Sleepless Sunday

Good evening, Folks.

Let's just say my worries are getting the better of me, tonight. Getting the photography business up and running is just as hard as everyone claims (of course). It feels like I accomplished nothing today because at the end, we are no where closer than yesterday. =[

That aside, I have an obsession with lolita clothing. So much so that I aspire to make myself the clothing. However, the patterns I've scrounged for are mainly in Japanese and about 2 sizes too short.

If I could make myself these clothings, had I the skill and the money for materials, I would be dolled up and decked out as often as possible. Even in cold weather! There are adorable coats to throw over cutsey dresses with bows and frills. It would look like a little girl dressed me up every day as her larger than life toy. And I would relish in every frilly moment.

Granted, I love climbing trees (we should do that tomorrow!) and hiking. Wearing boots and getting dirty! Crawling around on the floor to take pictures or just because the rug looks so inviting when boyo is lying there... temptingly. >}

It's elegant, classy. Cute and reminiscent of more cultured times. The extra few layers would, I feel, inspire manners, doors opened, pleases and thank yous. Others to stand up straighter and smile a bit truer (not only laughing at my frilly cupcake of a self, but because they'd recognize a dream inacted!).

Oh, sleepless dreamer. How your idea(l)s mock you.

Most off, I long to photograph strange scenes in these elegant pieces. With confetti falling, black and white. A bit of hand coloring and a slightly demented feel. Something is... off. No eyes, faceless beauties. Seemingly in ordinary life wandering the streets and unobserved by others. Something is taking place. A lift off the ground. Were those streaks really raindrops? A pastel pink. An all gray world. A vision that haunts me. Needs to get out of my head.

High collared wonders with plumes and tapered legs, sitting in a cafe with her hat askew. Green and black, with wisps of gray frothing from her sleeves and her decorative cup of brew. Stripes, a high backed chair, a discarded parasol. What's happening here? This one is underdeveloped.

I am awake. Yearning to create. Longing to see what I've been seeing in my mind. Create. The clothes, the scene, the mood, your feelings. The photograph.

Everyday has moments I long to capture, had only I the means to not be in my head.

Butter and Cheese

The beautiful thing about cooking, is you can sit down and tell all your worries to the squishy, semi-cold butter that's helping to create something tasty. You can vent at the block of cheese you're grating. They will never tell your woes. And it will be delicious.

Granted, I don't actually talk to my food. But it helps knowing that it's going somewhere. That it all will melt away and leave you with something warm, aromatic and scrumptious.

Baking when you're upset, at least biscotti or scones for me, always makes me feel better. Cooking, on the other hand, can get just plain nasty! Ever hear the phrase, "How you feel affects the food you're making"? Not my baking. =} And lately, not my cooking.

Anyhow, I won't bore you anymore. Here are some images from the past few adventurings. Ending with today's scones and the recipes. Enjoy.




Ham and Cheesy Scones:

1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. pepper
1-2 dashes of hot sauce (i.e. Tabasco)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. cubed ham
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. diced onion
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
Grated cheddar cheese (amount varies to your tolerance)

-Pre-heat oven to 400*F. Sift the first 5 ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside. Separate out the egg yolk and in a small bowl, whisk with the heavy cream until well blended. Add the cubed ham, parmesan, and diced onion to the dry ingredients. With a fork, fold in the egg-cream mixture into the dry ingredients until all is moist. Be careful not to over work.

Once dough is formed, remove onto a lightly floured surface. (I use a pastry mat on my kitchen floor!) Knead the dough a few times with your hands, incorporating a bit more flour if too sticky. Roll out into a circle and cut in half, then in quarters, and finally into eighths. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and place them on, giving at least an inch between each slice. Brush the tops with a bit more cream and place grated cheddar cheese atop.

Bake 15-18 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted and the exposed tops are a light brown.
Let cool and enjoy. =}


To be posted:
Salmon, chive, and neuf chatel scones. <3

"Lost in your Arms" goodness

I'm a hopeless, irrevocably, inexcusable, sappy, dreamy-eyed romantic. Part of me wants notes scattered with petals on the floor and for you to always call me Beautiful. Not babe. To be swept off my feet and hear something akin to I am the blood in your veins. The marrow in your bones. I am a part of you as you are a part of me. Forever.

Granted, this on-spurt of romantic goo is probably because of the old dime novels I've been devouring lately. Ah, Julia Quinn. Why do you make that sort of love seem so attainable?

Have you ever blushed so hard your ears burned?

Made scones today. With white chocolate and apricots. Made boyo chicken a la Julia Child for lunch. Now it's dinner time and I'm thinking something Italian. Perhaps I'll just run over and pick up some pizza. Or make what we have here. That would be fine as well. =}