by Laura K. Curtis | Feb 15, 2014 | Dogs, Romance, Stuff! |
This is my treacherous dog, Philomena. See all that ice and snow? See that nice path we shoveled and blew for her? Well, she doesn’t care. She wants to jump up on top and run around. Which would be fine, except that at 30 pounds or so, she can go about ten or fifteen feet and then she falls through the ice layer and the snow’s so deep she can’t get out.
So today, while trying to keep her on the path we’d dug for her, I managed to fall on my butt, which sent a lovely shock right up my spine to the already herniated disc in my neck. These are things that heroines NEVER have to contend with. Why, oh why, can I not be a romance novel heroine?
by Laura K. Curtis | Feb 6, 2014 | Books, Crafts, Stuff! |
I love notebooks. Love pens. Love everything related to writing. And when my brain shuts down and I can’t write anymore, I like to crochet. Recently, the fabulous Deb Lacy from Mystery Playground asked me to come up with something crafty that was mystery- and book-related. So, since I’ve been on a Doctor Who glom lately, I decided to create a pattern for a pocket-style case for a notebook.
Deb has the pattern over on Mystery Playground so you can crochet your own if you’re so inclined, but you could also win this one! Just head on over and enter (be sure to click the Rafflecopter to enter, don’t just comment)!
by Laura K. Curtis | Jan 2, 2014 | Stuff! |
I am a huge fan of Doctor Who. This year I have undertaken to introduce my husband to the series, and while he’s not a fan, exactly, he likes it better than many other things I watch.
Like many fans of Doctor Who, I have my favorite Doctor. I also have my favorite companion. David Tennant is my Doctor (with Tom Baker coming in second) and Donna is my favorite companion, though I am inordinately fond of Sarah Jane Smith and I grew to really enjoy Amy and Rory. I think Donna’s ending is the most poignant of any in the series to date. And, in fact, that’s what I liked about David Tennant’s time as the Doctor: the writing was emotional and the storylines were delivered by excellent actors.
Before Doctor Who, however, I had no idea who Catherine Tate was. This woman is a comic genius. It doesn’t come across well in the show, except for her timing (which is important in all aspects of acting, not just in comedy), but you can find all sorts of things starring her on You Tube. Below, I have a couple of clips of Tate and Tennant together that I hope amuse you as much as they do me. Enjoy.
First up, “Christmas Present” from Catherine Tate’s version of “A Christmas Carol”
And next, from 2007’s Comic Relief, a classroom skit:
by Laura K. Curtis | Dec 26, 2013 | Movies, Stuff! |
I don’t know about you guys, but for me the holidays are like a vacation–when they’re over, I need a vacation! This year I had great fun with my nieces and nephews (and my siblings and parents, of course, but it’s really about the kids. It’s amazing to me how much they change from year to year. I have three nieces and three nephews ranging in age from about 5 to 13. They are each immensely different from one another and each wonderful in his or her own right, but keeping up with them is quite a lot for these old bones.
As is feeding them. If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know that I am allergic to gluten. My niece is a vegetarian. But we do the whole turkey-n-trimmings thing for Christmas, so that’s a bit of a problem. Here are some things we found this year as accommodations:
Williams-Sonoma’s turkey gravy base has no gluten. It’s thickened with cornstarch and it’s pretty tasty. Add drippings from your own turkey.
If you’re making string beans amandine, try sauteing the almonds with finely diced shallots. Makes them extra delicious.
Super easy and delicious if you’re trying to add a few more veggies to the menu: Martha Stewart’s Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, and Shallots. Conveniently, this cooks on a baking pan at 450°, so it can go into the oven while you’re making your turkey, most likely. It calls for olive oil, but we prefer to use Rick Bayless’s Garlic Mojo. We always keep it in the house. There is no substitute.
On the gluten free front, let me just mention that there is only one really, really good gluten-free cornbread mix on the market: Jules Gluten Free. I used it to make cornbread dressing this year and it was awesome!
I hope your winter holidays, if you celebrate any, have been fabulous, and that 2014 brings all good things!
by Laura K. Curtis | Dec 5, 2013 | Crafts, Stuff! |
I am not a terribly materialistic person. I drive a fairly beat up car, wear jeans or sweatpants just about every day, and—oddly enough for someone who used to make it herself—rarely bother with jewelry. But there are some things I love:
- Electronics—I don’t need the newest or latest, but I do like gadgets.
- Cameras—I haven’t been without a camera attached to me since I was 13 years old, and I collect them
- Shoes—I cannot be without my Fluevogs!
And…wrapping paper. Well, paper products in general. I haunt the post-holiday sales, and lately have become addicted to One King’s Lane’s wrap sales where they sell artist-created wrap and gorgeous ribbon.
Oh, yeah, ribbon. (Hang on while I wipe up the drool.)
And wrapping paper is a strange thing. On the one hand, it’s beautiful. On the other, it’s wasteful. Even if you go with recycled wrap, which I do, it would still be better for the environment to turn your present over without any extra frills.
One year, I tried to reconcile the conflict by wrapping everyone’s presents in paper infused with seeds so they could plant the paper later on if they wanted to. But it wasn’t the same. It was lovely and all, but it didn’t satisfy my need for paper products. (And the seeds made wrapping difficult–the corners wouldn’t work neatly.)
And ribbon is never ecological. You can find canvas and burlap ribbons, and you can use raffia, and those are better options. But traditional ribbon is so pretty.
I like giving presents. You might be able to tell that from my entire month of giveaways. But I also like wrapping presents. And looking at them all piled up in pretty wrap and ribbon, with little doodads in the bows.
Please tell me I’m not alone in my addiction. Do you wrap? Confess!
by Laura K. Curtis | Nov 30, 2013 | Crafts, Freebies & Giveaways, Stuff! |
It’s the end of November and I am finally, finally done with the giveaway madness! I don’t mind telling you that as much fun as I had, this is the flat last time I do thirty giveaways in a row. Maybe next year I’ll do 12 days of Thanksgiving or something, but not thirty!
For the last day I bring you something truly unusual. The center of this pendant is a very large (seriously, honking big) dichroic glass cabochon with an intricate pattern. After making the cabochon, I created a basic frame with silver wire that also created the bail. Then—attached to the base frame—are multiple coiled and twisted wires along with a few beads—silver and Swarovski crystal—and a small, heart-shaped charm dangling from the bottom. This whole thing has a vaguely steampunky look.
So that’s it for the giveaway portion of our program here on the blog. I hope you’ll continue to come visit even without the daily incentive!
Don’t forget that to enter the giveaway, you have to click the “+1″ buttons on the Rafflecopter, not just comment, get mailing list, etc.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
