Sew Eclectic

101 Things in 1001 Days

Sarah — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 02:31:12 +0000

Since the beginning of this year, I feel like I’ve fallen off this proverbial bike from being constantly stuck. Stuck by my surroundings, past trauma, emotions, consequences, actions. Never really moving forward, just sitting there trying to gather the strength to pedal. Over the last two months, I’ve settled and slowly coasted along preparing for the next big hit in a month when Devin leaves for basic training. I’m a big list maker and believe it’s a part of my sanity so I’ve started my second go of the major task of 101 Things in 1001 Days. I loved it the first time and I feel it’s going to be a great way to keep me focused when my husband is gone, or at least the little tasks (some are more aggressive than others). I started at the beginning of August and started knocking some things off my list..

101 Things in 1001 Days

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Start date: August 1, 2012
End date: April 29, 2015

Finances
1. Have at least $5k in savings
2. Investigate what to do with 401k account
3. Organize & clean out finance/important papers cabinet once a month (0/33)
4. Investigate IRAs
5. Open up a safety deposit box at the bank

Education
6. Investigate possible Bachelor’s degree in graphic design
7. Investigate Medical Technology certification
8. Investigate possible minor degree

Social/Relationships
9. Keep ALL of the promises that I make
10. Have 5 romantic weekends away (0/5)
11. Get to know my Army family after Devin’s basic & tech training
12. Take my brother to lunch once a month for a year (0/12)
13. Take my mom to lunch once a month for a year (0/12)
14. Take my dad to lunch once a month for a year (0/12)
15. Go on 1 official date, at least 100 times (1/100)
16. Hug more
17. Learn how to cut Devin’s hair & LIKE IT >.<

Body
18. Lose 35 lbs (0/35)
19. Adopt “Clean Eating” more than 60% of intake/meals
20. Go to the gym (other than for PT) at least 300 times (0/300)
21. Try three different classes at the gym (0/3)
22. Train for the Color Run 5K & then RUN IT!
23. Run/walk/jog 5 different 5ks (0/5)
24. Don’t eat fast food for a week on 20 different occurrences (0/20)
25. Get a tattoo
26. Actively keep a blood pressure/migraine journal
27. Get a haircut/trim every 6 months (1/5) [08.25.12]
28. Treat myself to a professional massage
29. Buy new tennis shoes at least 3 times (1/3) [08.16.12]
30. Start riding my bike
31. See a chiropractor
32. Start going walking with Devin
33. No cancelling any appointments made unless an emergency

Home Improvement
34. Finish painting the front door
35. Finish upcycling both nightstands
36. Successfully grow the following: jalapenos, cilantro & tomatillos
37. Professionally frame ALL of my artwork
38. Hang family & wedding portraits
39. Rummage through house & donate unwanted items to Goodwill
40. Have a garage sale
41. Clean out the garage

Travel
42. Visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras
43. Go on a cruise [09.01.12: Progreso & Cozumel]
44. Take 2 week-long, out-of-state vacations (0/2)
45. Dune buggy in northern Oklahoma with Devin
46. Go camping 2 times (0/2)
47. Visit two new wineries (0/2)
48. Visit the beach twice (0/2)
49. Keep a travel journal on 2 different vacations (0/2)
50. Attend ComicCon or BlizzCon
51. Go to our local Farmer’s Market at least 20 times (0/20)
52. Go on 5 spontaneous road trips at least two hours away (0/5)
53. Stay at a bed & breakfast out of state
54. Visit Ireland
55. Zip line while on vacation somewhere
56. Go on 6 picnics (0/6)
57. Go to 6 different Zoo’s (1/6) [09.08.12: Audubon Zoo, NOLA]
58. Go kayaking 3 different times (0/3)
59. Take a vacation with Devin to Disney World & SeaWorld

Pets
60. Take the puppies for a walk once a week for a year (0/52)
61. Cut the dogs’ nails regularly
62. Successfully crate train ALL of them
63. Take Samson, Lily & Baxter to dog friendly parks (at least) 25 times (0/25)

