Endless Whimsy: February 2009

2.28.2009

Nostalgia Saturday

The last Red Nostalgia Saturday - Hot Tamales!

This is my quintessential cinema food, that and Junior Mints!

Hot Tamales were created in the 1950s by Just Born

The Just Born candy tradition was conceived in 1910, when Russian immigrant Sam Born came to the United States. In 1916, Sam Born was awarded the "key to the city" of San Francisco for inventing a machine that mechanically inserted sticks into lollipops.

In 1917, Born opened a small retail store in Brooklyn, New York. He proudly displayed in his store window an evolving line of daily made candy, marketing its freshness with a sign that declared Just Born. The original company logo showed a baby resting in a candy measuring scale. Some of Sam Born's contributions to the candy industry include chocolate sprinkles, known as "jimmies," and the hard coating on ice cream bars.

In 1923, Born started his own manufacturing company in New York City. Irv and Jack Schaffer, Born's brothers in law, joined the company to help market and sell the confections. In 1932, the trio moved operations to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Sam Born's son, Bob Born who joined the company in 1946 and would later become President for more than 30 years, was part of the two man team that mechanized the Marshmallow Peeps forming process. It was this ingenuity that enabled them to dramatically increase production and led them to become America's largest manufacturer of seasonal marshmallow confections.

Just Born continues to be family owned. Currently the co-CEOs are Mr. Born's grandson Ross Born and nephew David Shaffer. Samuel Torrence is the first non-family president in the history of the company. Just Born is a noted contributor to the Bethlehem community and makes many charitable contributions.

Just Born's tagline is "A great candy isn't made...it's Just Born".

Here is a history of Just Born by Just Born.

2.27.2009

Art Fire

Visit endlesswhimsy's ArtFire Shop

I have been updating my ArtFire shop here and there - I wish I had everything in there, but I'm struggling with having two shops with the same thing....what do you think about that?

2.26.2009

New Kitty and Human Dishes

Over at the home site - I have some photos of floral kitty and human sized dishes along with a short write up about how I came about making them.

Oh, and here are the glazes I intend to use:
<--------Blue Rutile

----------------------------------> Grey Blue Matte!

2.25.2009

Sleepy Time

Well, Luxor is in what we call "Stoli's Office". It's actually the cabinet over the stove hood.

It's nearly the human bedtime, and Luxor has opened the door to let the heat in. His head is just out of the cabinet and he's made himself a pillow. Makes me wish I could fit in a cabinet! Too bad I turn off the lights - that's his electric blanket!

2.24.2009

Newsletter Tutorial

If you haven't seen it yet, I wrote a tutorial for the Sellers Assisting Sellers blog. It's about how to set up a web based newsletter for your customers. Screenshots included. I sent out my first one this week! If you haven't signed up yet - be sure to! If you already have signed up, feel free to forward it to anyone of your friends that you think might like it!

2.23.2009

Twitter Review

I've been using Twitter for a while now, I have an account as Endless Whimsy and my cats have an account as well. I have been using Twirl to keep track of both accounts as my Flock browser doesn't allow two accounts. Here is a screen capture -

I love it, it has various color schemes and you can have multiple twitter accounts open at once. You can change the font size and even the notification sound. I wish it had multiple screens open for @replies and such, but you just have to click a button and you can sort in different ways.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

2.22.2009

He's so rude, but cute

Luxor - laying on TOP of Stoli, wants some warmth I guess

2.21.2009

Nostalgia Saturday

SWEDISH FISH!

My absolute fave fave fave!

Here is a short history from this site:

Of course they always get stuck in my teeth but they are just delightful!

In 1958, Malaco, a Swedish confectionery manufacturer, decided to expand its business by exporting a few of their products to North America. Allsort Licorice, Ribbons and Laces candy were the first products to be exported to North America.

The Malaco exporting business grew and in late 1960's and early 1970's Swedish Fish and Swedish Berries were developed specifically for the North American market. As you have probably already guessed, it was named Swedish Fish because it was developed in Sweden.

Today this product is made in both Sweden and Canada.

And here's Wiki's version of the history

2.20.2009

Yummy~

Here is one of my favorite pasta dishes - I thought I would share it with you.

