When Rome, enjoy the food. And when home, make knockoffs

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Olive Garden Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

1 Cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen & thawed)
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash black pepper
On the side
Crackers
Chips
or Sliced toasted Pitas ( or baguette slices)
Boil the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander when done.  Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave set on high for 1 minute. Or, use a saucepan to heat the cheese over medium heat just until hot.  Add the spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well.  Add the remaining ingredients to the cream cheese and combine.
Serve hot with crackers, chips, or toasted pitas for dipping.

Back in the {Sculpting} Saddle Again...

It's been way too long since I've been sculpting regularly.  Most of my day goes to this little cutie:

I'm working on a new sculpt, this male below, and then here are a bunch of WIP pics of various dolls that are waiting oh so patiently....

That's funny...that last guy looks quite startled.  Been playing with premade eyes...and it's still a work in progress.  I'll have to close those lids a bit, or sculpt him with a huge spider beside him!

Jordan meets Chocolate cookie

Up to lately...

I found Jasen with Jordan and he'd given his little brother a Keebler Elf cookie.  Jordan's first experience with chocolate.  He looks as shocked as I was.

Next, we've been working on some Harry Potter wands.  We went through all the movies over Spring Break, got Harry Potter scars (you may have seen us decked out on Facebook...even Jordan had one), then Jasen bought some hair dye and he and Justin now sport Harry Potter hair, so the wands were the final touch.

I love it when you snap pics and they have no idea you even have the camera out.  Jasen helped me get them painted using the supplies shown above.  Just wooden dowels with some Apoxy Sculpt (but you could use Premo clay).  They actually turned out pretty cool, and very woody looking.

Jordan was so darn cute with that cookie.

Almost Done with the Karma Tank...

First of all, Kudos to Blogger for finally making pictures easier to insert where you want them.  That's helpful.  So, here's the tank...I love this close up of the herringbone pattern it uses:

 

And, here's my little cutie:

Tip: The 5 Minute Lunch Miracle

We are getting up way too fricking early these days trying to get Steph to school by 7:30, a half hour away (with 6 kids in tow) so I came up with this idea of spending just a few minutes each day on creating lunch items (or, just taking them out of the packaging...that takes work too...sort of). 

Then I have a box (the "Lunch Box"--catchy name, eh?) full of these items.  The idea is that the kids can grab several items and have a lunch ready in no time.  They can even make a sandwich and still pull it together in less than 5 minutes.  And on the days we have one minute, they just grab and go.  Very helpful.

And yes, those are graham crackers with frosting inside.  Did you ever eat those as a kid?  Why do they taste better after sitting in the fridge overnight?  I had a roommate in college, Wendy, that taught me the graham cracker yumminess.

Me Time

I've decided that blog time is me time. It nourishes my soul. Plus, since I happen to be something of a whirlwind, I like to leave a trail so I can remember what I've been up to. And, I like to know I've been doing SOMETHING productive. If I don't see it, I'm liable to forget. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say. So...first...the push-ups report. Sadly, I had a wicked cold/sinus infection that knocked me off the wagon. There was no way anything involving tipping my head forward was going to happen. I'm better now and ready to start again except for two things...laziness and a general dislike of exercise, uh-um...I started on too hard a level and I don't know how to reset my iPod app on the easier one (so I'll actually do it) and my wrists are killing me each time. A sculptor really values her wrists. So, we'll see. If I don't decide to continue with the pushups, I'll switch over to 100 squats (which catches my interest more anyway) and do these 6 minute workouts.

We'll see. I have been walking on warm days with Jordan. I find it's great to go...about now...later afternoon when the kids are in the living room (bouncing off the walls?) enjoying themselves noisily. Suddenly I'm much more motivated to get out of the house...go figure.

Next, I'm going to figure out labels on this thing because I like to talk about a lot of different subjects and having several blogs is confusing for me. I do better if I put everything in one place. But I'll have labels to sort for you...if you just want sculpting or knitting info or whatever. Any tips on how to make a side widget for that are welcome.

Oh...hey...never saw that Show All button by the labels before. That will make life easier!

Speaking of goals (I guess that was my topic in a round about way), here's a cute little PDF on Goals and Manifesting.

Me n' Jordy

Kids are too funny

This is a great video by Jairen.

Knit Pics--a washcloth scarf???

Sometimes things don't go as planned.  Especially when you are beginning a new hobby...like, oh, I don't know...let's say, Knitting, for instance.  This is what happens if you cast on 72 stitches (or loops?  whatever...) and then run out of yarn.  Apparently, the knitting expands in width--to almost double.  Well-noted!

But who doesn't like a nice wash-cloth scarf you can where when it's breezy in the tub.  You are naked, afterall...gotta warm up somehow!

Happy to report, Washcloth #2 was a success. Size 10 needles, 40 stitches on, and 32 bumpy row thingy's--my sister Lani taught me that technical term.  Thanks, Lan.

It's still not very loose looking, and I don't know how I can knit any looser...so I'm guessing my needles are too small?  Hmmm....   The cool part is that this one only took two days, and I only knitted when I was driving (well, riding as my HUSBAND drove...I really should clarify), watching movies, or any other time I was just sitting on my duff.  Like when I was watching the How to videos about my dear, sweet iMac.... or even while waiting for our table at Carabba's.  Knitting really fits in well!  AND you get washcloth scarves.  How cool is that?

And then of course, more fun on the Photobooth with my buddy, J.  Don't we look funky?  He's a riot.  Having kids to play with is a good thing.  =)