left) mushrooms, one olive, mole and (right) (still frozen) corn, chopped green chilis, one olive, mole.

Once you put your filling in it, wrap it and fold the narrow part of the corn husk up. It should look like this:

In tamale pot place tamale, open side up, in center against ball of foil. As you make your tamales, put them in the pot around the center ball. The first few you make will probably not stand up, don't worry about it, just make sure they're standing when you steam them.

Fill the pot with tamales. Steam for approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check water level after about an hour and a quarter. Add more if needed.

You will know tamales are finished when the masa no longer has white spots AND no longer sticks to the corn husk.

Enjoy!

Vegan Tamales

2010-01-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

That's right. Vegan tamales.

I will be making them tomorrow, and am very excited about them. I am going to make a few dozen shredded mushroom and a few dozen chili and corn. Nichole of veganniche suggested the chili corn, claiming New Leaf makes good ones. I'm hoping mine are better.

I WILL have photos of these, and I will post a quick how-to.

Another photoless recipe: overnight oatmeal

2010-01-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe for crockpot oatmeal a few weeks ago (maybe it has already been a month). Anyway, the only crockpots (yes, multiple) were huge. I went to Target and got a little, personal sized crockpot for about $10. It was a GREAT deal, and I use it for this oatmeal. This has been modified from the original.

1/2C Steel Cut Oats
2C water
a tablespoon or two Agave - you can always add more in the morning if you want sweeter oatmeal
sliced apples, quince, a handful of raisins, and/or dried cherries. I really like apples and quince together.
cinnamon to taste
a splash of vanilla

that's it. Mix in crockpot, cook on low overnight.
In the morning, if you'd like, mix in some walnuts (yum!)

The Green Smoothie List

2010-01-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

I really can't take credit for most of these, as I found them on www.goneraw.com

A few are mine, but not many. Enjoy, I'm sorry I don't have photos! My camera needs batteries to upload. ^_^

I usually use frozen bananas in my smoothies. and I like mine kind of thick, so I don't usually add much water.

*The Cramp Cure Smoothie*
12 ounce water
7 ice cubes
2 carrots
1 frozen banana
4 medjool dates
1 tablespoon agave or honey
pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove)
Some ground flax seed
Mix Well

*Lemony Cherry smoothie*
1 lemon
1 mango
1 banana
a few cups of spinach
a few cups of fresh/frozen pitted cherries
water to blend

*Green Lizard Smoothie*
a few oranges (I usually do at least two)
a banana
a few cups of spinach
blend the oranges first then add banana and spinach - that way you know how much water you may need to add

*Peachy Smoothie*
1-2 peaches
1 mango
1 banana
a few cups spinach

*Joanna's Green Monster Smoothie*
6 cups of spinach
1 mango
1 bag of grapes- about 1 lb or so
Water- enough to get the food mixed- 1/2 cup

Brownies

2009-11-22T13:12:00.000-08:00

While in Target the other day, I had a brownie craving. The only vegan brownies they had in their baking aisle were the Ghiradelli Double Chocolate (the BEST brownies, in my opinion).

Last night, I dumped the mix into a large bowl and, instead of oil, water, and eggs, I added 1 heaping cup of pureed pumpkin. I then put this heavenly mix into a dark 9x11 pan and baked at 325 degrees F for 35 minutes (instead of the 45 the box called for)

They didn't rise quite as much as a normal brownie, but they certainly weren't flat either. They were very moist, and I couldn't really even tell there was pumpkin in them.

Yum!

Raw Brownie Balls of Delicious

2009-11-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

1.5C raw walnut halves
12 Dates
1/3C raw cocoa powder
1/4 vanilla bean (or less than a tsp vanilla extract)

optional: ginger, shredded coconut

in food processor, process walnuts until you get very tiny chunks. add dates. mix until mixture sticks together. add cocoa powder, optional ginger and vanilla - mix well.

If you like, put mixture in separate bowl and stir in walnut chunks

I rolled the brownies into 11 balls, then rolled them in dried, shredded coconut. I recommend keeping these in the fridge.

Featured Seller: Kendra Renee

2009-11-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

Today's featured seller is Kendra of Kendra Renee Jewelry Design on Etsy.