4 fresh garlic cloves, minced and mashed
8-10 leaves of basil, torn
5-6 fresh vine tomatoes, seeded and center pulp removed and cut into cubes
1 ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella
1 pound farfalle pasta
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover the pan (about 3 tablespoons)

1. mince and mash garlic
2. put oil in pan
3. begin water
4. cut up tomatoes
5. garlic in warm oil
6. pasta in boiling water (salted and oiled) LIBERALLY, season this part!
7. once garlic is fragrant toss in tomatoes
8. mash once the tomatoes are warm - DO NOT OVER COOK, the entire cooking process takes less than 5 minutes)
9. put cheese in freezer
10. put tomatoes and garlic oil into a casserole dish
11. spoon pasta into casserole dish
12. toss - the water that is on the pasta should be enough to coat the it - if it looks really dry you can add a teaspoon or so
13. tear basil onto pasta
14. chop cheese into small chunks. DO NOT TOSS
15. cover and wait 10 minutes to serve
*be sure to liberally salt and pepper this dish after it's put together. It brings out the fresh flavors!

This dish is great cold or warm! Enjoy!

2.19.2009

Updated Site

There is a short write up about my newest creations on the home site - I'd love for you to stop by, take a look and tell me what glaze color you envision the plates........

2.18.2009

Beautiful Baby

My beautiful Baby was on the front page yesterday! XOXO

originally uploaded by getglassy.

Can I just RANT!

A nice rant, my cats - they 'twitter' *wink wink* and they have more followers than me!

2.17.2009

What Breed are You!?!?!

Thanks to Marjorie at The Fantail, here's my quiz results! Let me know if anyone finds a cat quiz!

I updated the buttons

I like these better, they don't yell SHOP or HOME, but just politely say it in normal caps. I also changed the 'red' and added a cute paw. Better?

2.16.2009

Just Added

A 'Home' and 'Shop' button.....thinking they are little big yes?

2.14.2009

Nostalgia Saturday

Featuring RED candy throughout the month of February!

Cinnamon Candy Hearts (aka Red Hots)
I have never been a big fan of these, they were always that candy I ate if there was nothing else better - or on a dare: fill your mouth up with as many as you can. They were sweet and cinnamon-y and got stuck in your teeth. But I appreciate them now, not that I like them any better, but I think I must have had them every February for my entire life so now they are a staple. One of those things you walk by in the store and say "I really need to buy a package of these".

This BLOG has a great write up about them: and I totally agree about Red #40 - I can taste it no matter WHAT it's in........

2.13.2009

Happy Thirteenth!

Not superstitious or anything - just glad that I start vacation today at 3:00!!! Lots of blogs to come and going to fire clay!

2.11.2009

Updated domain!

I've finally had time to update the endlesswhimsy domain and I'm looking for a second of your time for some feedback - is it aligned with this and the Etsy shop? Is there content that needs to be there and not here? I don't get nearly as many hits there - what do I need to do?

http://endlesswhimsy.com

2.10.2009

Wish List

Stoli and Luxor are making their wish lists for Christmas all ready! I bought them one (shoulda got two) Yeowww! Sardine.... Check out their afternoon fun!

2.09.2009

The things I do

to keep Luxor away from things he shouldn't eat and Stoli away from breaking things:

Hiding the cord for the blinds.

Electrical tape for the china cabinet.

A lock for the sliding closet doors.

Keeping all doors to bathrooms shut as a rule.

Magnetic locks for all cabinet doors.

Keeping the telephone cord out of reach.

Taping the sliding door so he can't get the insulation.

Putting all magnets at the top of the refrigerator.

2.08.2009

Luxor ate what?!?

Well, Luxor again ate something he shouldn't have, but so far so good. He's not gotten sick.

This is what he ate - 18 inches of a clay cutting nylong string. Here's the eaten portion:

And here's my new one that will be under lock and key. As if that would help!

P. S. Do you see Luxor checking out the string????

2.07.2009

Nostalgia Saturday

Featuring - All Red Candy for February!

Growing up, I absolutely LOVED Atomic Fireballs. I remember at one point eating so many that my tongue was raw. I also got to the point where they weren't hot anymore. Your tongue would get really red and if your teeth weren't completely clean - they'd be pink!

