Friday, May 09, 2008
Cupcakes & Feathers
Today I bring you an offering of orange vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I modified a traditional 1-2-3-4 cake recipe. Unfortunately, the cupcakes didn't rise! Normally I make vegan cupcakes from my favorite Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, but I thought that perhaps the lack of egg resulted in rather stout cakes. Turns out I probably just need a bag of self-rising flour.
These cupcakes were still delicious despite their rather short appearance. The buttercream frosting didn't stiffen as much as I'd like, so they pooled into smooth, glossy ponds. Sometimes I really feel myself growing older, or maturing my palette to put it kindly, as last night, growing depressed from my ugly cakes, I collapsed with a sugar headache after eating four. Hey I said they were ugly, not gross. I brought most of them into the office today.
Orange Vanilla Cupcakes
(adapted from recipes on Martha Stewart and Allrecipes)
1 cup of unsalted butter
1.5 cups of sugar
3 cups of flour (I would try 1.5 cup all purpose, 1.5 cup self-rising)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup of orange juice
zest of 2 oranges
dash of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners.
Cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in flour, alternating with dropping in one egg at a time, until fully mixed. Add vanilla, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon and fully integrate. Pour almost 3/4 full in each cupcake pan, makes 24.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp cocoa/baking chocolate
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tbsp of soy milk
Cream all ingredients together until you have a thick, creamy consistency. I haven't achieved the perfect balance between the right consistency and the right amount of sweetness yet.
Along with being obsessed with finding the perfect recipe for Mother's Day, I've also been fascinated with pin-up girls and fancy feathers. Especially peacock ones to wear in my hair.
 Labels: covet, foodie call, sketchbook
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Completely Non Sequitur Entry on Moving, Accountability, and Jim Halpert
I've been completely remiss in providing any insight to creative pursuits of my own lately; mostly because I am guilty of NOT doing anything during the move. Even with the scanner set up and the kitchen/crafting table bought off Craigslist, there's still the little problem of the internet not getting installed until September 11. Do I complain about this enough? I should probably channel the energy into pummeling the cable company with calls. Gees, what did the world do before the internet?
For your visual pleasure, here are a few things I recently bought off of Etsy:
I'll post the shops once I receive the items, so that I feel assured in recommending these amazing shops.
Here's something I've wanted to write about for quite some time: independent crafters/artists accountability. There's an understood but unspoken rule of trust and solidarity among crafters and DIY-ers, especially on the blog circuit. But I was sorely disappointed by one person when I ordered two art pieces last October, and to this day still haven't received anything. I don't anticipate that I'll ever receive anything at this point, but after several, really-awkward-to-write emails from me (why is it so hard to stand up for yourself?) and uncomfortable but unfortunately empty promises from her, this whole experience has left a really sour taste in my mouth for independent designers. Which is really unfortunate, because I know many of you really rely on the internet to sell your wares. It makes me much more cautious to ever buy something from an independent source (the aforementioned blogger/seller had been a girl I've read and known of through friends for at least 5 years); and though Etsy has been a great, other people who want to be completely DIY are also feeling the repercussions of irresponsible "independent designers".
How do you regulate something like that so that other people don't have the same terrible experience with that crafter/artist? And why would it feel terrible to call that person out on it publicly when it was that person's fault in the first place?
To completely digress to a better story, via Craft Magazine's blog, I spied this adorable remixed old shapeless cardigan to a pretty swingy sweater. It's the perfect project for when I get my sewing machine back from my mom and figure out a serger is find a serger/substitute for a serger. (Thank you, glorious resource of the internet).
And happily, finally, tonight I get to see my friend Monica and we're going to see this guy:
 Labels: 826LA, arts+crafts, covet, things i hate
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Under The Black Light
No one ever expects a move to be smooth, but the unpredictability of all the bumps in the road is the really stressful part. Among the many bumps in the road to our new apartment is spontaneously deciding to move earlier overnight than later in a week, mean notes under windshields from rude neighbors that was because of a confusion propagated by the wretched management company, and the delayed installation date for our internet currently set for September 11. Yuck. So I will be rather disconnected for the next three weeks, which involve more moving, adopting a dog (!), and a much anticipated visit from a best friend across the country.
I will, however, try to stay connected by sharing all the lovely things I'm finding online to feather my new nest with including this singing bird cage:
Completely useless, and utterly irrelevant in about 2 years when the bird trend passes, but still irresistibly charming! Maybe as a present to myself to chirp up my desk at work (bad pun fully intended).
Or perhaps this squirrel tray, since we are leaving behind our squirrelly friends:
Gaudy but cute.
And of course, this sea urchin box set that I have been coveting forever, from the inexplicably adorable Curiosity Shoppe!
Along with hunting for adorable finds online to take a break from work, I'm also obsessed with playing Scrabble with my office mate on Facebook. I used to hate Scrabble, but it's actually not half bad when the computer does the adding up of points for you!
