December sale

A SALE!

Happy Holidays!

First things first.

Just posted a 20% off coupon for all purchases in my Etsy store, throughout the month of December. Thought one of you ladies might want to take advantage of some savings, and buy a gift for someone special...like yourself!!

So be sure and visit my Etsy store. Offer good while supply lasts.

And thought you might like to see little Maddie after her first hair cut!

She is too darn cute. She's 6 months old already, and going in to become a woman this week, no puppies for her.

Hope your Christmas shopping is painless this year!

Lots of love,

Riki

Thanksgiving was fabulous

BUTTER HORN ROLLS ROCK!

And so does WH! (That's Wonderful Husband for those who don't know.)

We got brave this Thanksgiving. First we bought a bread machine, thinking how cool it would be to make home made breads and rolls this holiday season. I was so excited to make my mom's 1930's recipe of butter horn rolls, I had never made them. Just watched her do it a hundred times, you've been there I'm sure.

So....we got the bread machine home, bought all the ingredients, and were ready to make it happen. Then, it occured to us that there were some VERY strange things in the recipe, that didn't match up with what ingredients we had???

For instance, "scalded milk"? A "cake yeast"? Hmmm.

I'll give you the recipe below, even though my sister reminded me this is a guarded family secret, so you can print it out, because after working with the instructions of a new, never used bread machine, AND altering the directions of a 1930's recipe that is a winner,

we created the most wonderful, light, mouth watering home made rolls you could ever make!

I felt like a kid again.

The aroma of these sweet rolls backing and the turkey with sage rubbed all over it was over the top.

I apologize for the for the out of focus photos, we were just in too much a hurry, and having to much fun to think about the focus factor! But you get the picture, ha ha.

I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I was certainly thankful for so many amazing things. Thank you, each and every one of you for following my adventures. And now for the recipe!!

Butter Horn Rolls

1 cake yeast (we used dry from a packet for a bread machine, so no need to disolve first)

1 tablespoon warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

3 eggs

1 c. milk, scaled (don't worry about that, no need to scald, old idea)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

4 c. flour (we used bread flour for the machine)

1 teaspoon salt

(If you don't use a bread machine, you can follow these directions for the yeast)

Mash yeast in a bowl. Dissolve in 1 T. warm water, sprinkle over it 1 T. sugar. Beat with 3 eggs. Add milk (no need to scald now, its all pasteurized). Add butter, melt in milk. Add to mixture luke warm. Add 1/2 c. sugar, 4 c. flour, 1 t. salt. Mix to a soft dough (this is where we let the bread machine do it, and added the dry yeast to the top of the ingredients inside the machine).

Let dough rise until light, about 3-4 hours. When light, divide in half and roll out each half into a 9"-10" circle. Brush the circles with melted butter, cut each circle into 16 parts. Roll each piece beginning with the widest end. This should make 32 rolls.

Place on greased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter. Cover with a dry cloth. Let rise until very light, another 3-4 hours. Bake in ot oven 375-400 degrees until brown (about 10 minutes).

TIP: to quick raise rolls or dough, heat oven for 1 MINUTE ONLY, at 400 degrees. Place rolls, covered with cloth, in oven. Should be doubled in about half the normal time.

Have fun, enjoy the recipe!

Hugs to all,

Riki

How is it made?

How are the fun bling necklaces created?

This pile of goodies, found by searching the countryside over for months....a little box filled with treasures, ones that were hand picked and negotiated,

combined with....

bling, my tray full of bling...

from the many trips to lots of Antique shows,

scattered far and wide all over the place...

results in this!

Thought you might like to see how these come together.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

Hugs and love,

Riki

More bling

Fall is setting in....

and as it starts to settle in, and there is less daylight, for some reason my inspiration is getting stronger. Maybe it isn't Fall at all, but just getting past all the worry for the economy and loved ones, don't know.

How is YOUR inspiration right now?

Just as there is less daylight, and more rain, I seem to be burrowing into the studio. Are you experiencing this too?