This February - I'll be reminiscing my favorite candy with you - with one condition, it has to be red!

From Wikipedia:

Atomic Fireballs are a round, cinnamon-flavored hard candy invented by Nello Ferrara in 1954. They are a form of jawbreaker. The outer layers of the candy are a bright red color while the interior layers are white.
When initially introduced by Ferrara Pan, the company had a manufacturing capacity of 200 cases per day but demand quickly rose to 50,000 cases per day. According to the company, approximately 15 million Fireballs are eaten weekly.^[1] "The spicy flavor and the exceptionally long lasting candy was instantly popular (coupled with the popular culture obsession with all things atomic at the time).^[2] The outside layer of the Fireball is quite mild. After a moment in the mouth, the smooth ball of hard candy releases a spicy cinnamon flavor.

They are made with the hot panned process with ingredients of a single grain of sugar, syrup and flavor. The hot pans tumble the ingredients around until the fireballs snowball into the appropriate size. The process lasts for about two weeks. By the end of the process the fireball consists of at least one hundred layers. The fireballs come in two sizes, a pea size and the more popular full-size (7/8ths of an inch in diameter) which comes individually wrapped.

Also recently available are chewy fireballs, with the same flavor of the original with a chewy texture.

2.06.2009

It Never Fails

Luxor has eaten my entire 16 inches of clay cutting string. I try so hard to clean up and keep things out of his mouth. He ate a hole in my cashmere sweater, but it wasn't much. And in December he ate 6 inches of a shoe lace of one of my piano student's. All of my clothes are under lock and key. I just am beside myself. He eats so much that he's not supposed to.

I am such a horrible person for leaving this stuff out. Why can't I clean up everything? Why does he always find stuff to eat? Why Why Why? Why can't he just LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE? I'll never forgive myself for this.

I hate myself - utterly disgusted with myself. Just disgusted.

What do they expect?

Do doctors think that everyone should take time off their work to be able to come to an appointment? What gives? They go and schedule my annual exam and put the time for 11:15. Come on - I work. And with the economy the way it is, if I leave early, someone else has to cover for me. Not very kosher. So now I have to find someone else to take me on that has realistic hours.

Does anyone else find that Doctor's hours are very inconvenient?

2.05.2009

Works in progress!

Here are my two current works in progress!

1. Pedestal plate...

2. 'Tuna' Novelty Cat Dish...

Both plates are elevated so as to aid in digestion. I believe that I'll just be glazing the inside of that particular dish and leaving the outside unglazed.

2.04.2009

What I did last night

So,

I've been chompin' at the bit to get some more porcelain pieces in the works. I've been completing some custom orders in polymer so that's still going, but here's what I made last night....

A mold for a small circular dish
A mold for a square dish
Another scalloped dish with a pedestal

and.......

the parts to a cat dish that is an 'opened tuna can'.

I'll put that together tomorrow, and I have a small bag of scrap clay ready to go to make kitty sculptures......I'll probably be making a bunch of small ones for the time being!

Thanks for listening!

2.03.2009

what about now?

space on the blog?

2.02.2009

how's it now?

how's the lay out now? I tweaked the HTML to allow some extra room........

2.01.2009

Drum Roll Please..........

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

And the winner of the Porcelain Give Away is:

Mitsy from ART MIND!!!
Congratulations on your win and thanks to everyone who comment on the blog about the layout and the porcelain.

Mitsy will receive a sweetheart porcelain figurine!
<-------------------------------------

Sweetheart Kitty

The porcelain is ready to start trickling into the shop!~

Here's the first of hopefully many in the porcelain line - if this sparks an idea for a kitty, please comment and let me know what it is!

From the listing:

This porcelain sculpture measures just under 2in (6.4cm) and just begs to be held and caressed. It's cool to the touch, not too heavy, smooth - the perfect size to slip into your sweetheart's hand when they least expect it.

The porcelain has been left in its natural translucent white state with a hand imprinted heart on its side colored red with a velvet underglaze. The entire sculpture has been coated with a zinc-free clear glaze.

Endless Whimsy is on Etsy as well as just beginning on ArtFire

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