I just spent a ridiculous amount of time on gurl.com's Design a Gown game, which I found through Juliet's blog. It didn't turn out well, but I tried to make a dress for an Autumn-themed wedding:
It's fun! Go play.
(Note: It only worked in Internet Explorer for me.)
A co-worker brought this in today:
Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
(Recipe courtesy Paula Deen)
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I'd been meaning to join Kiva for a long time, so last night I finally signed up and contributed to six loans. I think most people are already aware of what the site's about, but basically you lend small amounts of money (starting at $25) to entrepreneurs in developing countries. When the loans are paid back, you can either withdraw your money, or lend to another individual. My loans were for a woman who makes and sells cornbread, a woman who sells homemade ice cream, a woman who sells cakes and needs money for home repairs, a woman who wants to open an examination room/first aid center, a woman who owns an orange orchard, and a woman who sells homemade popsicles. My lender page is here.
I was going to post links this morning to see if I could get other people to lend to these women, so imagine my surprise when I logged on to discover that all the money they needed had been raised overnight! Wow. I think this is going to become a bit addictive for me. :)
There is an article in the January/February issue of Vegetarian Times called "The Veg 25" that made me really happy. The article listed 25 reasons why "it's never been cooler, easier, or more inspiring to be vegetarian than right now." My favorites:
1. I had no idea about the 2009 European Union ban on animal testing of cosmetics. Very exciting. That means that cosmetics companies selling products in Europe need to phase out animal testing within the next year and are working on testing alternatives like Episkin, made from human skin cells. Check out this NY Times article about the ban and alternative testing methods.
2. Veggie dogs at ballparks! Check out Soy Happy for details.
I just found this set of dollhouses by Grace Shaw depicting The Block in Baltimore via a post on BB-Blog. Complete with a crack house, adult book store, and stoned naked guy in a bath tub.
Ok, either Typepad doesn't let you cheat and back-date posts or I'm too dumb to figure it out. Either way, I totally screwed up my only New Year's resolution by not posting here yesterday. But at least it was because I was busy doing Sleepy Records stuff and not just being lazy. Perhaps I'll do two posts today to make up for it.
I've been admiring this project for a long time now, but I finally sent away for my free stickers yesterday:
The stickers say "you are beautiful" and can be placed anywhere as a positive message to anyone who sees them. From the project's mission statement:
You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture.
The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. We're just attempting to make the world a little better.
Intention is the most important aspect of the You Are Beautiful project in its idea of purity. Nothing is sacred. Everything that has a perceived value becomes commodified. We work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more.
Advertising elicits a response to buy, where this project elicits a response to do something. The attempt with You Are Beautiful is to create activism instead of consumerism.
You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message. Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization.
You can find information on getting your own stickers here.
Scott C.'s Spidermans series of drawings for a show at Gallery 1988 in LA just kills me. Here's a bunch of Spidermans rocking out to the jams of Guitarist Spiderman:
The show is called "Under the Influence: A Tribute to Stan Lee." You can see the other artwork at the show's website here (warning: LOTS of images). Click here just to see Scott's Spidermans. (Love the tiny Spiderdog!)
I wish that I could afford one of these lovely necklaces from Jennifer Kellogg. The necklaces have semi-precious stones and little cups to hold fresh flowers. Here are some of the necklace designs:
Looking at the New York Botanical Garden's shop is making me wish that Spring would get here!
I love this quirky multi-patterned apron:
I wish I had seen these beautiful glass-domed terrariums before I did my terrarium post:
Some colorful, cheerful-looking oil lamps:
Speaking of colorful, these children's metal watering cans would look great as garden decorations:
And finally, stuffed Frog! They have Toad too.
Hello Lucky, one of the cutest greeting card companies I've seen, has some adorable Valentine's Day cards available on their website right now:
I love their sock monkey collection too.
