Actively working on Businessing and TM stuffs

HackNSlash™ "OnCall Cast and Crew™" KickCast™ CrewKick™ "KickCast and CrewKick™" ProductionPortal™ Its a lot but the inspiration is coming and I'm working on getting these through! Wenchie Signing off Ps I'm back

Easy Vegan Healthy Fruit Sweetened Chocolate Cake Filling/Frosting Recipe

I'm making my kidlet's birthday cake and I needed a filling that wasn't overpowering and low on sugar and fat. I researched and came up with nothing! So I just made up my own
Double this for frosting and filling:

1/2 C Dated Pits Removed
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder or more your preference
1/4 C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (gives more body but can be omitted or replaced with cashews or nuts)
2 Tbsp or slightly more Lite Coconut milk (any milk or milk sub will do)
1 tsp Vanilla

Puree the dates, cocoa powder, shredded coconut, and vanilla in a food processor and slowly add the coconut milk until the consistency smooths out check on it to make sure it is stiff and not runny.

My Birthday is in 10 days

F*ck it I'm back! I'm too ambitious for my own darn good

So the blog overhaul aint happening for a while, due to the fact that I have way too much stuff on my plate right now. Also the only thing that's really bugging me is the title banner being to the left instead of centered.
I will likely reformat this when my website is created and be warned that is going to be for my acting so it will have a different look and feel but I will still be posting the same sh*t I post.

On to Part two of this post...
My way to effing ambitious list:
Finish Avant Garde Personal Storage Device
Clear sewing projects, 3 pillows, kidlet clothing 7 items, Basket liners for my mom.
Design mask/outfit for Labyrinth Masquerade ball
Make SP Chimes
Finish Wall Clock Photograph to repro clock face
Photo and list at least 30 pieces for the online store.
Finish Leather Cuffs
Design Leather waist cincher
Learn Illustrator to design vectors for website

Thats all I can remember off the top of my head right now, but now tht its listed I can get a bit more organized and focused.

Posts

Sorry my posts are few and far between, I've been stalling because I am dreading the much needed blog overhaul ^_^

Baby carriers: One size does not fit all - latimes.com

Solace's playgroup and we were in the local news Solace's name and the carrier I'm using got mixed up with another member's of the group. so Solace is really in a MetroWrap...yes it comes with the pirate bling, check it Baby carriers: One size does not fit all - latimes.com

Posted using ShareThis

The Adventures of a Haphazard Handywoman #2

It has been quite some time since the last installment of my handywoman escapades(and my last blog post for that matter) the first one can be seen by clicking here

Problem: The kidlet is plundering the cabinets and drawers.
Welcome to the exciting adventure of practical baby proofing as my wonderful daughter transitions from baby to toddler and proceeds to attack all things that were previously out of her reach. She is now crawling, standing and getting her cute pudgy little fingers into everything.
However, one thing I despise is the impracticality of baby proofing by using things such as cabinet or drawer locks that one has to fidget with every time to open a darn drawer or cabinet, that's just outright annoying and they look like cheap plastic eyesores that would attract a child like metal to a magnet! So I had to find something that wouldn't piss me off every time I use or even looked it as I (and most of my generation) was raised without such things.

Solution: Install a double roller catch. I've found these common yet simple devices to be successful at preventing kids (at least till they're a kindergartner) from getting into things and I specifically remember dealing with them as a kid too.
Things you will need: A drill, as many double roller catches you need, and extra screws the same amount as what comes with the catch, and roughly the same size (they can be a little bigger, but try not to get smaller) as the ones that come with the catch.



Step 1: Remove the drawer or open the cabinet door.



Step 2: Put the catch part on the area that you want to have it installed and mark the holes with a pencil. Make sure the when the cabinet or drawer is closed that the catch will not prevent the door from closing all the way, and that it is not too recessed that it won't catch the prong or spear. I usually do this with the haphazard method of eyeballing it but you may want to measure.



Step 3: Then drill where you made the pencil marks, with an appropriate sized drill bit. I usually stick with one just a bit smaller then the screws or the same size as the screws. Also don't drill too deep as the screws are relatively short and you want them to anchor into the wood securely and you don't want to go bawls out and destroy the area where you're drilling.