Recreation & Hobbies
64. Read 25 books (0/25)
65. Learn to cook 20 new recipes that I end up liking (0/20)
66. Learn the basics of how to play the Piano
67. Learn how to make 3 of my mom’s classic recipes (0/3)
68. Learn how to make 5 Horst family classic recipes (0/5)
69. Make 100 ATCs & scan them (0/100)
70. Make 100 Zentangles & scan them (0/100)
71. Learn to play 3 (complete) songs on the violin
72. Sew two items (0/2)
73. Start & finish at least 20 craft projects (0/20)
74. Write at least 30 letters (2/30)
75. Start pen palling again & KEEP THEM
76. Organize art/craft area at least 10 times (0/10)
77. Have a thrift store/garage sale exploring day at least 5 different times (0/5)
78. Learn every aspect of my SLR camera
79. Learn how to use every aspect of the PaintShop Pro X4 computer program
80. Become more proficient at reading my Tarot cards
81. Start & finish Diablo 3
82. Buy a Polaroid camera [Polaroid OneStep closeup & Polaroid one]
83. Netflix & watch all the Star Trek: DS9 seasons
84. Learn to use my sewing machine
85. Go to 3 concerts (0/3)
86. Organize all photos on desktop & laptop
87. Fill a notebook with favorite quotes
88. Start & finish Half Life 2
89. Read 5 books from the list of banned books (0/5)
90. Upload ALL of my Cure CDs to ipod/itunes
91. Make a new layout for my personal website
92. Make 2 new layouts for the co-blog
93. When it snows; make a snow penguin
94. Make 3 smash books (0/3)

Donations/Adoptions/Betterment
95. Adopt an endangered species from WWF
96. Donate to the ASPCA
97. Gather donations for at least one 5k
98. Donate to Kiva.org

Auto Improvement
99. Buy a Nissan Xterra
100. Keep up with car maintenance
101. Learn to drive on the highway; anxiety free

updated: 10.25.12

“De Plane, De Plane!”

Carmon — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 03:19:36 +0000

National Museum of the US Air Force

Valkyrie

If you love planes and are in the Cincinnati/Dayton area you should check out this museum. The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum! Its galleries has more than 360 planes and missiles on display – many rare and one-of-a-kind — along with thousands of historical items that bring history to life. There is everything from Wright 1909 Military Flyer to modern day, F-22A Raptor.

Wright 1909 Military Flyer

F-22A Raptor

My two favorite exhibits were the Research & Development and World War II. The Research & Development was really neat because there were unique and exotically designed aircraft’s, such as the only remaining aircraft of its kind, the imposing XB-70 Valkyrie (picture posted above-top), which could fly three times the speed of sound. The WWII gallery was great! This museum houses one of the world’s top collections of WWII aircraft’s, from Curtiss P-36A Hawk to Yokosuka MXY7-K1 Ohka Trainer. My favorite plane from the WWII is the P-51 Mustang!

MXY7-K1 Ohka Trainer

P-36A

We spent all day here, we arrived at 9:00 AM and left when they closed, 5:00 PM. If you are like my husband and like to read EVERYTHING, then you may need to plan for a second day there. There is so much information to read and so much to look at, and its FREE!

Howdy!

Sarah — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:04:50 +0000

After a hibernation of sorts, we’re stretching out our legs with new posts and hitting full speed with new topics (travel & fitness!) all with a new webdesign! So be on the lookout for new updates from us soon (:

S’more Pie

Sarah — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:23:42 +0000

It’s been an interesting and unexpected start to the “New Year,” but we’re just trying to go with it and see where things take us. February and March were particularly hard for myself with personal issues and now with my husband thinking about joining the military, it’s left us feeling.. anxious about the future. I’ve been in a stalemate of sorts when it comes to crafting and cooking lately and all i want is a controller in my hand and Mass Effect 3(!) on the screen. There’s nothing wrong with that, but where did my drive go? My husband likes to eat food other than takeout or frozen meals so i figured it was time to try to motivate myself. Comforting foods sprang into mind, hence this sophisticated rendition of a the classic S’more. I also whipped up some guacamole for the first time and made chicken pot pie from scratch for dinner. Hopefully this will jumpstart me back into the kitchen with funky creations being churned out (:

This is a very rich pie, so small slices are recommended. I used a good quality chocolate and a little more on the darker side for a more intense bite.

