Malcolm and More!

Hi Everyone!  First of all, let me introduce you to Malcolm the Rabbit.

Last week I decided to clean out my closet and asked my husband to go through his clothes and pull out anything he doesn't wear anymore.  When I was done, I had three large garbage bags of clothes...Bob had a blue dress shirt.  Sigh.  Well, at least it's something!

The blue dress shirt - pretty color and the front of the shirt and sleeves were still in good shape.

I decided to try another stuffed animal since I am enjoying the process so much and with Easter around the corner, I thought a bunny would be cute.   Malcolm is very imperfect, but I like the rather shy quality I managed to paint on him.  He will go with the others on my ever growing "Island of Misfit Toys" shelf and keep me company in my studio.  

I used the cuff of his shirt to make a collar for Malcolm and finished him off with a daffodil.

Also this week, I pinned this Bulgogi beef recipe from A Spicy Perspective on Pinterest.  Isn't her photo beautiful?

Here's my photo in the wok...I really should take a class!  Tasted delish though and I also made some spicy eggplant and Vietnamese garden rolls to have with it.

Vietnamese Garden Rolls

Spicy Eggplant

I really tried to make the Garden Rolls beautiful but the reality is...

...this is what was left only FIVE minutes after I put them out!  My family eats them like they haven't eaten in days!

Lastly this week, I want to share my new toy with you - a Cricut Expression 2 cutting machine!  I've already started thinking about things to make with it!  The machine comes with a sticky tray to secure paper, vinyl or fabric and you can program very detailed things for the machine to cut into them.  It comes with several books of letters and designs but of course you can buy others.  My only regret is that I thought I would be able to download my own designs into it.  There's another machine that I may have to get if I can't do it on this one.  Still, it's exciting to try another tool!

Hmm, comes with a lot of things to learn and it includes a spatula?

Making my first cut according to the intro directions.

The final result is a very crisp cut - I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship!

Tomorrow I am hosting a craft day with my sister's, my good friend Kim and two of my nieces.  I think I may have to work on learning more about this machine and try a project or two!  Woo hoo!