What have you been up to, dear friends?Labels: covet, losangeles
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Work in Progress/Life in Progress
Painting I started working on tonight for a friend.
Amazing piece bought off of Etsy.Labels: artsy girl, covet, photolog, work in progress
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Good Things
Though I can't buy anything frivolous for the next two days, I'm still collecting ideas for a bunch of things I love. Online shopping has made it all too easy -- though I would warn you to stay away from cheap clothing retailers like delia*s because I just received a dress this week from them that was poorly constructed. I know I should have known better. But you live and learn. Now here are some things I'm coveting this week:
Cuckoo Clock
Je T'Aime Necklace from Reyney's Etsy shop
Anatomical Heart Pincusion from LoveForever's Etsy shop
Oh Deer Pendant from gNeebo's Etsy shop
Fresh Cream & Lime Earrings from itsyourlife's Etsy shop
Do you feel my love for Etsy yet?
And of course, a good materialistic Good Things list is never complete without a few covetable items from Anthropologie.
Is it bad when you don't think it's that much to pay $68 for a tea serving set modeled after sea urchins? It's SO gorgeous in person. Anyway, it's all online window shopping for now.Labels: covet, fashion love
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Covet, Rise, Repeat
I've been very bad lately, coveting and buying so many material things. Walking past Borders, Sephora, Anthropologie, 4 shoe stores, 2 Starbucks and 3 Coffee Bean & Tea Leafs every morning and afternoon does NOT help. I told myself I would buy this issue of Nylon once I cleaned out my closet, but I compulsively bought it this afternoon when I couldn't find the bag I'm so lusting after at Urban Outfitters.
I'm still coveting this bag, salivating at the gorgeous braided handle, and contemplating it's not so hefty tag compared to the types of bags toted around this town that cost more than a Toyota Prius Hybrid with the Carpool OK sticker. Maybe after my next paycheck, if the bag is still available online, I will buy it. Okay, deal.
It's sickening, isn't it! How I just lust after material objects all the time? This weekend I went to the Rose Bowl flea market and picked up a perfectly gorgeous 1950s mint green coffee table for $25(!), a hand-painted hair comb, a bag of buttons, and two vintage mugs. I will take pictures of these soon; I keep trying to tell myself: It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have. But all I can think is, well then I should just get rid of more of what I have so that I can make room for what I want! SICK!
What's also sick is that I spent this whole entry talking about shopping. Now I'm going to spend the rest of my night clean-up editing for Ryan's film and reading Fast Food Nation in hopes of quenching my consumerist thirst.
Labels: covet
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Talking Denim
Believe it or not, I only have one pair of jeans I wear allll the time because I love them oh-so-much. When I went back to Express to find a replacement pair, as the threadbare nature of my jeans were warning me of my numbered days, I unpleasantly discovered that they had RENAMED AND REDESIGNED all their denim lines. Disgruntled, I left. But last Friday, I discovered that my favorite pair had ripped (is it still trendy to have ripped jeans?) so now I have to get another pair. I want exactly what I had! Why did they have to change it on me! It hasn't been THAT long since I bought jeans has it?
It's moments like these, and the fact that I go to bed usually by 11pm (weekend or not), make me feel geriatric.
At any rate, do you have any jeans that you love and recommend? I'm looking for a darker blue denim, straight leg/bootcut, super low-rise pair with a little stretch.
Thanks, in advance.Labels: covet
Friday, November 24, 2006
Black Friday
I really want to start making my own clothes! I am tired of coveting clothes that are adorable on the internet/in photographs, and are hideous/made of polyester once delivered. And believe it or not, I'm not a huge fan of shopping in malls. I used to enjoy it when it was my weekly routine with my mom, but once the population of southern California has seemed to tripled since I went away to college, it stopped being nearly as fun. And I can't compare and shop with four or five different tabs open, as with commercials and television, internet shopping has ruined my attention span.
Today I did indulge myself in a little Anthropologie -- I bought a skirt and two bowls with some birthday money (because I was tired of being pragmatic and saving gift money to pay bills or buy groceries with).
Now back to spending the rest of my evening watching Season 6 of Gilmore Girls that Ryan bought for me as part of my birthday present, and resting my tired body.Labels: covet
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
I'm already plotting the delicious cheeseburger I'm going to have today for lunch. But with places like The Counter so close by, how can I resist? I'm on a mission to find all the best restaurants and cheap eats in this city.
In other news, online shopping is such a hit or miss. I got an adorable jacket from Forever21 that was the perfect fit and exactly what I expected, whereas these puppies:
were a total disappointment! La Dolce Vita's shoes run a little big, and I already have a very small foot -- and the leather was not quality "butter soft" as described on the website. The color, however, was fortunately very accurate. So now I'm still on the hunt for the perfect red shoes.
I can't help but lust after this dress, still, however:
It seems that the only cure for consumerism pains are lusting over pretty things online, yet being a safe distance and too many clicks away from impulse buying.Labels: covet
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