The Sampler: Part II

So last month I slaved over these beauties for the sampler. This week I got my sampler in the mail:


A fun assortment of goodies, including gocco print items, buttons, soap, a candle, a pin, small charm and my favorite:

I'm not sure why, but I just love this ninja cross stitch pattern. I don't even know how to do cross stitch and I have no intention of learning. At the top it says, "Chubby Ninja Fears No Diet."

Front Page!

I made it on the front page of etsy! My brief moment in the sun yielded me 460 views on this.
If my friends hadn't alerted me, I would have missed it. I grabbed a screen shot, went to edit and then to grab another...it was gone. Wow!

Cufflinks

I've been having a lot of fun making these lately:

They're silver-plated cuff links with glass cabs affixed to the front. They got a lot of attention during the Last Friday Artwalk . They're a wonderful way to bring a little color and fun to your wardrobe.



I originally designed a pair for Zac. I've been trying desperately to decorate him in some manner and ever since we stopped being 17, he felt comfortable telling me that he had no desire to wear any jewelry. Ever. So I stewed quietly, biding my time. I originally made him another pair, but when I stuck this pair in my etsy shop, he snagged them and I had to make two pairs.

Press

Check out several Eugene Etsyians, including me (The one in green) in this video:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1386356947/bclid1387524738/bctid1448202004

Super Easy No-Knead Bread

Zac and I have been gorging ourselves on fresh bread for about two weeks. This bread:

Mmm...bread.

Doesn't it look delicious? Like it would cost $4 at your local swanky grocery store? It's heavenly. And so easy. And costs us roughly $1 a loaf to make.

No-Knead Miracle Bread

Time Start to Finish: 21 hours
Active Time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
3 Cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise active yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Yep. That's all ya need.

Step 1. In a medium to large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 and 5/8 cups of water.

mmm...yeasty.

Stir together until blended, dough will be sticky and "shaggy."

mmm...shaggy.

Step 2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise about 18 hours, in warm room. I little longer or a little less won't hurt it.

Yep. It's sitting on my washing machine, this is what
it looks like after 18 hours. Kind of like a pancake in
the pan, when it's ready to be turned.

Step 3. Lightly flour a working surface, place dough on it, sprinkle it generously with flour. Fold it over once or twice and form it into a ball.

Sprinkle generously with flour.

No those aren't my man hands. Those are my
sweetie's. He does my bidding. Work faster lackey!

Step 4. Place a clean cotton towel on your work surface. Generously coat it with flour. place the dough on top. Then more flour. Then another towel. It's a sandwich.

Towel. Flour. Bread. Then add another towel.

Step 5. Let Rise for 2 hours. When it's ready, the dough will increase in volume and not spring back when poked with a finger.

Step 6. Before dough is done rising, put a heavy 6-8 quart covered pot in the oven and preheat your oven to 450 degrees. We use an old dutch oven. This process can take 30 minutes or more, depending on how long it takes your oven to heat up.

Step 7. Carefully removed pot from oven. Remember it is very hot. Slide your hand under the bottom dough towel and flip the dough over into the pot. You can shake it a bit to even it out, but it will do that as it bakes. It's okay if it looks messy.

Step 8. Cover the pot with a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes, until it's a nice golden brown. Step 9. Remove from oven and try to let it cool on a wire rack before devouring half a loaf.

Here's the bread again.

Here's a close up. Look at that texture and crust!

And here's a more accurate picture, moments after
pulling it out of the oven, it will be gone.

Enjoy!