My name is Kendra Lawrence and my business is called Kendra Renee Jewelry Design. I think of myself as an artist, jeweler, and businesswoman. You could say I am completely obsessed with jewelry. I have always loved jewelry, and have made my own as long as I can remember. About two years ago I was introduced to metalsmithing and knew that I had found my passion. I can play with metal all day, every day and never become bored. I delight in creation and the physical realization of an idea. I just can’t seem to get enough.

I started selling on etsy about a year ago, although I joined long before. Etsy is an amazing tool, and I am so grateful to its creators and administrators. They make it possible for so many artists, myself included, to do what they love. I am learning new things from the online craft community every day, and this helps to fuel my excitement and inspiration.
When I am designing, I think about how my work will interact with the body. I try to incorporate motion into all my pieces, so that they move with the wearer. I develop contrast between textures, colors, and shapes within each piece to maximize their dramatic impact. I am not afraid of asymmetry! I find myself taking inspiration from mechanical objects as well as natural phenomenon.
Each piece is completely handcrafted. I begin the process with flat sheets of metal and wire, and carefully shape, forge, and solder each component of the design. I strive to make works of the highest quality that enhance the personality of the wearer. I am kind of a shy person, and so for me, wearing my own bold creations is the way I express my inner strength and creativity to the world. My hope is that others can see this in my work and feel it when they wear my pieces.
Links:
Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kendra-Renee-Jewelry-Design/89092182689?ref=ts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kendrareneejd
Etsy: www.KendraRenee.etsy.com
Personal Website: www.KendraReneeJewelry.com

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2009-11-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

I have officially signed up for Avon's Two Day Walk for Breast Cancer in San Fransisco on July 10 and 11th 2010. I started training yesterday, and as of today, I have 242 days to train and to raise $1800. **eek!**

If you would like to help me out, you can donate here:
http://www.avonwalk.org/goto/kellydawnreckas

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

2009-11-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

The other day, I bought three baking (sugar) pumpkins for pies, breads, soups, cookies, etc. Today, I roasted and pureed all three. I put the puree into freezer bags - two cups per bag to throw in the freezer for later use.

I kept one bag out for soup tonight.

Ingredients:
2C roasted pumpkin puree
1 medium butternut squash
1 leek, sliced - white and light green part
4 garlic cloves (I like it garlicky)
1 container So Delicious Coconut Yogurt - plain
a bit of So Delicious Coconut Milk (this can be found in the refrigerator section with the "alternative" milks at Whole Foods -- you can also use soy milk) I like my soup thick, so I didn't use too much, but if you like your soup thinner, add more
cinnamon - to taste
chili powder - to taste
sea salt/pepper - to taste

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. heat for about 20 minutes - stir occasionally to make sure nothing is burning.
Use an immersion blender to blend butternut squash into puree. If you don't have an immersion blender pour into standing blender -- very carefully! -- and blend until smooth.
Enjoy with your favourite sourdough bread.

Friday's Featured Seller: customdesigns4ubynan

2009-11-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

My featured seller this week is Nancy of customdesigns4ubynan on Etsy. She lives and works in her studio apartment on Long Island, New York. Nancy has been collecting fabric pieces for a few years, now, and with them, she makes aprons, table-cloths, pillows, bedspreads, quilts and throws.

In January 2009, she was laid off from her full time job, and someone suggested she start selling her work on Etsy. Since March of this year, Nancy has spent her days "slaving over a hot computer on the etsy promotion forum, and sew[ing] in the evening [while] watching Yankees games."

Nancy can be found on Etsy at www.customdesigns4ubynan.etsy.com
She also has a blog at http://customdesigns4ubynan-myheartandmind.blogspot.com/

Almond butter and Jelly sandwiches

2009-11-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

No photos for you tonight.

For lunch today, I had a hankering for peanut butter and jelly. I haven't wanted peanut butter in quite a while, and I had a handful of almonds in my cupboard, waiting to be eaten.

I made almond butter with about 1/3C of almonds, a drizzle of honey, and a splash of water - threw it in my magic bullet and had almond butter - delicious!