S’more Pie
From Pixelated Crumb

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 16 whole graham cracker rectangles)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

Chocolate Filling

3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, whisked
1 bag of large marshmallows (you’ll only need about half of the bag)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until evenly coated. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate (I used a shallow pie plate and didn’t need all of the crumb mixture). Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until fragrant. Keep the oven running.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream and milk. Warm over medium-low heat. Add in chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Slowly add the whisked eggs and mix until smooth.
Pour the chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not move when pie is lightly shaken. Remove from oven.
Using kitchen shears, cut marshmallows in half. Place halves in concentric circles over the top of the pie until it’s covered.
Set oven to broil. Place pie under the broiler and lightly toast the marshmallows. This can take anywhere from 1-5 minutes, so watch those marshmallows very closely!
Chill the pie in the refrigerator to set for at least 2-3 hours.
To serve, spray a knife with non-stick cooking spray and cut the cold pie into slices. While the pie can be eaten cold, it’s really best when slightly warmed. Heat the pie slices in a microwave for 8-12 seconds before serving for the best results. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, if desired.

We All Scream?

Sarah — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:59:08 +0000

Where did my February go? I’ve taken an impromptu leave of absense for myself this last month and the rest of this month for personal reasons, but my husband keeps asking me when we’re going to make ice cream. My mind keeps churning away at all the past creations we’ve tried and recipes we’ve given a chance and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to blog since the weather has been just right here in Oklahoma. Poor Carmon has been seeing the whole menagerie of the weather spectrum in Kentucky, but it’s been fluctuating in the 70s here lately.

Devin, my hubster, could eat ice cream paired with every meal. I, on the other hand, am lactose intolerant so it’s not something that I crave very often. It’s got to be a special occasion for me to actively want to eat some ice cream. When Carmon and her husband come to town, we normally stop at il Dolce Gelato after some GoGo Sushi, for example, or the random Braum‘s craving. I don’t think anything beats making your own ice cream though. We both have a recipe we each favor; Sarah: toffee, Devin: mint. Now we’re on the search for something different this upcoming season… hmm! Coffee? Dark chocolate? Peanut butter? Hazelnut? Marshmellow? Shall I hit the books? Blogs? Magazines?

Double Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream

by Mangio da Sola

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup toffee bits

1. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine the milk and 1 cup of the cream. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5-7 minutes (I waited until there was a film on top of the milk).

2. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, sugar, cocoa, salt and remaining 1/2 cup of cream in a bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve.

3. Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4-6 minutes (My custard seemed to be the right consistency as soon as I put everything in the pot! I still continued to heat it for 4-5 minutes). Do not let the custard boil. Put the 6 ounces of chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) in a heat proof bowl and pour the hot custard over it (I suggest putting only half of the mixture over the chips, wait a minute or two, then stir the chocolate. After the chocolate has melted, add the rest of the custard). Stir until the chocolate melts and the custard is smooth. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (if you like little chunks of chocolate in your ice cream, I would skip this step, unless you think there are a few curdled egg bits in your custard). Add vanilla and stir to combine.

4. Place the bowl into a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water. Stir occasionally until cool. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

5. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in toffee bits. Transfer the ice cream to freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days before serving.

* * *

Mint Chip Ice Cream

by David Lebovitz

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

3/4 cup (150 gr) sugar

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream

pinch of salt

2 cups packed (80 gr) fresh mint leaves

5 large egg yolks

For the chocolate chips:

5 ounces (140 gr) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream, salt, and mint.

2. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour to infuse the mint flavor.

3. Remove the mint with a strainer, then press down with a spatula firmly to extract as much mint flavor and color as possible. (You can also use well-washed hands to do it as well, making sure the mixture isn’t too hot to safely handle.) Once the flavor is squeezed out, discard the mint.

4. Pour the remaining heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer over the top.

5. Rewarm the infused milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then slowly pour some of the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

6. Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant read thermometer, it should read around 170ºF (77ºC).

7. Immediately strain the mixture into the cream, then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.

8. Refrigerate the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

While the mixture is freezing, melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pot of simmering water, or in a microwave oven on low power, stirring until smooth. Place a storage container in the freezer.

9. When the ice cream in the machine is ready, scribble some of the chocolate into the container, then add a layer of the just-churned ice cream to the container. Scribble melted chocolate over the top of the ice cream, then quickly stir it in, breaking up the chocolate into irregular pieces. Continue layering the ice cream, scribbling more chocolate and stirring as you go.

When finished, cover and freeze until firm.

***