Over the Top Studios

I’ve Been Robbed

I’m Angry, shocked and really frustrated.

Remember, in the “Good Old Days” being robbed meant someone actually broke into your residence or business, pointed a weapon at you and took the cold hard cash or valuables you and your loved ones worked so hard for. Unfortunately, as glib as that sounds, those were the “Good Old Days”

Nowadays, the technology age, these weasely  bandits sit at their computers all over the world endlessly typing in one piece of information after another hoping that they happen upon that unlocked door or window where they can sneak in and steal something much more valuable than grandma’s good silver;  your identity.

Tuesday I logged onto my Paypal account only to find a hold on it.  Luckily the folks at Paypal noticed the charges were suspicious so they put a hold on them and notified me.  It’s not a lot of money but it is the principle of the thing.  My Paypal account is for my business transactions only. I work really hard hard for it. The thought that some one has the nerve to hack in and charge their sad little diversions to my account infuriates me.

In the “Good Old Days” I would have had the opportunity to be face to face with my intruder, to see them and defend what is mine. Unfortunately, nowadays that rarely happens. These guys hide behind their screens all over the world never to be discovered. 

This image found here

Oh how I long for the days when we could get a posse together and go after these guys. The days when the good guys always won and the bad guys ended up in Sheriff Coffey’s jail. 

This image found here

For now I must sit and wait until Paypal finishes their investigation and decides whether or not to refund the money to my account. I must change my “locks” so to speak and hope that these will be strong enough to hold off tomorrows computer bandit.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for letting me vent.

Amada

My Merry Men

 

 Who delivers Christmas gifts to the fairies?

 Merry Men, of course.

 Dressed all in White these Merry Men deliver wreaths and gifts to the wee ones of the glen.

Santa

of the North uses a sleigh, Merry men use their wings

And a Flamingo

Perhaps the Glen is in Florida – but since I am the creator of this world, Flamingos it will be.

Where can you find Merry Men? Right Here.

Merry Christmas

Annual Holiday Open House at Haley’s Cottage

 

Your invited to the Annual Holiday Open House this Saturday

3:00-8:00 pm

Meet some of our local artists

Over the Top Studios

Lisa Sirois Designs

Posh Digs

Jenn's Bookmarks

Tippy Stockton

All our artists have been busy for weeks preparing to show you their latest!

Gift with $50.00 purchase

See you Saturday

That’s right, I will be at Haley’s Cottage this Saturday with lot’s of Holiday handmade decor and gifts. I am packing up all the “Pretty Little Things” and heading over for fun filled day.  If you are in the area stop by and take a gander.  For more info click here.

 

See you there,

Amada

Winter Wishes and Septic Tanks

So last week when I locked myself away for a few days I emerged  with new pieces to add to my Christmas line. Really these are “one of a kind” pieces because I have very limited supplies to make them, everyone I make will be different in some way. I wanted to go with a really soft palette for this crown,“Winter Wishes”.  

 

 A simpler gold version of the same crown. “Swan Lake”

“Winter Wishes” and “Swan Lake” are available in my ETSY shop here.  "

I recently was inspired by a photo I saw online. Look at that crown. It is so woodsy, yet very winter in feel. I love it!

Here is my interpretation of this crown.   I know butterflies aren’t really very Christmas but I love them. “Woodland Christmas”  available in my ETSY Shop.

   Yet another.

A new “Kewpie” wedding cake topper also emerged. Also available in my shop.

I also have been working hard on my circuses for the Bankers Suite. I hope to post pictures of the first two later this week. So that is what I have been up to lately.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was spent with family and we had so much food and fun. The only downside was our septic backed up. At first we thought it was a bad pipe because we had the septic pumped 6 weeks ago. The plumber thought it was a bad pipe too and charged us handsomely to fix it.  Later that day the toilet backed again so we uncovered the septic lids to find it full. Now, it is only my husband and I, you do the math! Nonetheless we had to have it emergency pumped – at midnight on Wednesday! It is Sunday night and we still don’t have a working septic. They will come tomorrow to try and figure the whole thing out. I can see him now, the Grinch that stole Christmas. He will be dressed as a septic engineer.

Hugs,

Amada

Stone House November Supper Club

If you follow my blog by now you know that I LOVE FOOD. All kinds too. The only thing I make an “ugly face” at is sushi. Sorry all you raw fish fans out there, it just doesn’t do it for me. Oh, and please don’t say, “you must never have had good sushi before”, because I have.

This month it was our dear friends Taylor and Mary Lu’s turn to host and set the theme for the dinner. Usually each couple in the group is given a theme and a course they need to prepare. We are usually given free range but sometimes we are given a recipe to follow or at least use as a guideline.

Taylor and Mary Lu outdid themselves this month. Setting yet an even higher bar for all of us to reach.

