gock's frocks.....individually inspired design

project quilting season 3 - challenge 1

2012-01-14T19:25:00.001-05:00

DSC_0088, originally uploaded by gock's frocks.

Project Quilting season 3 - challenge 1

"room with a view" - architectural challenge

Kristen Hallagan - Rochester, NY

so.... we were challenged this week to design a quilted entry with architectural inspiration. We were also encouraged to "think outside the box"....so, I attempted to do both!

I was inspired by this flickr photo
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/megan_evans/6663373857/in/faves-gocksfrocks/]
which got me thinking about the architectural element of lattices.... [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gocksfrocks/6691424257/in/photostream]

and.... I got thinking about the challenge to "think outside the box" which led me to design a piece that was quilted but not displayed as a traditional quilted piece might be but rather displayed in a large wooden hoop, as might be used for hand quilting.

I also wanted to incorporate some textural elements which led me to the 3D felted wool flowers that are "growing" on the lattice.

This challenge led to a little lose of sleep as I thought about how I wanted to approach it but in the end I was very pleased with what I came up with - though I think it will be quite different from most of the other entries!

enjoy!

Book Block

2011-11-07T22:56:00.001-05:00

Book Block for Lina in New Bee on the Block, originally uploaded by Crafty Liaooo.

how awesome is this quilt block for the book lover in you life?!?

suggestions?

2011-11-01T21:03:00.001-05:00

022, originally uploaded by gock's frocks.

yummy new fabrics I could not resist - now I am trying to figure out a block pattern to use - any suggestions??

Mollys Crazy Dresden

2011-10-19T06:57:00.001-05:00

Mollys Crazy Dresden, originally uploaded by Mary @ Molly Flanders.

another amazing quilt spotted on Flickr - check out her photostream for some other gorgeous goodies!

Soleil d'automne

2011-10-18T06:39:00.001-05:00

Soleil d'automne, originally uploaded by chabronico.

oh my word! could this be any more amazing! the quilting is to die for!! the colors are scrumptious - Love everything about it!

Whirl in Scraps from Scrap Republic

2011-09-30T16:20:00.001-05:00

Whirl in Scraps from Scrap Republic, originally uploaded by carolinapatchworks.

how gorgeous is this!! check out her photos on flickr - pure drool worthy!

2011-09-26T08:21:00.002-05:00

A Long Walk to Water and Linda Sue Park....

One of my favorite authors for young people will be coming to our school later in Oct! She has written a wonderful new book telling the story of Salva Dut, one of Sudan's "Lost Boys" and his organization Water For Sudan that is working to raise money to build wells in Southern Sudan.

Water for Sudan from Salva Dut on Vimeo.

2011-09-19T06:36:00.002-05:00

What's for Dinner tonight??

My kids love beef & broccoli with oyster sauce so when I was directed to this recipe on Food.Com by the awesome blogger atA Year of Slow Cooking I thought it might be a nice alternative.

I of course, did not get my act together to assemble this before work so it may be a stove top version - or I will try it on high in the crockpot. What ever changes I make - I will be sure to note here.

1 lb beef flank steak, sliced thinly across the grain
1 medium white onions (about 1 cup) or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup light soy sauce or 1/2 cup Braggs liquid aminos
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup cut scallion, in 1 . 5 inch pieces (green onions)
1/3 cup fruity white wine
Directions:

1
Slice the flank steak thinly across the grain - the strips should be 2 to 3 inches long each; set aside.
2
Combine the onion, soy sauce, sherry, broth, garlic, hoisin, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper flakes, then put the mixture into the crock pot.
3
Put the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag; add the sliced beef and toss well to coat.
4
Add the coated beef into the crock pot, gently pushing it into the liquid to cover; pour the white wine over - do NOT stir.
5
Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; an hour before you're going to serve, turn the crock pot to high, add the cut scallions, stir, and cook for an additional hour.
6
Stir, and serve over rice or noodles.

2011-09-16T06:41:00.002-05:00

Life Changes....

so the big news in my life is that I have gone back to teaching full time.

This is a bittersweet time for me.

It means a lot less time at the studio but I am still doing some shows this fall that I had signed up for in the spring. on the bright side, the transition back to teaching has been 100x better than I ever could have imagined. I was home for 10 years raising my 3 kids, and could not imagine how I was going to make that leap back to full time teaching. But leap I did and landed in an amazing district, with wonderful students and a welcoming staff.

I also happen to teach an amazing population of kids - ELL's...English Language Learners - children who speak a language other than English at home - and no, I do not know a million other languages. They get all of their instruction in English!

