Thursday, September 29, 2011
All of them Witches
What's your favorite item in this treasury? And for fun, does anyone know what movie I got the title "All of them Witches" from?
-kala
Monday, September 26, 2011
Call for Contributers!
hope to hear from you guys!
-kala
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Finished Knit: Trousseau
I really love how this shawl came out, it's a nice weight and the color is a fantastic shade of green. The pattern was awesome, it's Trousseau from the Twist Collective and it's a pretty simple knit with easy to follow instructions. What I really love is that it includes both charts and written directions for the lace, so no matter which way you like it, you're covered! The yarn was some Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Cotton DK that I had in my stash. It was nice to work with, easy on my hands, but it was a bit splitty. But the color and shine more than make up for a wee bit of splittyness.
Finished any projects lately?
-kala
Monday, September 19, 2011
Blankets For Shelter Cats!
Cute, right? Blankets like these are needed by shelters all around the world for lining cages, it keeps the cats comfy while they're waiting to be adopted and it's been shown that cats who have blankets in their cages are more likely to be adopted. So if this sounds like a project you'd like to try, find an animal shelter in your area and find out what size blankets (or toys, or other needs) they need and spend an hour or so that will help an animal find a new home. We also picked up a cat wand toy and a bunch of food to donate, we look forward to dropping off our kitty care package this week!
-kala
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Adopt an Animal, Save a Life
Here's Cinco, a sweet dog in Minnesota that needs a loving home:
If you're looking to add an animal buddy to your family, please adopt from a shelter or rescue organization in your area. Petfinder is a great site, you can search for adoptable animals in your area and even search for specific breeds. From pugs to mastiffs to kittens to bunnies, you can find the perfect addition to your family and bring home an animal that needs a forever home.
While looking at tons of animals on Petfinder, one little guy caught my eye and broke my heart with his story. Mr. Magoo is an 18 month old pug chihuahua mix that was left to die by his previous owners when they moved. They left him alone in their home when they left, with no open windows, or even a fan to cool him down in the house that reached 108 degrees. Mr. Magoo is lucky to be alive and needs a home in Illinois. Here's the cutie:
Here in Minnesota, you can find adoptable animal friends from places like Animal Ark No-Kill Shelter, Small Dog Rescue of Minnesota, and the Animal Humane Society, just to name a few. If you can't adopt a pet for any reason, there are still ways to help. You can donate money or much needed supplies to your local shelter or rescue organization, volunteer your time, or even do something as simple as a blog post.
Here's Athena, a kitten in Minnesota that needs a home:
If even one person reads this post and decides to adopt their next companion animal from a shelter instead of buying from a breeder, then I feel like I've done a bit of good. Please share this blog post using the twitter button below or on Facebook to help get the word out. Or even better, post about the importance of adopting animals on your own blog!
Have any stories about your adopted animals that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them in the comments!
-kala
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Awesome Whole Foods Deal!
Quick post today, just wanted to make sure you guys know about the awesome Living Social Deal today, $20 worth of food at Whole Foods for $10! I've used Living Social many times and love them, such great deals and the site is super easy to navigate. So go for it, $20 buys a lot of vegan ice cream! :)
-kala
Friday, September 09, 2011
An Interview with Miss Muffcake!
1. How long have you been vegan and what inspired you to make the decision?
I have been vegan for about 12 years now! I was vegetarian for six years prior that - it started off as not wanting to eat meat and little by little learning about the mistreatment of animals. I could not get behind any type of animal suffering. When I first went veg there was the library with a few books, not much store bought food could be found, no internet...Wow is all I can say about this last decade!
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| Center Stage Skull Hair Bow by Miss Muffcake |
2. I love that you blog about vegan, cruelty free makeup and skin care products, can you share a few of your must have products?
I am 32 and often people assume I am in my 20s (big ego boost!) and I believe besides good genes skin care plays a part in it! I cannot live without Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 - it makes my oily skin less oily, has a SPF in it and preps my skin for makeup, I cannot recommend this product enough! I have been rockin' black eyeliner since middle school, it has been my friend through tons of fashion phases - it is a go to classic. My pick for the perfect black liner is E.L.F. - eyeliner pen - goof proof, stays on all day and costs a $1, I buy them in bulk! I dye, bleach, flat iron and tease my hair (I like big hair) and I need a shampoo that gets rid of hair spray, leaves my hair smellin' great and cuts down the frizz and Lush's Cynthia Sylvia Stout delivers, most natural or semi natural shampoos dry my hair out, not this product though!
I am 32 and often people assume I am in my 20s (big ego boost!) and I believe besides good genes skin care plays a part in it! I cannot live without Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 - it makes my oily skin less oily, has a SPF in it and preps my skin for makeup, I cannot recommend this product enough! I have been rockin' black eyeliner since middle school, it has been my friend through tons of fashion phases - it is a go to classic. My pick for the perfect black liner is E.L.F. - eyeliner pen - goof proof, stays on all day and costs a $1, I buy them in bulk! I dye, bleach, flat iron and tease my hair (I like big hair) and I need a shampoo that gets rid of hair spray, leaves my hair smellin' great and cuts down the frizz and Lush's Cynthia Sylvia Stout delivers, most natural or semi natural shampoos dry my hair out, not this product though!