Step 4: Drill the screws in with the catch where you have pre-drilled your holes, one side at a time.



(NOTE) At this point I ran into a problem as the screws the double roller catch came with were badly manufactured and the heads broke off on them, which I should have figured out by the catches being mis-named on the package.

So if this has happened to you grab a pair of pliers (I used needle nosed) grip those suckers on the threading and remove the screw by twisting it out of the wood. If the screw is too deep you could try to gouge around the edge so enough of it is exposed that the pliers can grip or you could start drill a new hole near it (I would suggest drilling it so the catch would cover up the broken screw once installed).



Step 5: Once the catch has been installed successfully put the spear or the prong into the catch, and mark the back of it with a pencil or a marker making sure to coat around the screw holes thoroughly. Then close the dawer or cabinet door and press it firmly closed. The pencil or marker marks should transfer to the other
side marking where to pre-drill the holes.



Step 6: Repeat Steps 2 and 3 with the prong or spear and check your work to make sure it closes properly.



Step 7: One down and the rest of the house to go ;)

V_V Blagh Update

I'm tired exhausted, stressed, and low on the esteem front, I'm also so behind on posting things to etsy and my blog. I've been busting my ass on trying to keep this place clean and care for a little one who is teething and making me feel her pain. It's tough it sucks, and I'm exhausted as The husband was practically gone for 2 and a half weeks one a business trip, then being completely busy that he might as well have been gone when he came back and then another trip for half of this week. Being a mommy is more demanding and more stressful then a full time job because it's basically working 16 hours a day. Anyways not all is bad I've been making sales which is good but hardly enough to leverage me giving myself a pat on the back. Also Jason and I had a weekend escapade in the mountains for our 5th anniversary but the busy-ness is not done yet as the whole apartment needs to be rearranged and I still have to get my work area, that has gone beyond my usual organized chaos to utter chaos, organized. I also have no idea as to what to do about Christmas gifts this year as time and funds do not exist.

I need a full day to just shutdown crash out without disturbance, but instead I'm shutting off my brain and playing Dragon Age as a way to escape reality for a bit.

New Supply Items!

Brass Mollusk Sea Shell



Raw Brass Steampunk Gear Circle

These are the first of many supplies that I have made using the lost wax technique I'm now finally getting these made and in my shop over a year after taking the class. Both can bee seen at SacredSupplies.etsy.com

Delays galore

I look forward to updating some things this week with what I've been busy with and a new item or two. I still have a bunch of things to do as well, such as keeping the now mobile Solace out of trouble(she's an army crawling pro now) as baby proofing on a budget is slowly progressing, attempts to get things in order (my craft area has gone beyond the usual organized chaos to all out disaster), and just keeping things clean and put away in general.
So I will do my best or fail entirely so I just posting to post something

My Latest Addiction

Perhaps I take the screen name way too seriously because I keep running into and loving stuff like this. I wanted to share this delightfully delicious fledgeling product called Pirates Chai first off it is perhaps the only powdered chai that does not have milk powder in it so for that fact I was partly sold. Then on top of that it's a green tea chai but not just any green tea it's matcha! If that doesn't get you then let me tell you it's spicy but not masala spicy it's actually just right to balence with the potency of the matcha. They also keep the sugar low in this so if you need more you add it making this a perfect drink for those who like all the above.

Add roughly 1 Tbsp of the chai to 1 cup or more of milk and you are set! I mix it with my homemade almond milk and use an Aerolatte to make sure it's entirely mixed.
I get Pirates Chai at my local CoOp but for those out side of Santa Monica can order it online at www.pirateschai.com and follow the paypal instructions at the bottom of the screen.

Halloween Festivities Part 2

Solace looking adorable in her Halloween Trick or Treat outfit which was a gift from grandma!

Over the weekend Jason's mom was in town and Solace was very happy to see her grandma and has proceeded to be super fussy after she left, it could be teething but I really think she misses her grandma ;)

So back on the Halloween stuffs, after the pumpkin carving we went to the Fall Fest put on by Mosaic. Unfortunately there was nothing there for Solace so I said hi to some friends, and we left to have dinner. After that we went to the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval . I decided to go steam and wear my Damsel in This Dress Blue and Gold Peacock Tailed Vixen Corset.



