back again for yummy burgers

candy corn crackle nails

I had been wanting to paint my nails for Halloween ever since I saw candy corns at the supermarket.

Well, I finally got down to business today, and here's how I got my candy-corn-inspired nails: 

1. Paint top half of nail with Maybelline Express Finish in French Tip White and bottom half Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear's Mellow Yellow.
2. Paint a stripe of Sun Kissed also from the Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear line across the middle.
3. Apply a very thin layer of Revlon's Powder Puff Matt Suede to mattify the nails.
4. Top with Sally Hansen's Crackle Overcoat in Ink Splatter.
5. Clear top coat optional.

Happy Halloween :) 

I need to cast on.... NOW!!!

Towards the end of the summer I saw a funny-looking knitted garment on the window display in yarn shop in First Markham Plaza - it was like a scarf but the ends were sewn together, sort of like a cowl, but longer and narrower.  At that time, of course, I had no clue that it was called an infinity scarf.  I thought it was an interesting idea though, and planned to make use of some pretty variegated yarn I have stashed away, since it looked like a regular scarf in garter stitch with ends sewn in that could be whipped up in a few hours.  I ended up making another pom-pom scarf though - after showing Fei how to crochet I got the bug to make one too.

Fast-forward to this week - I am just about to go nuts, kicking myself for not following through with the knitting, because infinity scarves were EVERYWHERE.  From Old Navy, to Costa Blanca, to Burberry - they all had their own versions.  I want one - and I want one NOW!!  And the infinity scarf would make such nice gifts!!  By the rate I finish projects, though - and to be honest quite a few of them never gets finished - I'll never get to wrap one around my neck before the weather gets too warm for it, let alone meeting the Christmas deadline.  I do have my eyes on a few patterns for hand-warmers though, and slippers that we planned to knit last winter.  My fingers are itching to knit...

Soup du jour: Chayote Squash Soup

Wash dried Chinese yam, lily bulb, goji berries and candied dates.  Blanche pork ribs then rinse to remove blood and excess fat.




Chayote squash, washed, peeled and cut into quarters.  Add to pot of boiling water along with the other stuff (above) as well as blanched pork ribs. 

Boil at low heat for 3 hours.  Salt to taste. 

Soup du jour: green radish and carrot with pork bone soup

Green radish and carrot with pork bone soup - with addition of candied dates, preserved citrus peel and sweet almond, all of which supposedly help with better respiratory health.

guacamole!!

My dinner tonight

Happy Birthday Michelle!!

I'm so glad Michelle liked the fluffy scarf and how she could immediately tell that it was made for her - now we can be twins :)

that's life

...everything's breaking and nothing's working, and I got volunteered to be a lead singer in the next social event at work despite my protest and aversion to the spotlight - and when I turned to my best friend for advice about my car troubles, all I got was "that's life" followed by "just leave it".

I think I'm very near the edge especially when I am catching myself hoping for an accident - to either get my repairs paid for or to just end it all...

almost perfect oatmeal

Had the almost perfect oatmeal this morning from MacDonald's - soft gooey goodness studded with fresh apple pieces and dried cranberries and raisins and golden raisins topped with maple brown sugar -

- the only drawback was seeing it made from a packet of instant oatmeal. Otherwise it was a great breakfast that had kept me from rummaging through my drawer-full of snacks as was my morning routine. And definitely less guilt compared to a McGriddles sandwich and harsh browns.

moose the archer!

soup du jour: Winter Melon Soup

Counter-clockwise from top: dried Chinese yam, candied date, lily bulb, dried gorgon seed, pearl barley, lotus seed, dried rhizome of Scented Solomon's seal, dried lady bell root, and pitted red date

 Winter melon, rind and seeds removed and cut into sections

After 3 hours in the pot with some blanched pork ribs and viola~  Healthy and delicious soup!

Pop rocks!