Here's another fun piece, using one of the many rhinestone necklaces I bought at the Alameda Antique fair near Oakland, CA awhile back. I have so many found objects, its getting more difficult to figure out where to put them all, be able to see them, and make them mobile to move twice a year. Clear plastic storage containers seem to work. But I've laid out all the bling necklaces on a beautiful silver platter. I'll have to show you one day.

So, good luck on the creative juices everyone.

Hope fall is having the same affect on you.

Are you cooking for Thanksgiving? I am, the whole kit and kaboodle. Looking forward to it, since I haven't done it in a few years. We bought a bread maker and I am attempting my mom's 1930's butterhorn roll recipe! Yikes! Wish me luck!

And good luck to all of you who are cooking.

We all have a lot to be thankful for this holiday. I know I am.

I wish you a safe and delicious holiday!

Hugs and love to all.

Riki

Falling in love

Have you fallen knock down, drag out,

in love recently?

I have!

After losing sweet Chester in April, I just wasn't sure about getting another pup. Then WH said I should, since I was devastated, and thought I was losing my mind. Funny thing about grief, and those of you who have experienced it, know exactly how it affects you. You can't concentrate, or focus, you know the routine. That's a different kind of stress than my recent worry stress. But they both try to get the best of you, but you can't let it!

But, when is the right time to get another little pal? How long should you wait?

My answer is get one when you need to. Pretty simple.

Don't worry about the length of time.

So little Maddie came into our lives. Is she cute or what, with her little teal bow, to match mom's teal hair!! Ha ha.

The comments you left for me in a recent post regarding worrying for my loved ones, will stay with me for a long time. Such wonderful insight, sharing and caring. I want to think I can handle everything, be Super Woman, not let anything get to me. Be able to shake everything off.

Wrong.

This economy is coming at everyone with double barrels. It's affecting everyone, in one way or another. I think it's okay to talk about these things, and how we're feeling. I was hoping it would help others, and I think it did from the responses.

We're all going to get through the tough times. Goodness knows I've had my troubles, and things work themselves out, one way or another.

On one last note, just wanted to say I'm back in the saddle creating again. It feels so good.

How are you doing? Make something that makes you smile, it feels great.

Love and hugs to you.

Riki

Feeling lighter

You lifted my spirits!

I hope the love lightened your load as well.

Once again, you blogging sisters showed up at the storm, and welcomed me inside your safe haven for shelter. I am a lucky girl, to know all of you, and that you care so much. The comments that were left were so heart felt. I could feel the optimism, hopefulness, pain and worry, but especially love.

photo courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Your advice and suggestions were wonderful.

My mind knows that these hard times my loved ones are experiencing are temporary...it's my heart that tries to hold on to hurt and worry. I'm working on getting into the 'mind over matter' stage. And like WH (fyi that is wonderful husband) says, break problems down into smaller pieces, then deal with what you can, affect what you can.

I'm feeling great after a good girl's weekend with my dear friend Diana Frey. Our shopping was rained out, so no flea market in Alameda, but food, fun and clothes shopping quickly took it's place. Great medicine for what was ailing me. Forget the weight of the world, put it on hold, for a few hours.

I am so sorry for all the pain you are experiencing too. My wish is that with all the wisdom brought to that post from our sister's comments, you too will find some solitude, and the right words to help you find your way out of a storm going on in your life. A few suggested praying, and that is great advice too. Whatever means we have to use to find peace, continue to create, for our sanity, and the happiness it brings to others, we will find it.

I strapping on my creative mojo today, I feel it waiting in the hallway for me. We've been disconnected for a week or so, but I see she wants to tag along today. I'm welcoming her with open arms, a lighter heart, and a smile on my face.

Thank you everyone. Let's create today!

Much love,

Riki

Heavy Heart

I have a heavy heart today, do you?

I have been reading some of your blogs for about the last six months talking about not being inspired.

I feel the same way.

I noticed that no one is talking about what I'm feeling, and that's okay. Its not something that you want to broadcast, feelings of feeling down, slightly depressed, worried, scared. I have some of those feelings. Its about fear for some loved ones.

