The Sweet Smell of... Failure

Here's a DIY idea that I am unlikely to repeat: making my own body spray.  Actually, I probably will try to make it again, but I'll remember the lessons I've learned from this batch.

My ingredients were simple: some denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol from my local CVS) and the remaining bit of my half-ounce "Blue Nile" body oil... I'd say about a quarter- to a third- ounce was still left.  My container was a clean 2-ounce spray bottle which used to be a rose-scented body mist.  (The bottle was from Hot Topic and had an Amy Brown fairy on it, which was cute -- but boy, that body spray was nast-ay!)  You could try this on your own with any clean spray bottle, if you don't mind getting the kind of result that I did!

The "process" -- and I use the term loosely -- was simple: pour the Blue Nile into the empty 2-ounce bottle, then fill the rest of the way with alcohol and shake well.  I was pretty amazed at how nicely the two combined.  If any of you used to make "potions" as a kid, or used way too much of your mother's perfume & tried adding water to conceal the evidence of your pilfering -- well, you'll know how easy it is to make the mixture cloudy, gross, and generally unappealing.  I have learned a lot about perfumery since then, but nevertheless it excites me to see how beautifully the alcohol and oil can blend.

While the bottle was aesthetically pleasing, in no small part due to the pretty coloring of the Blue Nile perfume oil, the smell was... ehhhhh.  I would spray it on in the morning, but it would take some time for the alcohol to dissipate and the Blue Nile to become the predominant scent.  Someone hugged me an hour after I spritzed myself and declared, "You smell like booze!"  Well, that pretty much ended my perfume-making hobby before it began. :)

I would up diluting my leftover Blue Nile body mist with some water (and yeah, it became the awesome cloudy mix we all know and love) and used as linen water to scent my hand-washables during the rinse phase.  It worked quite well, and I was glad to find an alternate use for it.

Now I have two-thirds of a bottle of rubbing alcohol that I need to think up uses for.  Any ideas?

Febreze For People

The downside to having an awesome Body & Soul party was that I seem to have contracted some form of plague from one of our party guests.  I guess that the fun of that wonderful cooking and being psychic came with a price!

Anyway, this morning I'm off to our local clinic to get myself tested.  I've got a VIP houseguest in a few days, and I don't want to pass along the plague!

Sometimes, when you get sick and you're taking antibiotics OR you're reluctant to hop into the shower first thing in the morning because you worry about going outside with a wet head, you may want to hold off showering until later in the day.  Or, maybe you have some emergency errands that needs to be done PFQ.  Perhaps you've just finished a yoga class, but forgot about that important meeting which starts in (uh oh!) just 15 minutes!  Mayhaps you've woken up to no power or hot water (holy crap-oly!!)... Whatever the situation, there may just come a day where you're in need of some alternative solutions.  Don't worry, I'm way ahead of you.  It is in this spirit that I bring you my recipe for "Febreze for People."


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of your favorite lotion, preferably clean-smelling! Think citrus and/or minty!
2 tablespoons of denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer works fine)
3/8 cup of water
OPTIONAL: 1-2 drops of citrusy, tea tree, or mint essential oil

Mix everything together, except for the water.  Pour into an 8-oz(ish) spray bottle, top off with the water, and shake well.  Whenever you don't have time for a shower or bath, use this solution as a quick refresher.  Just spray it onto your body, wipe with any soft cloth, and rub in the excess.

Depending on the lotion, you can use it on your face (don't get in eyes) as an emergency makeup remover.  Don't use in your hair or it'll get way greasy -- if your hair feels icky, just use a bit of baby powder to freshen it before your important event.

Our Elegant Spa Party

Some friends and I have recently begun to host a monthly get-together where we all use our talents for the enjoyment of our guests (and their friends).  Between us, we have an asthetician who does waxing and other spa treatments, a hair stylist who does awesome cutting, a professional masseuse who's always very in demand, and a professional psychic (that's me!).  Since the spa and hair specialists are next door neighbors, we use their apartments and just keep the door open between the two of them.

I haven't made a lot of money at this gig, but it sure has been fun!  Since two of the ladies are hosting (and have to get everything ready), I've been given the honorary chef's hat.  Last month, I made stuffed mushrooms and a veggie sushi platter (which, unfortunately, I got nooooo good pictures of!), along with some luscious fruit skewers of strawberry, papaya, and kiwi.  But this month I really wanted to do something elegant.

