Dee Says: October 2009

Oct 31, 2009

Halloween Drinks

Happy Halloween! Being that halloween is on a weekend this year, a lot of people will be taking this as an excuse to party! Halloween is also a great excuse to make some really creative drinks. Need some ideas?

If you want a really awesome visual effect, while at the same time totally grossing out your friends, try the Brain Hemorrhage Shot:

I'm grossed out just looking at it, but the site says it's really tasty. It's 1 1/2 oz of peach schnapps, 1/4 oz of Bailey's Irish Cream and a splash of grenadine. You pour the peach schnapps into the shot glass, then very slowly pour in the Bailey's. Some other sites suggested that you do it over a spoon back, as if you were making layered shots. Then your dribble a bit of grenadine into the Bailey's (again, using a spoon if you wish) to make the bloody effect.

If you want visual effect, without the gross out, and you know how to use a candy thermometer, then maybe a hard candy blood drip rim on your glassware is more your thing:

All of the directions are here at hostess with the mostess. You'll need some sugar, karo syrup, water and red food coloring to make it. The martini glasses are awesome, but I'd guess it would work on highball glasses, rock glasses...really any glassware. Another site mused about possibly using plastic glasses, but wondered if they'd melt, which I'm guessing the probably would.

So, you've got your blood rimmed glasses, but what will you serve in them? Anything red will do. Anything containing cranberry juice or grenadine would suit it well. Or, what about the Vampire Kiss Martini:

It's 1 1/2 oz vodka, 1 1/2 oz champagne, and 3/4 oz of Chambord. They also suggest red sugar for rimming (if you don't do the hard candy blood rim) or dropping a set of wax vampire teeth in the bottom. To assemble, after rimming (or whatever), pour the vodka and half the Chambord into the glass. Top with champagne. Pour in the remaining Chambord over the back of a spoon to make it float.

For more ideas and inspiration, Webtender has a whole list of halloween drinks, including a couple of non-alcoholic varieties.

Are you serving up anything special for Halloween this year?

Bottoms up, and Happy Halloween!

Oct 30, 2009

Halloween Themed Food

Halloween is tomorrow! Thinking about whipping up something edible and Halloween themed? Why not try one of these ideas!

If you're going for adorable rather then scary, these Ghosts of Cupcakes Past are about as adorable you can get:

I especially love the ones with the cute little bows. AWWW.

Okay, so maybe you want cute, but those are a little TOO cutesy for you. What about some Black Cat Cookies:

They're black cats! With Candy Corn eyes! AND they're on a stick! FACT: Everything is better when served on a stick.

Alright, so we've covered cute, so lets get a little more gruesome. How about serving up some severed fingers:

They're shortbread cookies with peanuts for the nails!

Not gruesome enough for you? Or perhaps you're looking for a main dish? This Meat Hand has been making the rounds on the internet a lot this year for good reason:

The reason being that it's AWESOME.

And finally, if you're looking for something that's a little bit creepy but also kind of cute, I have just the thing! Vampire Bite Cupcakes:

Awesome!

There you go. Get out there and get cooking!

What's your favorite Halloween themed food?

Red Wagon

Red Wagon, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 29, 2009

Things I Love Thursday

1. Untitled, 2. Feeling peckish., 3. pumpkin patch, 4. 65/365 FGR Halloween Copycat

Coffee, pomegranate seeds, blueberry pie, eagles, Halloween!, pumpkins, ghosts, goblins, (fake) spider, skulls & skeletons, fake blood, tops hats (on other people, not on me), adorable cupcakes - the more adorable the better, cardigans, having an organized desk, pay week!, candy, sneakers, giant muffins, fuzziness, yards covered in leaves, gold eyeshadow (bonus points for sparkles!), moisturizer, the return of mismatched socks, Ideas (even if they're not all winners), hot tea with milk, Grey's Anatomy (esspecially Season 1 &2), the end of my sickness.

Halloween Awesomeness: Dogs in Costume

1. Untitled, 2. The economy might stink, but everything is just Ducky around here, 3. "First Place" - Taken at The 20th Annual Dog Day Festival in Nashville, TN - 10/10/09 - Photo by Jen Walker, 4. with Fries, 5. Wiley with Devil Horns, 6. Feisty lobster, 7. Maya, the pea-pug, 8. 19th Anuual Halloween Dog Parade_RYale-47, 9. BoBee, 10. 20090215-Bulldog_Pug-Beauty-4139, 11. the dude, 12. Burger the Ballerina, 13. We're all mad here ... in Wonderland.

You know what's Awesome? Dogs in Costume. I can't get enough of them. Feel the same? Check out the flickr group!

Oct 28, 2009

Three Awesome Pumpkins

It's almost Halloween! Need some ideas for your pumpkins? Here are three awesome ones to spark your imagination.

RoboPumpkin

Mental_Floss has posted 9 really neat pumpkin projects, and this one is my favorite. Lights and wires and silver paint! How incredible is this?

Big Mac Pumpkin

This one has been making the rounds online for some time now, at least since last Halloween, but I still love it. I'd never make it - If I'm going to go through all the trouble of cooking burger, I'm sure as hell going to eat it. via Make.

