Design Concept for Power Outlet

Monday, November 2, 2009

Photo from Yanko Design found via Ubergizmo.
This is an interesting concept that looks prettier than the toggle switch I've seen on all the power outlets in the UK. It can prevent worry about electric shocks (both for expensive electronics and toddlers armed with forks), and make it easier to save electricity when devices are not in use.

It does, however, endlessly annoy me how 'design concept' innovations never make it to market. *sigh*

Success: Chai Coffee Cake

Saturday, October 31, 2009

I was feeling sorta down today; the skies were gray and rainy, I had run out of eggs/milk/bread 4 days ago, etc. So I picked up the ingredients for Chai Coffee Cake on Tartelette's Blog. There is no better pick-me-up than sour cream cake batter, melted butter, and butter-sugar mixtures. Seriously.

The chai crumbles kinda look like hamburger meat, no?
...and then I made a ginormous mess in my miniscule kitchen.
This photo contains (literally) all of my counterspace, unless you include my dinette table and glass desk.

Autumn

Thursday, October 29, 2009

From my walk to the bus stop.

Delicious Flavor Combinations

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

This ginger-chocolate bar was so good it disappeared almost instantaneously.

The chocolate-ginger combination reminds me of some unique flavors I've been combining at Oh Yeah! Ice Cream here in Pittsburgh. They have tons of crazy mix-ins, and here's some flavor combinations I've tried:

• Ground ginger in peach ice cream
• Baclava and lemon peel in sweet cream ice cream
• Chai spice in chocolate ice cream
• ...

I'm beginning to run out of good-funky combinations already. Any good ideas?

Found in TJMaxx: Blue Denmark Plateware

Monday, October 26, 2009

I added these Johnson Bros "Blue Denmark" plates to my small and growing collection of mismatched blue&white plates last year. I found them in TJMaxx/Marshall's in autumn 2008, but I bought two more yesterday. They're apparently back in stores.

Royal Denmark Half-Lace Plate vs. Johnson Bros Blue Denmark
I believe they're knock-offs of Royal Copenhagen plates (see comparison, above). Some other related blue/white Danish plateware:

Jealous

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Tie Dye Workshop with Shabd Simon-Alexander
Classes at Lena Corwin's studio in NYC make me consider giving up my cushy career as a grad student and moving to New York to live in a cardboard box...and take artsy-craftsy classes.
Sewing with Jenny Gordy
[Edit 10/28/09: The pattern for the Wiksten tulip skirt above can be found in Stitch 2008.]

Success: Pasta with Sausage and Mozzarella

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A modified version of TheKitchn's Bocconcino and Sausage Pasta: 4 tomato-basil chicken sausages, olive oil, 1 medium-onion, 14.5oz can whole peeled tomato, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 large green pepper, 1/8tbsp ground chili, 1/8tbsp cinnamon, 1/2c mozzarella, 1/4c basil, and spaghetti.