My savory dish was mini-quiche in two flavors: Lorraine and Florentine.  They were very easy to do, and lent a very "elegant teatime" vibe to my vintage goodies tray.  (I used a Bisquick recipe, though substituted Jiffy mix; worked great!)  For the fruit portion of the spread, I decided to make parfaits with a fruit dip which was once said to "drive everyone mad with lust!"  I ordered plastic wine cups from Oriental Trading Company and they made wonderful little parfait glasses.

We also had some simple cheese and crackers -- some nice pepper jack and yummy Babybels paired with the most scrumptious rosemary crackers I've ever tasted.  Carr's rosemary crackers are amazing; if you haven't had 'em yet -- definitely pick some up the next time you get a cracker craving!  Another party guest brought some pineapple platters featuring a stunning array of fresh tasty crudites with two kinds of hummus.  My favorite is the garlic lover's, YUM! :)

All in all, it was a really fun afternoon!  If you live in the Boston area and want to be invited, feel free to let me know.  Our website is at http://www.DawnSoul.com and we always have room for another friend. :)

Elder Goths Contest Giveaway!

Hi all!  Our "Goth Afer 30" Facebook group is holding a photo contest!  To enter, all you need to do is take a picture of yourself and submit it to the group's wall.  Let's show the world that our lifestyle choices aren't necessarily "kid stuff."  Photos can be funny, serious, silly, dark... whatever you feel like expressing.  Elder goths rule, so don't be afraid to show it! :)

The contest is from now to March 14th.  A winner will be chosen at random from those who have submitted photos to the group.  (Just mark it "Contest photo" so that I know to add you to the list of entries.)  If you want to add a watermark that says "Goth After 30 on Facebook" -AND/OR- the URL (http://www.tinyurl.com/ElderGoths) that would be awesome, but not necessary.  I'll draw a winner and notify the group on March 15th.

The winner will receive a lipstick in the blackest black we could find (and it's FRESH too!  Not a Halloween clearance item!), a black nail glaze (perfect for adding a darker shade on top of your favorite color OR use a few coats all by itself), a spooky black pentagram candle, and a black-soybean isoflavone facial treatment to keep you looking your loveliest whether you're 30, 40, or beyond!  (Items are provided by NecessaryEvils.com)

Good luck, everyone!  Can't wait to see your photos! :)

P.S.  Excuse me for posting this on my blog, but I needed a good place to stick the contest information. :)

99 DIY Lifestyle Skills

Being a do-it-myself kinda gal, I have to say that this post at over at TLC intrigued me.  I went through the list, sort of halfway nodding my head, and then I realized that there are a lot of things on the list that I can work toward, either now or after I've relocated.  Feel free to check and see how you're doing.  I'd also love to hear more unlisted skills that those reading this deem to be valuable.

My personal grading scale: 0 - not doing this, or it doesn't apply to me, .5 - I know how to do this and have been working on doing better, 1 - this is a regular part of my life.

Essential Food Skills
1. Read and understand product labels 1
2. Bake bread 1
3. Make your own bread starter and keep it going .5 (I don't consume a lot of bread)
4. Make cheese, yogurt, and kefir from local milk .5 (I can do all but kefir)
5. Preserve food by canning 0 (scary!)
6. Preserve food by drying .5
7. Forage for local wild foods safely 0

8. Raise a couple of backyard chickens 0 (I wish I had the room!) 

9. Make your own tofu,tempeh, and soy milk .5

10. Eat locally and in season 1

11. Grind your own flour .5 (I've done it)

12. Grow your own produce 0

13.Grow your own herbs 1

14.Grow your own sprouts 1 

15. Blend your own herbal tea 1 

16. Have a repertoire of vegetarian recipes you can use for various occasions 1

17. Fish or hunt responsibly if you eat meat 1 (I don't hunt, but I know the basics.)

18. Make homemade pastas and other pantry basics  .5

19. Cook a variety of foods well 1

20. Utilize a menu to minimize food waste 1

21. Throw a party without compromising your green values 1

22. Make Your Own Vanilla Extract 1

23. Sharpen kitchen knives so they last 1

24. Make homemade granola bars, granola, waffles, and other breakfast items 1

25. Make baked goods from "scratch". 1

26. Understand terms like, "organic", "Fair Trade", "all natural", and "GMO" 1

Essential Household Skills 

27. Sew well enough to repair clothing 1

28. Sew well enough to make your own clothing and reusable shopping bags 1 (not all of my clothing is handmade, but several pieces are, as well as my storage.)