Monogrammed White Pumpkins

I'm usually not into white pumpkins, so I almost passed this eHow How to Decorate for Fall with White Pumpkins article by. These monogrammed white pumpkins just look so classy, I fell in love with them.

What's in my Bag, September 8th

What's in my Bag September 8th, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 25, 2009

Weekly Mission: Clean Clean Clean

I am not good at getting things done. I can write to do list after to do list and I accomplish very little. So, I've decided to change my strategy and pick one thing a week to work on.

Fall is definitely here in my neck of the woods. The leaves are falling, along with the temperature. That means staying inside more often, with closed windows. People usually do their major house cleaning in the spring, but it's just as important, if not more important to do it in the fall, what with all the closed in air you're now breathing. So, this week my mission is to do some major cleaning.

If you had to pick one thing to focus on this week, what would you pick?

image by melodramababs

Oct 23, 2009

Buzz

Buzz, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

My new Favorite Website: Stranger the Eviction

Stranger the Eviction is the true story of a guy and his crazy landlord Gary. The writer, Gabe, was evicted after his landlord got drunk and was arrested one night, because he had been the one who opened the door for the police. What followed was Gabe's fight to get his security deposit back. Go back to the beginning, and read the whole thing. It's not very long (yet) and you will not be disappointed. It is seriously hilarious and Gary is seriously insane. I love it.

Oct 22, 2009

Pickled

Pickled, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Bushes

Bushes, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 21, 2009

WIndchime

WIndchime, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 19, 2009

Chopped

Chopped, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 17, 2009

How to Make the Perfect After Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich

Open your fridge and survey your leftovers. Hopefully you'll have turkey, mayo, lettuce, cranberry sauce and stuffing. If you're missing any of the last three, that's ok. Your sandwich will still be pretty great, but it will be less then perfect. Sorry. Take out your ingredients and get some bread. The kind of bread is a very personal choice. I like whole grain varieties, but that's just me. Coat one side of two slices of bread with mayo. Take the first slice and layer some cranberry sauce on. Next some stuffing - layer it right there on top of the cranberry. Now, it's turkey time. A combination of white and dark meat is nice, but not necessary. Lettuce is next. Finally, the top slice of bread is added. And you're done. Perfection is reached. I find cutting on the diagonal makes for a less messy sandwich.

Enjoy.

image by paige_eliz

Welcome to Edmonton

Welcome to Edmonton, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 14, 2009

Assembly

Assembly, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

Oct 13, 2009

Favorites from Flickr

1. on tv., 2. Cookies for tea, 3. Jinny Joe Sunset, 4. There's a shadow in the sky, and it looks like rain., 5. sarax chainsaw massacre, 6. the way I am., 7. أنـا أدري ان الأمــل رمّــــد, 8. Morning Paddle, 9. Tinh sương - Early morning, 10. not your typical sheepdog, 11. GENT, 12. Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Torte, 13. Ermine

Seriously? It is NOT supposed to Snow yet

I am not at all impressed.

Oct 12, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

image by carbonNYC

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians! Hope your day is filled with Turkey, Family, Friends and Happiness.

Oct 9, 2009

Bridesmaid Gifts

Bridesmaid Gifts, originally uploaded by deedoucette.

I got these for being a bridesmaid in my Brother's Wedding.

4 Cool Animal Videos

Why should dogs and cats have all the glory? Here are some other animal videos that are definitely worth checking out.

Baby polar bear = crazy cute.

I just like deer and raccoons.

I want a giraffe.

Incredible!

Oct 8, 2009

Things I Love Thursday

1. Turkey Cake Pops, 2. blueberry muffins and a black, 3. Cave troll as corporate bully, 4. bench monday // 3

Coffee, muffins, hard hard rain, droplets on the windows, Autumn colors, falling leaves, that my Dad's heart surgery went well on Monday, my brother and sister-in-law are here!, Rickard's White Beer, sweaters, Thanksgiving!, candles that smell vaguely of gingerbread (even if they're supposed to smell like spiced rose and vanilla), cake, ice cream bars, black and white photos, pink, change, studded shoes, cookies, Halloween decorations everywhere you turn, getting checks in the mail, applying for jobs, checking the time at exactly 11:11, melty gooey stringy cheese, olives, writing, rubber boots, corn, curling up under the blankets to battle this cold.

Wedding Rehersal Tees & Tanks

Oct 7, 2009

My New Favorite Website: Emails From Crazy People

There are a lot of people in the world, and the internet brings us all closer together. Unfortunately, a lot of those people are crazy, and the internet brings them closer to us as well. Emails From Crazy People is exactly what the title suggests. Readers submit funny/crazy/kind-of-scary emails and other internet correspondence, and they get posted on the site for all to see. It's hilarious because it's horrifying (and a bit, I suspect, because it happened to someone else). I 100% recommend it. My favorite so far has been "Clandestine Cake Thieves", although now I kind of wish I had some cake. Perhaps I could steal some. I'm also thinking of starting all of my correspondence with "Permanent salutations and warm cinnamon buns to you" from now on.