I don't know if you have any loved ones going through really hard times right now, due to the economy, but I do? It is tearing me apart to see people you love...siblings...children...grand children...be victims of the aftermath of our current and cruel economy.

graphic courtesy of The Graphic Fairy

As a result, I worry. I knew I was a worrier, but haven't had a lot to worry about in the last few years. I retired 13 years ago, things have been rolling right along in such a great way, every day is Saturday. I have a wonderful little business, terrific clients, business is good. A few bumps in the road, but nothing serious, other than losing my sweet Chester the Yorkie, and a major theft. Okay, some small set backs. But you rise to the occasion, right? You pull yourself together and get through it all...that's because YOU can control YOU.

But this is different, I can't control what happens to my loved ones in some current situations. I can't fix these things. I can't put relationships back together, I can't save mortgages, I can't make cancer go away. And it is heavy on my heart. And creativity dries up and gets put on a shelf, gathering dust. How can I possibly go play when people you love are hurting so badly?

I had a long talk last night with WH, and he really helped me put things in perspective. He talked about taking all these things and separating them out. Deal with one situation at a time, and whether or not you can affect it. Break them all down into little things. Don't wad them up and let it consume you. I thought hard about that, and my first gut reaction was, "then I wouldn't care".

Wrong. I think by separating these issues, and dealing with what I can affect, is a great way to not only look at the big picture, but a healthier way as well. I was in advertising management for years, and remember how all the people that reported to me would bring me their problems, every day, every minute of every day. That was my job. I was getting paid to help them solve their problems. Obviously those problems were much less serious than the problems my loved ones are experiencing right now. Those people weren't in a crisis of any kind.

But can't the same principals be used? Help my loved ones deal with one day at a time. Break it down into little pieces and deal with that, one step at a time. Affect what I can, and try not to worry about what I can't.

I see today, after sleeping on it, this is a great way to deal with my worry. Every single predicament will move ahead, all the details will be tumbled, moved around, turned upside down, and still, the outcome will be the same, with or without my worry. I'm gently and lovingly handing the reins over to destiny today.

I don't know if you have a heavy heart, and that might be what is getting in your way of creating. Our country hasn't experienced this kind of set back in my life time. It has to affect each of us in some way, and even my sisters across the sea. We are all in this situation together, this economy. We are lucky to have each other to share with, and encourage. We will all move past this dark cloud, we will all continue to create and be inspired, all the while having heavy hearts for our loved ones. But moving past that.

We will all move past hard times and begin to be inspired and create again.

That is our destiny, I have to believe that.

Thank you dear ones for letting me share.

Much love,

Riki

Robin Dudly Howes class

I know its Friday!

I can't believe it is Friday already! Where did the week go? Wanted to post about what a great class I took from Robin Dudley Howes last Saturday, at an amazing store, Gilding the Lily. I was headed to Orange County here in CA to visit the kiddies, and celebrate Halloween, so the timing was perfect to take a Robin class.

She was teaching a soldering iron class, making these darling reliquary pieces. You can put anything inside, like bird pics, etc. I had to get difficult by adding things to the top. I hadn't picked up a soldering iron in over 35 years, so attaching objects to the front was challenging. But Robin made it happen. I was doing pretty well until my soldering iron starting surging with the power source for some reason. But finally, it was done, wings attached, bling added. Great job Robin, great class!

I brought extra bling, and lots of ladies had some sparkle in their pieces. You can't go without a touch of bling, right ladies?

We started with little match boxes, amazing!

Here is sweet Robin, a great teacher!

Did I mention she's also a belly dancer? Did I mention I used to do that in college?

Here's the gang in the shop. You have to visit that shop if you're in the Fullerton, CA area, and they sell on line too. Nancy, the owner, is the nicest lady, happy to help.

And here's our little sweet ponies at their home. Too cute for a Mad Hatter and a little Princess (of course).

I'm off to Alameda again this weekend. Yikes! More bling?

No doubt.

Hugs.

Riki