Bottle Opener Reef Sandals

We all have summer musts in our wardrobe.  My summer musts are my brown and black Reef Sandals (wedge flip flops).  Today, I came across a Reef Sandal that serves double duty.  It is a shoe,  duh... and a bottle opener.  I don't drink beer, but I think these are so cool.  I wanna go by some old school, glass bottled soda pop & these sandals.  I know people would wonder how did she open her Coke w/her flip flop? 

http://islandsurf.com/islandsurf/page/product/sku/2416/p/Mens-Reef-Leather-Fanning-Bottle-Opener-Sandals.html?af_id=8&c=Brown-%7CSL%

Vintage Inspired Summer Dress

 I bought this Summer dress pattern this past Winter. A major fabric store had their patterns on sale for $1.99.  I knew this one was going to challenge me because it called for a hidden zipper and it is fully lined.  I have never done either.  I am also a novice, so I shook a little when I cut into my expensive fabric (which I used a 50% off coupon for, so it wasn't as expensive as it could of been)

As always Gigi is a gr8 help & always seems to wear things so much better than me, but I have a head and limbs, so I there.

Biggest Problem:  I cannot seem to trust pattern sizes.  Even though my measurements tell me I'm a particular size on their pattern, it is too big.  The three dresses I have made so far have produced the same results (regardless of the pattern maker).  These miscalculations result in me making alterations, getting frustrated, and prolonging my results.  On the positive side, I learned new techniques, changed the bodice to reflect my personal taste and made it my own design.

Taaadaaa!

Sorry the pix quality is not gr8.  I will keep the photographer anonymous, so as not to hurt feelings.

Cal Tech Tour

 My son, Alex received an invite from California Institute of Technology to visit their campus.

Cal Tech was est. in the 1800's and the older buildings reflect it.

During the tour, we learned that the students like to have fun to relieve stress...in their geeky way.  You'll understand as I explain the pictures.

The building below is where students and faculty can listen to visiting speakers.

Steven Hawkings visits Cal Tech every year and speaks in this forum.  Alex, my non emotional child

looked at me and smiled.  In Alex World a smile is equivalent to your child jumping up and down and screaming "Yay" with excitement.  Steven Hawkings also judges their food preparation elective contest.  Cal Tech promotes each student to learn how to cook, as evidenced by a kitchenette in every hall way in the dorms.  They also reinforce a sense of family, by having each dorm participate in family style dinners, go on field trips together, & collaborate on dorm performances to entertain the other students.  

This fountain leads to the tallest building in Pasadena, the Millikan Library.  The fountain slowly makes a 360 turn.  I'm standing on a bridge that crosses the water area.

This is the library.  We were told that Pasadena did not want towering buildings, so this library became the measuring stick by which all other buildings could not surpass.  Every Halloween, students will freeze pumpkins with liquid nitrogen and drop them from the roof top of Millikan Library.  Robert Millikan did something or other with liquid nitrogen, so it is a tribute to his work.

The Cal Tech Cannon sits in front of the Flemming House (dorm).  A few years ago MIT stole the cannon and displayed it on their campus in a brotherly feud.  Cal Tech students went to MIT to bring it back and left a toy cannon in its place with a note saying "this is more your size".  Other pranks have been Cal Tech going to MIT and hacking their newspaper with an article saying Cal Tech bought MIT and made MIT their Humanities buildings.  They also gave out Tee shirts to MIT students saying Because you couldn't get into Cal Tech.  This is their geeky fun, along w/the frozen nitrogen, dorm projects, & listening to Steven Hawkings.

 Oh, yes, nearly forgot.  The chain around the cannon is to prevent further removal.  MIT students made another attempt, but campus security stopped them.

Alex, in the charming patio near the admissions office.  I hope the tour motivates him to continue to press on during his last two years.  In the car ride home,  He said, "It was awesome", then he asked what we were having for lunch.

Closing My Etsy Shop

On July 18th all my current listings on Etsy.com will expire, and I will not repost any more jewelry for sale.  The Goya Designs boutique will close for business.  I've decided to focus on my private practice instead.  The jewelry shop wasn't getting much attention & traffic anyway.  I will continue to create, but as a hobby.... just like it started and was meant to be.  

Happy Wednesday!

Homemade Mint Chip Ice-cream

Five ingredients is all it took to make homemade mint chip ice-cream and this inexpensive ice-cream maker from Costco.  It was cheaper with my $6 off coupon.  The double insulated tub needs to be set flat in the freezer for 18 hrs. So buy it day before you want to make ice-cream to allow for this 18 hr. window.  This morning, around 8:30 my son got me outta bed just for this.  I just followed the recipe the machine came with and the results were fun to watch and tasty to eat.