Yesterday I came across a NYTimes article that really puts their experiences in perspective - My Families Experiment in extreme schooling. I shared this with the staff at my school in hopes of enlightening them a bit more to the plight of our newest arrivals. The feedback I got from the staff was heartwarming and confirmed I have made the right decision to step back into teaching.

As for my sewing....I will be heading to the studio tomorrow - filing some orders for etsy, dusting off the machines and playing with my fabrics again. I madly made 100+ new pieces this summer so be on the lookout for those to start popping up in my etsy shop or as special offers on my facebook fanpage!

2011-06-23T11:36:00.004-05:00

Letterboxing 101

A couple of summers ago I stumbled upon a fun summer activity with the kids - Letterboxing! Similar to geocaching but without the high tech GPS gear. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks) and post clues to finding the box online on one of several Web sites. There are close to 20,000 hidden in North America alone! Individual letterboxes usually contain a log book and a rubber stamp(very often hand-carved). Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp on their personal log book, and leave an imprint of their personal stamp on the letterbox's logbook . It originated in England but grew in popularity on this side of the pond after this 1998 article in Smithsonian Magazine.

Here’s the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box somewhere outside; it should contain at least a notebook and a carved rubber stamp (it may also include a pen, stamp pad or other small treasures). The hider writes directions to the box (called “clues” or “the map”) and gives them to the finder in person, by mail or online. Clues range from easy to challenging. The hike may be short or long, geared towards novices or advanced hikers of any age.

Find a list of letterboxes online here

Letterboxing with kids is a fun way to discover new places and to explore nature close to home. Once you find the letterbox, stamp the letterbox’s stamp in your notebook, and stamp your stamp in the letterbox’s “logbook”.

Letterboxing has no official rules but rather asks you to use some common sense...

“Leave no trace” - i.e., leave the area as is or in better shape (e.g., by removing litter.)

Reseal the box so contents are protected from the elements.

Replace it in its original location so it is completely hidden from view, to avoid spoiling the fun or making it vulnerable to vandals.

Above all - get outside in the fresh air with your kids and try something new!

2011-05-18T05:48:00.004-05:00

Yum!

Tried a new recipe last night from Cooking Light and it was a HUGE hit! My nine year old loved the spicy radish and dijon mustard in the dressing. I loved the fresh spring taste in my mouth - I thought the fennel might be too much but it was spot on! Definitely add this to your list of wonderful summery side salads!

* 8 ounces uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 cups diced fennel (about 1 bulb)
* 1/2 cup chopped radish
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint ( I only had dried and it was fine)
* 3 tablespoons minced green onions ( used chives from my garden - nice light flavor)
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

* 1. Cook orzo pasta with 1 tablespoon kosher salt according to the package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
* 2. Combine lemon juice and next 3 ingredients (through pepper) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add orzo, fennel, and the next 4 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt); toss well to coat. Cover and chill. Top with nuts before serving.

Rori Trovato, Cooking Light
APRIL 2011

2011-05-02T10:32:00.005-05:00

{Modern 12} Bee - wonky square string block

I designed this block for my online BEE with the {modern 12} group on flickr. I was inspired by this block from Janesfabrics on flickr and decided to create my own version that could be replicated by the other members in my bee.

This is the block I ended up designing... instruction follow below.

For the center square I decided to use the paper piecing method to make the string block - this was a first time for me!

I decided to make my center square 8 1/2". I cut my patterned aqua, pink & red fabrics into strips ranging from 1"-1 3/4". Mine were cut straight but I think I will cut some wonky for my next set of squares.

I picked my first 2 strips that would become the center and one next to it and stitched them right sides together with the center strip placed wrong side down across the diagonal center of the paper square. The strips should be long enough to go over the edges of the paper square. Align the edges and sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Stitch through paper and 2 layers of fabric. *** Important - decrease stitch length so that the stitches perforate the paper square *** This will allow you to easily remove the paper from the back later. My machine is typically set at 2.5 – I’ve found that reducing it to 1.5 works well.

Press the strips flat and choose your next strip to attach.

continue adding strips, pressing flat after stitching until you’ve covered the entire paper square. It will look something like this.

Flip the square over and trim - ( do you liek the scrap paper I used for my block!)

if you want a wonky square, do not cut right angles at the corners

note - top edge - the ruler starts at the corner, angels up to create a wonky square.

paper is a perfect 8 1/2" square, string block is a wonky square.

remove the paper before adding the outer border! If you’ve reduced the stitch length, the paper should appear almost perforated. I fold the paper along the stitch line and then tear away.