I then made my own jelly (store-bought has been too sweet for me lately) with four or five strawberries, about 1/3 of a really big mango, and a few dates. It was too runny to be jelly, so I added some chia seeds. I'm hoping tonight, when I get home from work it will be a little thicker. It was delicious.

AB&J for lunch tomorrow!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2009-11-02T22:15:00.000-08:00

Dinner tonight was sweet potato casserole courtesy of Cake_or_Death (thank you!)

I planned on being the only one at the table eating this, my family had chicken salad. They tasted it, and loved it! I think I've only got about 1/3C leftover for lunch this week.

The photo isn't great, but its a casserole - honestly not the prettiest of dishes.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can black beans
two cloves garlic, sliced, chopped, halved, its up to you (I used my garlic press)
onion
cumin
oregano
1 can creamed corn

Directions:
peel your sweet potatoes. Cut them into smallish chunks so they cook quickly. Boil for 15-20 minutes (until soft enough to mash). Mash. Set aside.

In large pan, cook black beans, garlic, onion, cumin and oregano. Place in casserole dish.

Layer corn on top of beans

Layer mashed sweet potatoes on top of corn.

Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes.

I ate mine with a slice of some delicious Italian bread from the local market.

Friday's Featured Seller (a day late!) Haptree

2009-10-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

My featured seller this week is Hillary of haptree. She makes adorable bead kits and wristlets to sell on Etsy and on Folksy.

Tell me a little about yourself:
I studied architecture at university although I never went back to do the extra 3 years needed to become qualified, so I just have the degree. Instead I got a job in an advertising and design agency which really suited me much more, I really enjoy the marketing side and I could use all those design skills without having to do the maths! I'm really happy being a stay at home mother now, especially as I have haptree to keep my brain functioning!

How, when, and why did you start selling online?
I started haptree early on this summer although I've been making bags and gifts for family and friends ever since I gave up work when my daughter came along 5 years ago. I started off stitching everything by hand until my mother took pity and bought me a sewing machine for christmas and then I just got hooked!

My daughter is my inspiration for the bead kits with wristlets that I make. Last christmas I bought a selction of beads for her and with a little help she made all the girls in the family beautiful jewellery sets, everyone was delighted. This was when I first had the idea, I wanted to make something that would make a beautiful gift but also be something to keep little girls occupied, not just another bag!

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I also love to knit although I'm not technically that good, I find it impossible to follow patterns as I hate the idea of making something someone else has already made - I want my stuff to be unique. I end up spending hours trying to make them up, sometimes with great results but mostly they're disasters! I doubt my knitting will be making it into my shop anytime soon, although you never know...

Where can we find you on the internet?
http://haptreeandme.blogspot.com/
I started my blog shortly before opening the shop. Almost as soon as I'd got half way down the first paragraph of my first blog post I realised that I was going to enjoy being a blogger, I've never stopped! I don't blog too much about my own stuff instead I offer advice and tips to other bloggers and crafters, mostly on the subjects of photography and blogging itself. I'm learning as I go along but so far my blog is doing great and my little business is slowly beginning to take off.

Please take a look at my main shop over at Folksy which is the UK version of etsy where you can find lots of images of my work and my bead kits to use, my etsy shop isn't stocked up at the moment!`
http://www.folksy.com/shops/haptree

Hillary is wrapping up a giveaway for a month's free advertising right now. To enter, simply go here. If you don't make this month's drawing, no worries, she holds one every month for a free advertising space on her blog.

She also has a great giveaway page, listing the giveaways of others (and who doesn't love that?) check it out here:

On December 5th, if you are in Stanmore North London, you can find Hillary at her first ever winter fair; the Bentley Priory Winter Fair

Quick olive update

2009-10-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

Monday was spent putting olives into jars (many, many jars), and filling those jars with brine.

Our beautiful brine consists of organic olive oil, red and white wine vinegar (and for the last few jars, apple cider vinegar), organic orange peels, organic peppercorns, fresh organic rosemary, fresh organic oregano, garlic and dried chilies.

I filled fourteen pint jars and three quart jars with sea salt, garlic, chilies, peppercorns, oregano, and our scrumptious-smelling brine.

