Top 10 of 2010

I just went over my scrapbook.com gallery and got a real look at my scrap progression through 2010. There's a definite style change- from frills and flowers to grids and stitches. Also- I stink at taking photos of my pages... I wonder what 2011 will bring?

I do have very definite scrap goals:
1. Use more spritz, paint and transparencies in my pages
2. Deepen my Photoshop skills.
3. Learn how to use my Leica in MANUAL so I can get exactly the shot in my brain.
4. Get published.
5. Get on a DT for a shop so I can get FREE monthly SWAG!

In no particular order (because really- I just can't commit) here are my Top 10 of 2010. Thanks to fave bloggers Alia, Lucy and Margrethe for this idea!! Please go by their blogs- these women are AMAZING!!!!

November- Date Night: Love that it sparkles. Love the mini pix.

October- Defy Expectations: Negative space- I held
back for  once.

April- 6 Months: frills, flowers and fabulousness.

August- Engaged! Lety & Berto: spritz madness

December- He Said/She Said: The photo is of the
bathrooms at IKEA- love the randomness of this page.

September- Out of a jar sprung Hope: This was a page
celebrating my daughter's birth. I got crazy with
the stitching and I LOVE IT.

November- 80's Child: Glad I used these photos- SO rad.

December- Feliz Navidad: After all the struggle with
 Christmas projects I was glad to make
 1 really nice project.

August- Precious: I combined some of my most favorite
elements,Maya Road Kraft envelopes, lace die cut
paper, flowers and spritz into 1 page.

August- Happy 2nd Anniversary!: Dave and I have been
together for 12 years- married for 2- it's been awesome.

I want to wish all me readers a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!! May your 2011 be filled with peace, hope, beauty and love. Thank you for taking some time for this blog- I deeply DEEPLY appreciate it!!!

AMOR, SALUD Y DINERO!!! (love, health and money)!
M.

Post-Christmas Page

Maybe I should send this out via email instead of staring at my DIY cards all day and wondering what the heck to do with them, right? This is for a Studio Calico challenge. It's heart break AGAIN!! I was waiting for the January kit to come out so I could place 1 order- now it's sold out.
WAAAH!

Christmas 2010

Materials: 
-Plastic Merry Christmas from store bought cheese cake
-Fiskars Extra Large and Medium Star punches
-Martha Stewart Deep edge Gifts punch
-Martha Stewart white dots on red tape
-Red Magic Mesh
-Green dots paper from Studio Calico
-Scallop tag from Maya Road
-Hearts strip from Sassafras Lass
-Silhouetted Santa is from a card I cut up

It's been BANANAS here in NYC with 20 inches of snow. I thought this would be no big deal but apparently budget cuts have meant that people got stuck in unheated subway trains or buses for hours- as did the snowplows. I'm just glad we stocked up on milk and baby food. Dave did not have to work which is seriously the best Christmas present EVER as I had time to think about pages.

Lola's first walk in snow- she HATED it.
She's just like MOMMY!

Here are some tags I did for our extended family Secret Santa...

Tree tag

Snowman tag

Inside of Snowman- poem

The poems I wrote to get people to guess who the gifts belonged to did NOT go over well. So much for starting that tradition stateside- it's imported from The Netherlands.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.

NYC Marathon AND Frituras Puertorras!!!

WHOOO BABY! I am SO AWESOME!!!! Before you think I'm entirely too obnoxious please know that I never get so much done in one day so I feel like patting myself in the back. For today I have two things for you my dear reader (s). That "s" is MAD hopeful!!!
I have a pictorial on HOW TO MAKE BACALAITOS (Salted Cod Fritters)
AND a new page. WOOOOW!
First the page for those who hate reading and just wanna look (that's ME).

The NYC Marathon was today. Every year Dave and I go out to see it- this year we had MISS THING- it was nice to share that with her. We got to see that Chilean miner dude limp by- poor little dude- feel better chief. Apparently more people ran this year than ever before. I was especially inspired by the deaf and blind runners braving the crazy Brooklynites who insisted on playing chicken crossed the road in front of them. Dave insists he's going to start training for next year but he says that EVERY year!

I like how this page came together in 30 minutes flat. I was going to stitch it but decided to save that for another day. Broke out my magic mesh- LOVE THAT PRODUCT!!!!

And now... ONTO THE FOOD!!!
Bacalaitos are incredibly delicious and entirely UNnutritious. It's best to eat them with beer right after frying- so you get that extra bit of unhealthiness in. Here is a "sort of" recipe:

• 1 cup of boiled and crumbled salt cod (boil for a few hours then store in fridge till you remember a few days later)
• 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes AND sauteed (in olive oil) red pepper. (you can skip this if you want)
• 1/2 cup of the cod boiling water- this is better than adding salt later and you need that salt to make the masa (mix) taste good. OR you can whip out some canned chicken broth and try THAT.
• 1 teaspoon of Ms. Dash- I'm telling you you need that extra bit of "taste" with no extra salt.
• 3/4 cup of flour. I used white but next time I'm going to try wheat.
• canola oil for deep frying

Mix the veggies, crumbled cod and flour with the reserved cod water- add a little flour if you think the mix is too watery. Let stand for an hour of so to "set" (I watched Batman and fed Miss Thing)
It's important to get a mix that isn't too watery or to flouery (word?). You will spoon the fritters into the hot oil and you need something that won't stick to your spoon or flow off like snot (sorry). Fry the things till they are golden brown. Chomp away!!!
Here are some photos.

Tomato, red pepper & cod 

Add reserved cod water

Mix well 

Just about right consistency

Ignore THESE

Pay attention to baby that looks like THIS

EAT THESE

Ha ha. Did you see how nasty the apartment got? Yeah- never got around to THAT but whatevs- that's what mondays are for.

Muchos SmOoChEs!!! 

M