confessions: i'm a terrible, TERRIBLE baker

my actual electric mixer smoking! 

{image may have been doctored for effect!}

...........

it's true.

i might very well be the official world's worst baker.

you see, to know me, is to know that i'm a terrible terrible baker.{i like to call myself an *optimistic* baker: don't have an ingredient needed in the recipe? no worries: just substitute! )

no baking soda? how about more baking powder instead?! 

or

can't find the measuring spoons? how about i'll just estimate with the palm of my hand! 

or

the recipe SAYS it'll take 20 minutes but 10 will probably work, right?

apparently the science of baking doesn't LOVE creative substitutions as much as i do! hence,famously horrible cakes, hard-as-nails cookies, and pies you can use as doorstops!)

but does this stop me from baking?

of course not.

this week marks a baking high.

during the making of the official 2012 mr. rikrak birthday cake (a scrumptious vanilla cheesecake with chocolate lace accents) the electric beaters actually died.

here's the scene:

i combined the ingredients.

i began mixing.

the mixer smoked.

then it sparked.

then it died.

honest.

baking fireworks.

needless to say that when even the appliances call it quits, best i take a baking break.

RIP mixer.

so i'll leave all the great baking to you nicies!

until i feel like experimenting again... look out kitchen!

have a great weekend, cuties!

confess - are you a good baker? yay or nay?

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confessions: i can't knit

:: 1st collage :: 

row one

knitted armchair slip cover in cream | biscuit scout

yarn & sprigs art print | jenna dickes

knitted back in gray | NzLbags

row two

knitter's spot photograph | kerri brewer

wedding shawl in mustard yellow | TickledPinkKnits

mustard yellow acrylic wool | yarnisland

 

row three

skinny knitted tie | vKnit 

collection of vintage knitting needles art print | kookyskeins

chunky ivory cream wool & silk sweater | ovejanegra

row four

pound sterling handspun art yarn sampler | no222

cabled leg warmers |  cleos craft

wooly vase in mustard | the same

row five

knit pillow sham in cobblestone | precious knits

gray chunky baby blanket | knitsome designs

sunflower pompom hat | tortilla girl

.................

:: 2nd collage :: 

 row one

rococo shawl | tickledpinkknits

quiet time photograph |  habitofbeing

 row two

ball of yarn silver charm earrings |  luckymejewelry

letterpress cable knit coasters |  redbirdink

loop scarf pattern pdf | ruby submarine

row three

large knit pouf |  luckyhanks

creamy white slouchy hat | love and knit

silver gray sock yarn | evermorestudios

row four

spicy mustard hairband |  baruchslullaby

super snuggly knit cowl | happiknits

organic hemp & silk textured yarn |  eliade

row five

knitted cable ipad sleeve | haramis

the conversion cowl | awkward

.................

confession: i just can't knit.

honest.

my master crafting teacher grandma tried to teach me.

5 different times.

over 20 years.
to no avail.

many friends have tried to show-me-the-ropes, too.

but i just can't knit.

i so admire knitters. 

that lightning-speed way you can knit, purl, drop a stitch, increase, cast on ... make amazing things magically appear from a simple yarn.
it's all a secret mathematical language to me!

AND... aren't knitters phenomenal multi-taskers? knitting while visiting, knitting while watching a concert, knitting while bathing, knitting while exercising (i've seen it done!) ... wow!

how about YOU & knitting - yay or nay?
have an artform you just can't seem to master?

join my club. :)

i'll just have to sit back and admire!

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confessions: i thought i was a dog person.

henry martin, aka *rikrak kittycat*. our newly adopted rescue maine coon tabby kitty cat mix.

...................

it's true.
please don't think less of me for it.
i just hadn't seen the light, yet.

i used to think lots of stuff in life was either/or.
like one was either a cat person OR a dog person.
no middle ground there.
i chose my side early on in life.
i love dogs.
i've always been a dog person. those loyal, fun-loving, cuddly, friendly sweeties are just my kind of souls.

that said, as i hopefully become a better person in life (fingers crossed!) & i've come to happily see that like many things in life, usually mutually exclusive isn't the best way to be!

enter *henry martin*, our new-to-us shelter cat.

i'm not gonna lie to you:
i was nervous.
i have happily been a dog-friend/ dog-sister / dog-adorer but never one of the folks responsible-for-my-own-kittycat type of folks. so when we agreed as a family that little rikrak's long-time wish to get a kitty cat would finally come to fruition (he asked every birthday and Christmas for four years) a bit sheepishly, i finally agreed.

and you know what? it's wonderful!
now here i stand happily, delightfully corrected.

i just adore our *new-to-us* cat.
henry martin's about 2 and just the sweetest, cuddliest, friendliest little pet i've ever met. he loves to snuggle and cuddle and play fetch & retrieve. he loves being little rikrak's ball-hockey goalie and stands on his back paws (mostly in the middle of the night!) and gently composes two paw piano songs whenever he can.


so now i guess i`m a dog AND a cat person.
it's true.

how about you?
dog or cat person?
or both?

i thought FOR FUN today that our henry martin would like to meet all of your cute cute cats ... so let's have a little *kittycat crawl.* we'll visit all the rikrak studio readers' cats!

have a cat? i'd love to see them :)
add a link here {with mr. linky!} to show us a photo or blog post about YOUR cat(s)!
click thru and see the cute catfriends of our fellow readers!







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