Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

This is an awesome cross stitch that I made using a pattern that I got free:


I love this pattern - it looks like something that a little boy would ADORE having embroidered on a shirt pocket (well, maybe one or two bugs, if not the whole thing). Bright colors, mostly primary colors, it is just eye-POPPING!
To get the pattern for this (and a lot of other cool patterns, by the way) you have to go to Cross Stitchers Club.
You have to join to get the patterns, but they don't inundate you with emails like other places do. They give you 1 free pattern a day that you can save in a pdf or print right off your computer. I like it! :D

Happy stitching!

A moon for Gwen

I designed a tattoo for a friend of mine. She said that she wanted celtic knotwork, a moon, and some stars. May I ask....Can one be MORE vague?!! This is the third version, and one that she absolutely LOVES! I am soooooo proud, that someone (or, another person-my brother has a tattoo that I designed) has decided to get something that I have drawn tattooed ON THEIR BODY. It's like...a living billboard, saying "Hey-look at what Audrey can do!!!"


A Moon for Gwen - Revisited by ~audreydc1983 on deviantART

I got the idea to put the stars INSIDE the moon, and it felt like genius. I remembered some stained glass stars that I had seen, and I wanted to copy that style of star. The celtic knotwork seemed to take an eternity to finish, but as you can see, the result is VERY satisfying. I am quite sorry about the (c) in the middle, but I worked hard on this one. I am very proud of it, and I want to protect it.
Enjoy!

Medium is pencil on paper.

My first canning project!

My first canning project is sweet zucchini relish!(Gluten-Free of course!)

Here's a photo of the finished product:



and with cloth covers:




If you'd like the recipe, it's on allrecipes.com: Sweet Zucchini Relish

A few notes about this recipe:
*Make sure you have oodles of zucchini!
*Make EXTRA sure that you have enough sugar and vinegar.
*Get all the right spices. If you don't, it just won't taste the same.
*Follow safe canning procedures

The recipe received a 5-star rating on allrecipes. And having tasted it today (I had a little left over, so I stuck it in an unused jar and put it in the fridge), it is easy to see why. DELICIOUS!!! Will I use some for Yule gifts? I'm thinking about it, but it is REEEEEALLY GOOD!

Salads...an art form.

See? food for Gluten-free people AND gluten-eaters can be made in the same kitchen. It is a lot of work, but when you whine about it, it's just plain drudgery.

Here's mine:


Ingredients:
Red-Leaf lettuce, fresh cilantro, pinto beans,carrots, tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives, salami, colby jack cheese - with Goddess Tahini dressing.

Terry's:



Ingredients:
Red leaf lettuce, cilantro, carrots, pinto beans, black olives, tomatoes, sausage, colby-jack cheese - with a non-dairy Ranch dressing. (not that we eat non-dairy; it came free)

Both of them were served with a side of roasted garlic-smeared bread. His was whole wheat, mine was gluten free brown rice bread.

Yummy! Hooooray for big salads!

Limoncello

This is a picture of a homemade limoncello project. No, the liquor itself is not homemade - I got it at a liquor store, for the information of any of you BATF agents who are reading my blog.(I don't understand WHY a BATF agent would read my blog, though). Oh, well - just in case then.

Some info on this awesome drink, from Wikipedia:
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. It is made from lemon zest (traditionally from the Sorrento lemon, though most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello), alcohol, water, and sugar. It is light to bright yellow in color, sweet and lemony, but not sour since it contains no lemon juice. Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner digestivo.

Thank you, Wikipedia. You make research so....effortless. (haha!)

I followed the directions for limoncello on this site:

http://patty.vox.com/library/post/homemade-limoncello-when-life-gives-you-lemons.html

I started it on September 27th, and just yesterday I sneaked a....sniff, and it smells INTOXICATING! (no pun intended)

Next time, I will follow the directions and use Everclear instead of 100 proof vodka (Smirnoff, of course) but it looks like this is going to turn out to taste AWESOME regardless of the type of alcohol used.

I might save this instead of giving it out as Yule gifts. Decisions, decisions...

Mounted Thor Sampler

I just mounted the Thor sampler. Take a gander!



I am planning on having this auctioned off at the Althing. Just because I'm not going doesn't mean that I can't contribute to the cause!
I have no mounting kit, so I did the best I could, with a T-square and a piece of blue construction paper. It looks professional....as long as the one looking at it doesn't scrutinize it too much. This would look great on a heathen's wall - I'm sure that it will be given a good home.
I am mounting the Thor's Hammer cross stitch as well. Hopefully it will need no matting to make it look great, and fill in the gaps. I had to choose an odd frame for the 'Thor Bless This Home' cross stitch, because it was mighty hard to find a square picture frame that small. I got both frames at goodwill; this one was $0.99.

Enjoy!