First:  in a bowl with a pout (for easy pouring) mix:  1 cup whole milk, 2 cups (1pint) heavy cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract.  This makes 1.5 quarts of ice-cream.

Turn on the machine and pour mixture from the top opening.  The frozen tub spins.  Set a timer for 20 min.  then add your semi-sweet chocolate chips (1/4 cup) for 5 additional minutes.  The chips are also dropped into the ice-cream from the top opening.  Easy....right?

 Can you see the ice-cream oozing out the top and how white the frozen tub got?

Take out the mixer inside and with a silicone spatula scrap all the ice-cream in a freezer safe container...or containers as I did.  Let the ice-cream set in the freezer for an hour or two or until your family can't take it any longer and enjoy.  

If anyone has followed Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution, you know just how disgusting store bought ice-cream can be.  If you don't know about Jaime Oliver....tisk, tisk, tisk,...check him out on Utube.  He explained all the gross things put into store bought ice-cream (ie. feathers & human hair by product, and more).  No joke.  Super gross.  

anyhow, enjoy fresh ice-cream.  It's a Sorbet next.  Or as they say in Mexico "Un helado de agua".

Flavor: "Lime"

Easy French Onion Soup

Well, we've all hear of "when life gives you lemons...make lemonade",  but how bout "when your frig has too many onions, make French Onion soup". 

I did! The soup got two thumbs up from my kiddos (except from my 9 yr. old who refused to try it).  More for us, so I didn't push the issue.  If that makes me a greedy mom, oh well, I'm good w/that.

Ingredients:

two onions sliced or diced.  

approx. 2 tsp of a light oil (I used canola)

2 tsp. of butter

2 tsp. of flour

1 box of beef stock (I used Wolfgang Puck's because store was out of Kitchen Basics)

approx. 1/4 Cup of water (I eye-balled it)

approx. 1/4 Cup of white wine (eye-balled it again)...optional

French bread (toasted in the oven at 350 degrees F)

Gouda Cheese

I had all the ingredients in my kitchen except the bread and cheese, and you might too.

in a medium stock pot over med-high heat put the oil in ( I eye-balled it) and let it heat up for about 3 min.  put the onions in and stir until the onions are caramelized.  Now, add the butter and melt into the onions as you stir.  You can add a pinch of salt at this point if you'd like.  Add flour and stir it and let the flour incorporate and cook for about 2 min.  If you want add your white wine at this point and cook for about 1 min. to let the alcohol cook out.  Pour the entire carton of beef stock and water into the pot, and bring to a boil.  Then lower heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 min.

Fill ramekins with soup, place toasted bread on top of soup and then the cheese.

As you can see, I didn't cut the cheese (hehehe, Cut the cheese, get it) perfectly, but that doesn't matter. The cheese will melt and become beautiful goo after it bakes at 450 degrees F.  When the cheese is melted, they are done.  

See melted goodness!  And easy on the eyes too.  

Tip:  I lined a cookie sheet w/foil and placed ramekins on cookie sheet, so if any cheese did ooze out, clean up would be easy breezy.

Serve each rami on top of a plate and enjoy.

The nice thing about this soup, is that you can keep a lid on the French Onion Soup and save it until you are ready to do the final steps w/the ramis.  That's what I did.  I let it sit while I made the main course.

Faith Based Psychotherapy: Not a contradiction

I have heard many Christians say they believe psychotherapy is a contradiction to their faith. My faith was the primary reason I chose to start my private practice.  Unfortunately, my years working with secular agencies meant limiting my freedom to incorporate faith into the therapeutic process, even if the client shared the same beliefs.  Why?  Because of the misunderstanding that separation of church and state meant the church stays out of the state's business, instead of the other way around (which was the true intention).  


To be honest, I've always used strategies that are biblically sound and have disregarded those that aren't anyway.  The huge difference is that now I have the freedom to openly state that I can provide faith based therapy if the client chooses.  The only difference between faith based and secular is the overt mention of God and thoughtful selection of using biblical methodology (which is numerous despite popular belief).


One of the things that God has shown me is that His principals help heal the broken hearted, pained, anxious, troubled, and emotionally charged regardless if there is an overt conversation of Him.  I think that it is because His word does not return void.  


I know that I am used as His vessel to guide my clients in the application of change vs. just the head knowledge of reading a book or listening to a study.  Although those things have their purpose also and are good.  Have I arrived,  like the apostle Paul says (paraphrase), Nope, but I keep on going.


So, I encourage all my fellow Christians to seek a faith based therapist in their area if you are struggling w/relationship or emotional problems that haven't been successful managed.


:)Gloria