We now have to wait (again) for at least ten days before we can taste them. Let me tell you, I can not wait.

Featured Seller: Parami Panda

2009-10-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

Today's featured seller is Alix of Parami Panda. She has been crocheting amigurumi for about a year. She started making them for her friends as gifts and they suggested she try her hand at selling them. She has been on Etsy early November of 2008.

Alix started selling on Etsy pretty early on in her amigurumi adventure. The sales started coming almost immediately - without having to do too much promoting! She was blown away. They weren't too many sales - maybe one a week - but that was just fine because at the time, Alix was a full-time student. At about the same time, she started selling her plushies in local stores and in craft fairs. Now that she has graduated, she is spending a lot more time on Parami Panda. She has started with taking better photos of her items and overhauling a lot of the descriptions. She is working on creating a completely organic/natural/naturally dyed line of amigurumi and she has started to dabble in the art of cloth doll making, so expect some adorably emo dolls up in the shop soon.

Check Alix out on her awesome blog: http://paramipanda.blogspot.com .

And if you want to become her fan on facebook, go here: http://www.facebook.com/paramipanda .

And of course, check out her etsy shop here: http://paramipanda.etsy.com .

Olive Adventure Part One

2009-10-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I picked up some fresh, organic olives from a local farm.

Their minimum purchase requirement? Twenty five pounds. So now I have twenty five pounds of olives curing in my living room.

The process:
I had to process these over two nights. It took about two hours each night. I cut two slits on each olive, then lightly beat them with a rolling pin. After I had done that, I threw them in a 2.5 gallon glass jar and filled it with water.

After an hour of beating and stabbing olives:

Two hours in:

After about two weeks of sitting in plain water, on Tuesday, I changed it to brine (2/3C salt to 4C - 1quart - water).

Next week, I will be putting them in quart jars filled with olive oil, orange peel, garlic, peppercorns, dried chili peppers, fresh oregano, rosemary and some red wine vinegar.

Then, I will let them ferment for about ten days, and I happily be eating home-cured olives. . . . and probably giving them to everyone for Christmas.

I will post more after I've put them into individual jars.

Friday's featured seller: digicute

2009-10-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today's featured seller is Teresa of digicute. Theresa is a computer programmer and designs digital illustrations. She is constantly designing, and honing her skills, and thought Etsy would be a great way to share her designs with others.

Digicute is Teresa's second shop. Her first is www.teresa770718.etsy.com, where she sells scrapbook paper and scrapbooking bundles. She is in the process of combining the two shops, so everything in the first is on sale for $1.

Teresa can be found at www.digicute.etsy.com and www.teresa770718.etsy.com

Featured Seller: Itz Fitz!

2009-10-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

My featured seller this week is Jen of Itz Fitz on Etsy. Jen creates whimsical hand-painted, personalized keepsakes.

Jen lives in Long Island, NY and has been painting since she was a little girl. For her niece's first birthday, Jen painted her name on tiles, one letter to a tile, each letter decorated with flowers, and attached a ribbon to hang it by. Her sister did not believe this beautiful gift was handmade, and once she was finally convinced, she told Jen about Etsy. Jen looked into it, and, two months ago, joined the Etsy community.

You can find Jen on Etsy at www.ItzFitz.etsy.com. She is offering free shipping until Saturday, October 17. Just type kellycrochets in the message to seller at checkout.

Featured Seller: Electric Penguin

2009-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

My featured seller this week is Electric Penguin, who has a very fun jewelry shop up on Etsy at http://www.electricpenguin.etsy.com/. Last year, Electric Penguin was searching for a style necklace she couldn't find anywhere, and decided, "I might be able to make that!" She grew up crafting and sewing, so she made the trip to her local craft store, gathered supplies, and made exactly what she wanted.

The necklace was so successful, she moved on to stretchy bracelets and earrings. So many stretchy bracelets and earrings she decided to start selling to friends, which led to her discovery of Etsy.

When she found Etsy, it was love at first sight. Last month she opened up shop after much inventory and shop information preparation. So far, it has been much more work than she expected, but she loves every minute of it.

Electric Penguin - It has been well worth your hard work!