Customs

I love doing non wedding customs.  It helps to keep the creative juices going.  I was recently commissioned by a sweet returning customer to create a birthday cake topper for her daughters 3rd birthday.

The theme of the daughters outfit was a SF baseball fan.  I think she came out adorable.  I hope they like her!

Happy Thursday!

XO,

K

My Favorite Pasta Salad

Yesterday for dinner Joe grilled some salmon burgers.  Yum!  To accompany the burgers I decided to make my favorite pasta salad.  It's so simple to make and a great summer time side to any dish.

Red onions chopped

Pasta cooked.  I used tiny shells but I prefer any try-color

pasta.

Finished Dish!

Zoey watching..... Pst!  Her Birthday is today!

Happy Birthday my little girl....

Thank you for being the best buddy for the past 7 years

Simple Summer Pasta Salad

1 small - med red onion chopped

1 package/block of your favorite cheese ( Provolone, Monterey Jack, Swiss work well) cubed

1 can black olives sliced

1/2  to 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 

1 cup salami diced (optional)

1 box (1lb) of your favorite tricolor pasta or any macaroni type pasta you may have on hand

1 - 8oz bottle of your favorite Italian dressing.  If you only have a larger bottle on hand only use half of the bottle.

Cook pasta according to direction on package.   Drain and let cool.  Cut red onion, cheese, olives and optional salami set aside.  Once the pasta is cool add red onion, cheese, olives and salami and dressing.  Mix well.  Then slowly add parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  Start with a 1/2 cup and mix.  Taste.  Slowly add more if you feel it needs it.   Cover and refrigerate approx 1-2 hours.  

This tastes even better the next day!  

Enjoy!

XO,

K

Back to work

I had a lovely relaxing weekend with the family.  Our bbq on Saturday was a success!   My deviled eggs and macaroni salad came out delicious.  I highly recommend the recipes in my last post.  I wish I would have taken pictures, I have to remember to do that although my family is camera shy.  It can be quite annoying.

I did find the time to work on this little gal.  A pretty kokeshi ballerina.  I think she's so sweet.  She's available in the shop.

Being 4 months pregnant and due in Nov I began to think about inventory specifically Christmas.  I know a little early but I want to be prepared so I don't have to close shop completely while on "maternity" leave.  I would like to have some stock / ready to ship items while I get adjusted to mother hood.  Once I have a routine I will start accepting customs again.  

I made a list of characters and items I can stock and will begin building inventory this summer.  I have a goal of painting at least 5 stock items per week while I work on current customs.  I put the list in right in front of my painting desk so I can't miss it.  I'll cross off goals as I go along.  

My next agenda is to get my sewing machine in the next week or so AND begin planing out the nursery.  My studio will become the nursery.  My studio will be moved to our guest room and become a dual studio/guest room.  I also have to register but we're waiting to find out the sex of the baby which should be in the next few weeks.

Thats it for now ta ta!

xo

K

Ready for the Weekend

It's the official start of summer! I'm ready to spend the weekend with my husband!  I love when he has 3 days off from work.  Tomorrow we are hosting a BBQ for Memorial Day.  The usual suspects will be in attendance ie.. Mother in law, Father in law, Brother and Sister in law, my stepson Matt.  Not sure about my niece and her fiancé they may be working.

This means getting up early to go food shopping and get gas for the grill since we ran out last weekend.
I want to make deviled eggs and macaroni salad.  I've never made either so I'm going to try these recipes.

Classic Deviled Eggs from the food network and Classic Macaroni Salad from Helmans.  Crossing my fingers.  The recipes are simple so I think they will turn out fine.  I'll be sure to post the results here.

Sunday we might try to hit the Point Pleasant boardwalk.  I love just walking the boards. All the smells (salt water, pizza, potato pancakes, funnel cake mmmmmm!) remind me of the summers I spent at the shore.

What are your weekend plans?  Hope they are safe and fun.

XO,
K

Welcome!

The blog has a new home.  I finally decided to move my old blog over here.  I wanted to make everything uniform to coordinate with Knottingwood

It's a work in progress but I'm off to a good start.  I'm annoyed that I can't find the picture I used of my husband and I from the old blog.  I have a feeling they are on my old dell laptop that blew up a year ago.  We stink at taking pictures and don't have any recent ones.  Being pregnant I'm not at all feeling picture perfect to take new ones.

I have big plans not only for the blog but my business especially since the dynamic of my shop will change once the baby comes.  I'll have to take less customs until I get into a routine with being a new mom.  I want to try to have more ready to ship items.  I'll be adding accessories like hair clips and jewelry.   Plush toys to cuddle.  I want to take the kokeshi's and make them plush.  I'm currently researching a good first sewing machine.  Luckily when my Mom comes to visit mid June she can teach me a thing or two.

It's time for me to get some sleep.

XO,
K