Solace is wearing her evening costume to keep warm.
We didn't end up catching much of the shows because they were too loud for Solace but we did see some stunning costumes!


Masquerade Couple



The Torch and Pitch fork welding villagers ready to fight back against the monsters who have descended upon their lands. I didn't get a chance to get a good enough pic of the signs they had but the group was very clever.


This was a very creative and detailed costume I don't know if it's a porcupine or hedgehog but the spikes were individually made and went all the way down the back of this costume


Another very creative costume which reminds me of the Cephalopod Tea Party Blog that is currently having a giveaway which ends on Monday so swim over there and follow the blog!

Now time for some gratuitous robot shots:




After getting home from WEHO I had a craving for a Vincent Price movie so we watched the Pit and the Pendulum and then we called it a night, and a very god one indeed.

Halloween Festivities part 1

To start the Festivities on Solaces first Halloween we did some pumpkin carving and I let Solace play with the pumpkin guts which were some new and apparently unsettling textures for her.



Pics of the finished pumpkin

I decided to do this pumpkin on the fly, freehand style, it's a dragon eye. I used to draw some really fierce looking dragons back in the day, perhaps I should pull those out and show them sometime.

WINNER of the Crazy About the Kidlet Giveaway!

The winner is:
Hyla from MyFairyBabies.etsy.com
and Green Earth Journey!


Solace is at 74 Votes so the prize is $10 To Wenchie’s Sacred Relics or Sacred Supplies!
Thanks for participating!

Close Encounters of the Kitty Kind

The Approach

The Intrigue
The Pet
The Cuddle!

Max was such a ragdoll (thats the breed of cat he is) for putting up with her grabbing and crying of protest from Solace when I removed her death grip from Max's fur. The encounter went really well Ru on the other hand may like her when she's a little older.

I was

I was going to write an angry post about the blog spam I received this morning but I thought again and figured it would be in ill taste to tear apart and berate a company because they are ignorant to the ways of respectful interactions and advertising. Rather then actually giving them the free negative publicity and wasting my precious time, I will instead send them a message with the correct ways of interactive or grass-roots advertising and see if they give a s*it.
Anyways I'm feeling less then [Me < Everything else] right now as I = epic fail in life, my offerings, and holding any sort of giveaway. I admit perhaps I'm just going about it all wrong with the first not being well foreshadowed and the second with it's ulterior motives(which one can enter by not succumbing to them but I assume people no longer take the time to read.) I measure myself by a lot of things and not just my shop but I just feel constantly beat down because I have no freedom without compromising the little one I so adore in my life. Another reason to these nagging feelings is that I wanted to take a trip to Europe and off of this progressively God forsaken continent, well more like landmass as South America would not be far enough to satiate this need for an international escapade, which I wanted to do this year as the kidlet is still young enough to travel easily with and the event of that happening is steadily slipping away.
Anyways my nap-time break is over so I must get back to tending the miniature dictator, however no matter how bleak things look now I refuse to give up on or lose sight of my true ambitions, and I must add that jewelry design is not the end of my means by any way shape or form this is not my goal in life, although it is something I enjoy enough to do on a daily basis, that is what perhaps limits my success.
Anyways candid moment accomplished, cute pics of Solace shall commence within a day.

Rubies and Watch Parts - When a Ruby is not a Ruby

Sometimes my self enlightening musings need to be posted here to dispel the unintentional deceit we have been privy to. This one in particular was due to lack of the technology back in the day when rubies were discovered. Rubies are nothing more then sapphires as they are both are corundum which is basically aluminum ions and oxygen, impurities there of create color. For example, what makes the ruby different has to do with minuscule amounts of chromium, in fact, only 1% of the aluminum is replaced with chromium making that highly sought after red color.