Not too far from where we all live is a small Stone House in the original downtown area of Redmond. This “house” is on the list of Historical sites in the city. It has been a  private residence,boutique shop, tea house and now restaurant.  It is said to have secret passages and tunnels which run underneath it used by bootleggers in the 20’s to run alcohol to and from the bar across the street. Currently it is under lease to Chef Ryan Donaldson who has a flair for using local produce and proteins to create an eclectic menu filled with savory sauces and unique flavors. Taylor and Mary Lu arranged for our supper club to have the entire restaurant to ourselves. Chef Donaldson and a small staff came up with an amazing menu just for us and to top it all off, we had the opportunity to help him prepare the meal in the small, but cozy kitchen in back.

Our menu for the night as follows:

Wild Alaskan Spot Prawns with Sherry Cream, Risotto and Lemon Confit

Argyle Champagne – 1999 Extended Tirage Brut

Roasted Pumpkin Parmesean Soup with Apple and Carmalized Onion Slaw

Woddard Canyon Chardonnay

Sekel Pear and Persimmon Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Darby Ie Duece

 

Wild Cedar Sorbet

Braised Beef ShortRib on Ragout of Rosemary Potatoes, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Carrots and Parsnips in Braising Jus

Long Shadows Vineyard Feather Cabarnet

Custard Soaked Brioche with Roasted Apples, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

Airfield Late Harvest  Reisling

I know, decadent!  Tim and I helped with the spotted prawn appetizer, which by the way are only available 6 weeks out of the year. Chef Donaldson goes to Pike Place each morning and picks up his fresh veggies and seafood. Nothing frozen or canned here.

Here are a few shots of us preparing the meal:

Cindy soaking the Brioche

Jeannie and Lynn assembling  the pumpkin soup

Jeff and Ryan (the chef) plating the persimmon salad

Taylor and Mary Lu rolling the gnocchi

and flipping the scallops

The kitchen was in full swing The wine was divine

The Stone House has such wonderful atmosphere.

In the end we enjoyed a wonderful meal matched with exquisite wines. The only downside of Supper Club is it has spoiled me beyond reason. I have become somewhat of a  “food snob”  When we go out to dinner I always compare the meal to our last supper club and, unfortunately it rarely sizes up.

Oh, I almost forgot, Chef Donaldson gave us all the recipes so now I can make these savory dishes at home.  It seldom tastes as good I admit. There is just something special about sharing the meal with good friends that makes it so much better.

Amada

 

I Vant To Be Alone

Greta Garbo would be proud. After all when I’m alone I am in the best company.

In reality, I get so much more done when I am alone.  I guess it is the fact that there are no distractions, no dinner to cook no laundry to do – my sweats don’t count as laundry.  I love having my family all around me most of the time but every so often I relish the thought of an empty house (if you don’t count the three cats and the dog) .  I enjoy the quiet and peaceful sound of the coffee maker as it brews my first cup of coffee.  I do  a lot of thinking during these few and far between times, I watch some good old movies and I spend a majority of my time in my craft room.

I am not a shy person by nature but during these times I admit, if the doorbell rings I don’t answer. I let the answering machine “Take a message” and I try to plan my day so as not to leave the house.

It is a time to take all the little pieces and loose ends of my life and neatly put them back together.  A time for renewal so to speak.

When I emerge I will feel whole.

This week I will have two full days of “Alone” time. 

I plan on locking my door.

and hanging the “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Hopefully, I will have much to share with you. A new crown or tiara. Who knows!

Alone time is important to our mental health.

There is nothing wrong with relishing this time spent with the one person you know the best.  So starting tomorrow I will spending some much needed one-on-one time with ME.  Thanks Greta, I Vant to Be Alone Too.

Till we meet again,

Amada

 

Christmas Whimsies and other Stuff

I know, I know… I have been a half-hearted blogger of late. It just seems like after Halloween everything went on fast forward.  I am way behind getting my Christmas shop up, way behind on some commission work I have to get done and way behind in my garden (my hydrangeas and fruit trees still are not pruned back).

This picture from earlier in the year, I am too embarrassed  to show them to you now.

Whenever life gets “busy” it seems it is my blogging that suffers the most.  It’s not as if I have nothing to write about, on the contrary, I have a ton. Just this weekend I spent two wonderful days at the CKC – Seattle. For you non-scrap bookers that is Creating Keepsakes Convention in Seattle. I try and go every year with my dear friend Carrie, we always have a blast!

 

Friday was the big Common Folk Christmas Open house. We had so much fun getting dressed up and catching a glimpse of all the wonderful things Katherine and Eric have brought in. We shopped as well! Don’t you love our rather large glittered moose? My husband insisted on it. REALLY!

Sunday was Supper Club at the Stone House in Redmond where chef Ryan Donaldson created an amazing menu for us using local produce and proteins. I will only say that much, stay tuned for a blog post later this week.

And of course, putting the finishing touches on my Christmas Whimsies.  I really wasn’t going to do anything this Christmas, but I decided to do these boxes, crowns and cones when I just happened upon the images on greeting cards and the swans online. I was just so inspired by them. They are all available in my ETSY shop.

 

 

So, as you can see I have been busy. I have decided to designate this week as “Catch Up Week” I will be catching up on my commissioned pieces, catching up on my ETSY shop, catching up on some swap items and catching up on my blogging. 

Catch me if you can :)

Amada