29. Sew fitted cloth diapers for your baby 1 (do bunny needs count?)

30 .Knit or crochet dishcloths 1 

31. Know how to reupholster a chair .5 (I know how to, and have done it - just not WELL.) 

32. Make your ownlaundry soap 1

33. Make your own dishwasher detergent  1

34. Make your own house cleaning supplies .5

35. Use diatomaceous earth, bay leaves, and other "eco-friendly" natural pest deterrents 1

Home Maintenance and Repair Skills 

36. Use non-electric appliances rather than electric 1

37. Know where to find non-electric appliances 1

38. Program a thermostat .5

39. Tile a counter top 0

40. Use 0 VOC paint 1

41. Repair a screen 1

42.Use a caulk gun 1

43. Make simple appliance repairs such as replacing belts 0

44. Find what you need by bartering, or using CraigsList, eBay, and thrift stores 1

45. Repair a leaky toilet 0

46. Repair a leaky faucet 0

47.Replace a faucet 0

48. Check your home for energy leaks using incense, a candle, or a device that is created for that purpose 1

49. Unclog a drain without using Drano or harmful chemicals 1

50. Insulate an attic with eco-friendly insulation 1

Gardening Skills 

51 .Build a compost system .5

52. Use compost to enrich your soil .5

53. Plan a garden for your climate .5

54. Understand xeriscaping 1 (kinda)

55. Plant a multi-seasonal vegetable garden 0 (no room! wahw!)

56. Build a simple cold frame for salad all year 0

57. Build frames for raised bed gardens 0

58. Make a rainwater catchment system 0

59. Use a manual reel mower 0

60. Use companion planting methods to control pests 0

61.Build a bat house to encourage bats and decrease mosquitoes .5 (soooo want to do this!)

62. Use predator insects like Praying Mantis to control garden pests 0

63. Know what heirloom seeds are and why you should use them 1

64. How to plant open pollinated vegetables for best yields 1

65. How to save seeds from your own produce 1

66. Plant trees and bushes to cut your energy bills 0 

67. Use soaker hoses to conserve water 0

68. Sharpen and maintain tools 1

Health Skills 

69. Know how to use herbs and natural remedies to treat common illnesses 1

70. Make your own soap 1

71. Make your own skin care products 1

72. Use essential oils for health and cleaning 1

73. Make your own deodorant .5

Transportation Skills 

74. Tune up a bicycle and make repairs 0

75. Do simple maintenance on your car  0

76. Arrange or locate a carpool 0

77. Learn to use hypermiling techniques 0

78. Plan eco-friendly air travel 1

Energy Skills 

79. Install exterior solar lighting 0

80. Install a solar panel 0

81. Know where to find the most eco-friendly, green power source available to you 1

82. Connect home electronics to power strips for easy shut off 1

83. Check the wattage of an appliance 1

84. Calculate annual kilowatt usage 1

Conservation Skills 

85. Use email rather than conventional mail 1

86. Switch to a paperless office .75 (I am soooooo close!)

87. Locate the local library and use it rather than buying books, DVDs, and tapes 1

88. Adjust your settings on the computer to make it more energy efficient 1

89. Use skype and other technology to limit the need for travel to conferences 1

90. Learn to plan eco-friendly vacations, such as camping (and leave no trace) 

91. Replace a hobby with an environmentally friendly hobby 1

92. Locate and use recreational green spaces such as hiking trails, parks, and public gardens .5

93. Understand and be able to explain what cradle to cradle means 1

94. Understand and be able to explain what carbon emissions are 1

95. Understand and be able to calculate a carbon footprint as well as explain what it is 1

96. Know where to recycle technological items like computers, microwaves, televisions etc. 1

97. Identify and sort a variety of recyclable materials 1

98. Know where reusable items can be substituted for disposables 1

99. Understand and be able to explain cap-and-trade 1

My final score = 68.25%

Hmmm, that's a "D."  To be fair, a lot of it is stuff I can't help (like keeping chickens or installing solar panels, as I'm not a homeowner).  But I should try harder on the stuff that I can change!  Still, that was pretty interesting.  I'll have to see how I can streamline things a bit.

February's Body & Soul Party

My friends and I decided to throw a party this month!  We called it the Body & Soul Party, and invited ladies who needed some extra pampering.  Each of us had a skill -- between us, there was an esthetician, a professional stylist, a licensed masseuse, and me -- a professional psychic and gourmet cook!  I can make more than disco fries and choochacheechachoo, you know. ;)

We all used our talents to create a night of home-spun luxury, style, and general fabulousness.  The services offered ran the gamut from professional facials and waxing, to hair-cutting and styling, to spa-quality massages, to real psychic readings.  The party ended with all our guests feeling a little more pretty and/or handsome, as well as relaxed and rejuvenated.  A great time was had by all!