So what does this have to do with watch parts?
In 1704 the first union of watch movements and rubies came into conception with the advancements wrought by Peter Debaufre, Jacob Debaufre, and Nicolas Facio. The rubies (sapphires) are essentially the watch movement's bearings, and are present on the pallet, the piece which creates that time honored clicking noise against the escape wheel, these are referred to as jewels. When you see a watch that states "17 jewels" it essentially means the "bearings" are usually rubies (sapphires), but can also be garnets or in rare cases diamonds. These however are industrial grade and have very little value. Also around 1900 manufactured or synthetic rubies became the staple "jewel" present in watches. This was due to the efficiency of the process created by Auguste Victor Louis Verneuil, which affectionately called the Verneuil process and also referred to as flame fusion. Actually synthetic rubies (sapphires) were made even before Verneuil rained on the someone's scientific advancement parade, as they were the first on the market in the mid 1800's. Rubies (sapphires) are historically significant as they are actually the first gem stone to be synthetic or man made.
Who knew that rubies (sapphires) were so special!

Crazy About the Kidlet Giveaway - Up to $100 Shopping Spree

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED THE CONTEST IS OVER

Welcome to my first giveaway inspired by how crazy I am about my little kidlet!
As you may or may not know I have entered Solace in the “Gap Casting Call contest” and she has a lot of catching up to do. So the amount of the shopping spree and how many chances you can enter to win it are dictated by voting on Solace.

Here’s the Prize Break Down:
0 – 100 Votes = $10 Prize
101 – 200 Votes = $20 Prize
201 – 300 Votes = $30 Prize
301 – 400 Votes = $40 Prize
401 – 500 Votes = $50 Prize
501 – 600 Votes = $60 Prize
601 – 700 Votes = $70 Prize
701 – 800 Votes = $80 Prize
801 – 900 Votes = $90 Prize
901 – 1000+ Votes = $100 Prize

How to Enter:
* 1 Entry Per Day For Voting on Solace Each Day
Post a comment with your email address letting me know each time you vote
(Voting is limited to once a day, you must create an account to vote)

* 1 Entry for posting the “Vote for Me” ad on your website or blog
Copy the code below the ad to the left and add it to your website or blog
Post a comment with your email address and a link to the page

* 1 Entry For blogging about this giveaway
Post a comment with your email address and a link to the blog

* 1 Entry For Posting a link to this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter
Post a comment with your email address and a link to your page

Which Equals a Chance for a Total of 20 Entries!

The giveaway starts 10-09-09 and ends on 10-25-09, I am not responsible for problems on the voting site, problems do exist on the site, if you are unable to vote try a different computer or enter with the three other options given. The winner will be randomly selected by the Random.org random number generator on Monday 10-26-09. The winner will be announced via a blog post on 10-26-09 and notified via email. The winner has one week (until 11-02-09) to respond or a runner up will be selected and notified on 11-03-09. Shopping Spree Prize can be used at Wenchie’s Sacred Relics and Sacred Supplies. Good Luck!

Fun Stuff Friday!

Three fun things!

First direct your attention to the right of the screen you may have recgonized the avatar image from this blog post Fun Stuff By ArtSnark.

To reiterate, that awesome portrait was created by the most talented Stacey Merrill of Art Snark on Etsy Check out more of her impressive work at ArtSnark.etsy.com

Second order of funness!
Direct your eyes to the left of the screen,that Vote For Me ad is about a casting call competition that I've entered Solace in please take a moment to vote for her please vote daily and on all of her pics!

The third thing is a brand spanken new item which is a fall back entry for the current Etsy Steam Team contest which is "Seam and Steam: A Challenge of Metal and Cloth!"
This is the Sweetheart Cuff which was brought into reality by the teaching of Corrie Sullivan aka Corrie Hill Designs on Etsy


This cuff was hand sewn by your truly, there's a second one in the works and my master entry for the Steam Team challenge. I'm a sewing friend thanks to Corrie's class!

Happy Birthday to HiTree

Solace Sleeping in her crib lovingly surrounded by a HiTree crib bumper.

If you know me then you know I love the items made by Tina with HiTree.etsy.com. Tina is an amazing crafter and I got these crib bumpers made for Solace before she was born and I've flaked on posting pics of these. Her Birthday is today and this weekend she's giving 15% off deal in her shop and hosting a giveaway on her blog hitree.blogspot.com! So be sure to check out her shop HiTree.etsy.com wish Tina a very Happy Birthday!