Baltimore By Hand Blog...Check it out...

I am the Featured Artist today for the Blog Giveaway in the Baltimore By Hand blog...I'm not giving away any secrets...You need to go to the blog, read my article and see if YOU can win one of my Day of the Dead skulls...

GOOD LUCK...

October's EtsyBlogger's Featured Blogger...

This month the EtsyBloggers Street Team is featuring Jen from Mama's Magic Studio...This gal is very creative with her bead style...She runs 2 Etsy shops, the second being Baby Friendly Beads...Both shops have some unique and creative items...You should check them out... You can also read more about Jen and her shops on her blog Mama's Magic...

Fresh Basil Pesto

OK...So the groundhogs didn't distroy the entire garden this summer...I have lots and lots of basil...My favorite thing to make with basil is homemade Pesto...OMG...It is to die for...I would love to share this easy recipe with you...I would share my abundance of basil but that would be difficult over the web...Anyway here goes...

First you start out with fresh basil...Wash it well...Cut off the leaves and you're ready to make your pesto...

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Method
1. Combine the basil and pine nuts in a food processor or blender, pulse a few times...If you are using walnuts make sure they are chopped before adding to the basil...Then add the garlic, pulse a few times more...You may need to scrap the sides a few times in between your pulsing...

2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on...Stop again to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula...Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended...Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste...

Makes about 1 cup...

YUM YUM YUM...Serve with pasta, over baked potatoes (my fav) or over a toasted baguette slice...Trust me, this is good on anything!...Enjoy...

Skully Magazine Cover -- Very Cool...

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com ...

Featured EtsyBlogger of the Month

Joey & Aleethea is the Featured EtsyBlogger for the month of September...I am a member of this awesome Stree Team called EtsyBloggers...I'm actually a member of several awesome Street Teams on Etsy but this one in particular keeps me up and posting on my blog...It's a committment that I appreciate and enjoy...I knew I had to do something active when I started my blog...I was so afraid of the committment of posting...Since I joined EtsyBloggers it has been nothing but fun fun fun...I now enjoy my blog rather than look at it as another chore or thing I have to do...
Now, back to the Featured EtsyBlogger...Joey & Aleethea has the most adorable childrens clothes I have seen in a long time...I especially love the "Monster" series...So cute and fun...Their bibs are fun too, reversible and made with some unique material, not just babyish...I have to also mention that the models used to show these adorable fashions are the cutest...

So...If you are in the market for anything for baby, toddler or a special little one...Joey & Aleethea is the shop to visit...Oh...Did I mention that Joey & Aleethea is also the Admin and Team Leader for EtsyBloggers...Ooops...

Skulls In My Closet

OK...By now most of you know that I love making my Day of the Dead Skully focals...I am an old time Dead Head and have always had a fondness for skulls...After many visits to New Mexico I learned that "Day of the Dead" is actually a celebration, where family and friends gather to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed on...

One of my lampwork friends, Amber, whose Etsy Shop is Naos, gave me encouragement and help when I wanted to make my first skull after seeing one of hers...I started making my skulls for Halloween but realized shortly after several sales that they can be worn anytime of year...It just so happens that this time of year they seem to be most popular...I hope you enjoy my Skully creations...

Childhood Memories...

EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival - September 1

I thought and thought of a childhood memory that some of you could relate to...Food...that's it!...In thinking back to my childhood, I remember all of the fun NEW foods that were becoming available to the public...Take Fizzies, for instance...Does anyone remember adding 2 tablets to their glass of water, watching the tablets fizz into a colorful, flavorful?, soda?...I sure do...I used to LOVE the stuff...
Then there were the delicious and so yummy T.V. Dinners...I remember Swanson making them...At least one night a month my Mom would make everyone their very own T.V. Dinner...What a special treat that was...No dinner dishes to clear or clean...How cool was that...What was your favorite T.V. Dinner?...Mine was Salisbury Steak...

And of course we had to have some delicious ice cream for dessert...Oh, now that was my favorite part of the instant meal...Chocolate was my favorite...How about you?...

Let's not forget the after dinner bubble gum cigarette...Now tell me that wasn't promoting cigarets to kids...Thinking about it now makes me sick...I can't believe we actually pretended to smoke those things and then chewed them and blew bubbles?...Who remembers that?...

OK...So now I'm getting totally weirded out...Are these my favorite childhood memories...NO THEY ARE NOT...I thought this would be fun but now I think I better stop because this is really freakin' me out...

I'm sure lots of you remember these crazy convenient and wacky food items hitting the markets...We thought they were the greatest thing ever...Now look where we are...

With that I say...Feel free to leave comments...I'm curious how you feel about this kind of nostalgia...