My biggest regret is that I failed to get pictures of my food platters!  I made stuffed mushrooms with lemon-herb filling, vegetable nigiri sushi, and fruit salad skewers with a myriad yummy things.  The rice could have been cooked a little better, but overall I'm pretty pleased with my cooking efforts.  We're already dreaming up new ideas for next month's B&S party, and I'm planning my next menu.

If you're in the New England area and you are interested in attending, feel free to visit our website at www.DawnSoul.com :)

Pink Manicotti

I'm starting to realize that 90% of the recipes I post on PGS are of the "evil" variety, i.e. they are tremendously unhealthy and are rarely cooked and consumed by me.  However, if I posted recipes for what I ate as my staples, you'd be pretty bored.  Plus, I'm pretty sure my readers already know how to put cottage cheese in a bowl, grab a baked chicken leg out of the fridge, wash a Granny Smith apple, put some carrots on a plate, or how to place a pool salsa attractively next to a pile of lime-flavored tortilla chips.

Half the fun of making an evil recipe is announcing it to the world.  While this manicotti recipe isn't especially bad on its own, the entire stick of butter gives it some evil cred, much like the sauce in Nicolas Sparks' True Believer.  I have never read a word that he's written (nor have I seen any of the movies based on his books -- no offense, but they look kinda boring), though a friend of mine did mention an interest in trying "the tomato sauce from True Believer."  This is what I came up with as kind of a fancier "pink" version.  I love pink sauce, but real pink sauce with tomato and cream, as opposed to "a jar of red spaghetti sauce plus a jar of alfredo sauce."You can make this recipe with or without the stick of butter.

Pink Manicotti
A classic cheese-filled manicotti in a very rich pink wine sauce with customizable spices.  This recipe makes 2 pans of pink manicotti!

INGREDIENTS:
1 standard-sized box of manicotti pasta

2 28-ounce cans of Tuttorosso ground tomatoes with basil (you can use "blank" tomatoes and add your own basil, but I love Tuttorosso tomatoes!)
1 stick of butter
1/2 brick of Neufchatel cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup of red wine
8 ounces shredded mozarella cheese
32 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
seasonings: basil, oregano, thyme, garlic, Montreal seasoning.
1 big yellow onion or  a bunch of green onions, chopped finely
OPTIONAL: 1 pound of ground turkey

Place the tomatoes, butter, onions and some herbs into the crockpot -- I like to season mine with more basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and garlic.  If you aren't sure how much you like, just do a pinch or two of each. (Mine varies depending on a multitude of factors.)  Let the tomato mixture cook on High for about 3 hours.  Add the neufchatel and wine, then let it melt while you boil the water for the pasta.  If you're cooking ground turkey to add to your sauce, this would be a good time to brown the meat.

Cook manicotti according to al dente directions, then shock the pasta with cold water to keep it from cooking any further.  Stir your sauce, coat your baking dishes with cooking spray, and then spoon a bit of the sauce into the bottom of each dish.  Preheat your oven to 350.

Add some seasoning to your ricotta cheese (I keep it simple; Montreal and some basil, though sometimes I crack in an egg or some spinach), then fill the manicotti with it and add manicottis to baking dishes.  Leftover ricotta can be spooned over the top of the manicotti.  Browned turkey can be sprinkled randomly over the dishes.

Stir your sauce thoroughly, making sure that the neufchatel and butter are well blended.  Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to, then pour the sauce over each baking dish.  Top each dish with mozzarella cheese, and bake in the oven (uncovered) until the cheese gets melted and things start to brown -- it usually takes about 25 minutes.  (Conversely, you can cover the dishes and put them the fridge; bake covered for 40 minutes, then uncover and give it another 10 minutes to brown that cheese.)

Let it stand for a bit, then enjoy!  This is an extremely rich, decadent sauce; a nice green salad on the side can complement that.

Goth After 30 on Facebook

A couple of my friends started a Facebook group called "Goth After 30" in... I think it was 2009?  Anyway, another friend kept singing "Goth After 30 on Facebook!" to the tune of the "G. I. Joe" theme song.  We decided it would be fun to record it as a mock commercial.  Enjoy!