3. Tell me about your Etsy shop. When did it open? How do you find time to fit your creative work into your day?
My Etsy shop (Miss Muffcake's Lost and Found) opened in 2009 and came about after doing craft shows. Everyone kept asking me if I had an Etsy shop and I figured it was time to open one up. It started with jewelery and random stuff and after people asked about my hair bows I decided to start making those and listing them. I make things I am really into and could see myself picking up at shows and on Etsy. I usually devote 2 days (Monday and Tuesday) to developing new products and listing them. I get to create in my pajamas (sorry to ruin the glamor here!) products from my heart - you gotta make time for it! I am really not the greatest with time management, ask my boyfriend - I can freak out about time! I try to make a to do list and cross things off.
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| Lots of Little Dots Hair Bow |
4. You always blog about the most delicious looking foods, what are your favorite dishes to make?
Not to sound cheezey but anything that makes my boyfriend happy! I love making something (especially when he thinks it sounds gross) and him asking for seconds! My cooking approach is like the vegan version of Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee (maybe I need a book deal - Semi Home Made Vegan with MissMuffcake - any takers!?!). I feel that it is OK if you buy cake frosting from the store to use on a cake you made from scratch or making your own pizza dough and using store bought pizza sauce. Making delicious food should not make you cry. Every Wednesday I make pan fried BBQ tofu, easy cheezey mac n cheeze and garlic biscuits that are made from Bisquick (all recipes are on my blog). Add some fresh watermelon and you have a great meal that is done within 30 minutes because you took help from the store.
Not to sound cheezey but anything that makes my boyfriend happy! I love making something (especially when he thinks it sounds gross) and him asking for seconds! My cooking approach is like the vegan version of Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee (maybe I need a book deal - Semi Home Made Vegan with MissMuffcake - any takers!?!). I feel that it is OK if you buy cake frosting from the store to use on a cake you made from scratch or making your own pizza dough and using store bought pizza sauce. Making delicious food should not make you cry. Every Wednesday I make pan fried BBQ tofu, easy cheezey mac n cheeze and garlic biscuits that are made from Bisquick (all recipes are on my blog). Add some fresh watermelon and you have a great meal that is done within 30 minutes because you took help from the store.
5. Tell me about the vegan scene in your town, are there lots of vegans, lots of vegan or vegan friendly restaurants?
There is not really a vegan scene, we have vegan options at cafes and lots of natural and vegan food found at grocery stores but that is about it. I have organized vegan bake sales for two years now and it is really hard to get bakers - the idea of community only applies when you are popular and cool and I am neither! It is frustrating to organize a vegan event, have people sign up and then never show up! It sucks even more when the next time you see them they ignore you.
6. I've really enjoyed the last two zines you published, can you tell me about your newest zine?
Thanks! Issue 3 is about being happy and healthy. Recently I read a few books targeted to the vegan crowd that looked promising but were nothing more than diet books full of body hating advice. I suffered from anorexia for most of my 20s and have worked hard to balance good food and body love and it is hard. The media, family and friends pump us full of what the perfect body is that we forget that we are all different! I wanted to share some yummy healthy recipes, some stress busting tips and lots of positivity in this issue of my zine!
Thanks! Issue 3 is about being happy and healthy. Recently I read a few books targeted to the vegan crowd that looked promising but were nothing more than diet books full of body hating advice. I suffered from anorexia for most of my 20s and have worked hard to balance good food and body love and it is hard. The media, family and friends pump us full of what the perfect body is that we forget that we are all different! I wanted to share some yummy healthy recipes, some stress busting tips and lots of positivity in this issue of my zine!
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| Cutie Cupcake Hair Bow |
Thanks to Miss Muffcake for the great interview! Be sure to keep up with her on her blog, etsy shop, Twitter, and Facebook!
-kala
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
The Vega Breakfast Challenge
So here's a regular breakfast for me - an english muffin spread with Earth Balance non-hydrogenated margarine. I would have included a bit of soy sausage, but that food wasn't included in the Vega calculator.
Here's how they compare: English Muffin/Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer: protein (3grams, 26 grams) carbs (13 grams, 22 grams) sugar (o grams, 1 gram) fat (6 grams for both) Omega 3 ( 0 grams, 2500 grams) Vitamin A (501 grams, 5001 grams) Calcium (0 grams, 1100 grams). As you can see, the Vega breakfast is full of all sorts of healthy nutrients and vitamins that my english muffin is lacking.
Sadly, I found the Vega powders to be lacking in flavor and texture, I actually couldn't finish an entire serving of either the chocolate flavor or the chai. So while the powders are filled with all sorts of healthy goodness, I personally can't recommend them based on taste alone. I think one of the main problems is that they are sweetened with something I really can't stand: stevia. Stevia has a really strong taste (and aftertaste) to me, and it's not a good one. But I encourage you to try the small packets if you're looking for a new supplement because tastes are subjective and you may just find one you love!
Be sure to check out Vega through the following links:
Breakfast Challenge
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