And by the way, anyone who fits the criteria of the group is welcome to join it.  Basically, we just discuss music and post pictures of cool things that we find online.  We also talk about crafting and ways to decorate our homes, as well as what it's like to be a moldy oldie. :)

Some people think that our logo (the skeleton guy in the office chair on the left) is silly or cheesy or whatever, but who cares?  We're just having fun and enjoying ourselves.  Come join us at http://www.tinyurl.com/ElderGoths if you're so inclined. :)

Food For Thought

If you know me, then you probably know that I'm a sucker for a good cause.  I have been donating stuff, making calls, writing letters, babysitting people's kids or pets, scrubbing floors, baking, cooking, taking phone calls, mailing packages, stuffing envelopes, making or accepting donations, comforting people or animals, knocking on doors, moving shit, picking up trash, and generally being what some people refer to as a "do-gooder" for over two decades now.  I even did volunteer work for a Free-Net in the 1990s!  (Do those things even exist anymore?)  Truth be told, I'm not really sure where I came upon this habit.  It's just kind of the way things have always been.

You may also know that I love to cook.  Back when I was more mobile than I am now, I was the kind of person who'd throw elaborate dinner parties, with multi-course meals featuring an insane amount of choices for my guests.  Or I'd just cook for my husband, who often disliked exotic or unusual foods; he also isn't a fan of leftovers, so much of the time, the stuff I'd make would eventually depart this world via the garbage disposal, as opposed to the toilet, as a good meal should.

I view cooking as an art form; an extremely temporary and short-term way to get the gratification of making something, without the hassle of storing it forever or figuring out how to put it to good use.  You cook the food, you (or the people you love) eat the food, you toss the leftovers.  And if there were actually people to cook for -- oh, happy day, like when my husband's workplace used to have their holiday parties -- I would bake cheesecake for days, thrilled to impart some of my happy vibes into the dessert assignment!  (I miss those times!)  But, how sad it is to cook food that might not get eaten.  So for the longest time, I have wanted to help out at a shelter or a food pantry.

Upon finally learning of a shelter that accepted donations of cooked food -- something which hadn't really occurred to me until then -- I decided to roll up my sleeves and make something good.  I did an enchilada casserole, which was basically ground turkey in beans and rice, with some cheese and spices.  It wasn't a lot of food -- only one little tray, which might have feed half a dozen hungry folks -- but I was still proud to make something good for someone.  It was such fun that this month, I decided to have a cooking party to prepare something good for the shelter.  And yesterday, that's just what we did!

I am still battling with phone issues, so I didn't get any pictures.  But I will say that we had an absolute blast.  And so many friends helped out -- one of them went out of her way to do our shopping and kicked in 20% of the food bill!  Another friend helped to straighten up the house in a hurry, played chauffeur to a partygoer in need of a ride, donated some surplus canned food, and ran a bunch of errands.  We even had a friend drive from 40 minutes away to help me peel apples, chop celery, and dice onions.  And of course, there was my man with his mighty chili-stirring arm.  Between all of us, we were able to produce 6 trays of food -- that's 3 apple-raisin noodle kugels and 3 turkey-chili tamale pies -- for the Lowell Transitional Living Center.  I didn't get to come along for the food delivery since I was hosting, but I was told that the chili received an especially enthusiastic welcome.

Things went so well that we've decided to do it all over again next month.  I haven't decided yet what we're going to make.  I'd also love to have some more volunteers and/or food donations.  I paid for almost everything myself.

One thing I would suggest to readers, though: If you want to volunteer to do something, don't think "there's nothing I can do."  I have to take it slow even on my best days, and then there are days when I hurt so bad that I can't even get out of bed -- in fact, I tend to stay inside almost all of the time because of my health issues.  But I didn't let that stop me from helping; I brought the playing field onto my turf instead, and made my own volunteer event.  Anyone can do it, really.  And if you're feeling particularly down about your own life, isn't it nice to stop worrying about your own problems for awhile & do something to help people who are even more screwed than you are? 

I can't cook the way I used to, but I was certainly able to get onto Facebook, invite my friends to come for a volunteer party, and then put their asses to work! :)  The point I'm trying to make is that you CAN do something.  And even if you don't think the stuff you can do is worth very much, there really are people out there who can benefit from it.  You just have to know where to look.  Trust me!

P.S.  I used a variation of a Wendy's chili clone in my tamale pie.  All I did after that was make the crust (boil 4 cups water, add 1 cup cornmeal & spices if you like, then stir until thickened), pour the crust in the tray, top with chili, & add the cheese.  It was a very easy recipe for a crowd!