To make the block a finished 12 1/2" I next cut solid red kona into 3 1/2" strips and attached them to the edges of the string square. I placed the string square facedown on the red fabric so that I could be sure the seams stiched down properly as I sewed across them.

Press the seams towards the red fabric. Turn over and trim using your 12 1/2" square ruler. I turned the ruler to help create the wonky look I was after.

and you are done!

I plan to sash this quilt in white once my squares have been received. I will keep you posted on my progress!

2011-04-27T14:38:00.003-05:00

Coming this Saturday ....

Rochester's very own MAYDAY!underground arts & crafts show at the Main Street Armory!

There will be over 90 vendors and the first 50 people through the door will receive a free swag bag filled with handmade items!

come see some of my new one of a kind designs!

2011-04-26T16:05:00.005-05:00

I am in love.....

with siggi's that is!

I have always been a fan of greek style yogurt and while grocery shopping late last night the gorgeous packaging of Siggi's yogurt caught my eye...I had to give it a try!

I opted for orange ginger .... a flavor never before encountered in yogurt and now my favorite! I wished the container had been twice the size! Not only is this yogurt delicious - it is good for you too! And an added bonus for me it is "local" - made in Chenango County NY! Siggi buys milk from local family farms that grass feed their cows and do not inject them with any type of growth hormones. It is sweetened with agave nectar rather than artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup.

The packaging has also been designed with a nod to the environment...Late in 2007, siggi’s skyr launches a new cup design that uses 40-50% less plastic than regular yogurt cups and is supported by a recyclable cardboard sleeve.

I had luck finding it at wegmans and their website lets you enter your zip code to find a retailer near you! You can also LIKE them on facebook...siggi's on facebook

Let me know if you try it - I would love to hear what you think!

Kimberly V Photography: Shooting in Denver

2011-04-14T21:50:00.000-05:00

Kimberly V Photography: Shooting in Denver: "We just got back from Denver where we had a GREAT time shooting some clothing lines and visiting Uncle Matt. I spent the day shooting ..."

check out this little video made on a recent gock's frocks photo shoot in Denver!

2011-03-28T20:54:00.004-05:00

Do you remember when....

as a child the mere site of a new box of 64 count crayola crayons could set my heart a thumping....cracking it open, selecting that first color....so many colors to choose from. It was heaven!

now... my heart starts beating faster when I catch a glimpse of this....

oh how I wish that this arrived in my mailbox... I would create some amazing new designs .... too bad christmas is so many months away!

2011-03-27T20:24:00.003-05:00

Project Quilting - the Final Challenge

I have been playing along a bit in some of Kim's Project Quilting challenges and decided to try the final challenge ... we had to use a large print and a stripe or plaid!

I decided to take inspiration from some of the gorgeous modern quilting photos I have seen on flickr and other quilting blogs and decided to use some of my favorite martha Negley geranium print with kona white cotton. As some of you may know I am new to the quilting world and each foray into quilting teaches me something new!

I originally thought I would create a series of 12" blocks for a table runner... made my first, made my second...laid them next to each other - didn't like the proportions so I sliced one of them in half - or thereabouts, and attached it to the first block!

see..I had just learned something - you don't HAVE to create a quilt in a series of blocks - mine became much more free form .. I sliced and chopped and added new bits and bobs as I went along.

For the stripe requirement, I cut a stripe fabric along the bias to make my quilt binding and I also quilted it using a series of linear lines that created a striped effect on the tablerunner.

more pics can be seen on flickr

and stop by Kim's Blog to see all the entries and cast your vote for your favorite!

2011-03-11T09:01:00.003-05:00

Delicious Dinner Idea!

I had to share last nights recipes with you as my 8 year old said "If you make this everyday I will eat it!"

From Bon Appetit - the asparagus on the cover caught my eye!

Ingredients
* 12 ounces fettuccine or penne
* 3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped
* 1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
* 2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw)
* 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts
* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
* 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

I also added some thinly sliced chicken breast for a bit more protein!

Preparation
Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
*
Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
*
Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese.

2011-03-10T07:03:00.007-05:00

New for spring!

I have been listing some delightful new spring offerings for women & girls in my etsy shop...

Serenity Garden came about as a customer request from a customer...

she also inspired Strawberry Fields

and for the big girls - 2 new yoga waist skirts...also the result of custom orders from a customer headed to Hawaii on vacation!

Celadon Garden .. also avail in girls sizes :)

and to be listed later this morning.... Meadowsweet yoga waist skirt

Pop over to the shop and check them out! Have an idea for your own custom - let me know and we will work on something special just for you!

2011-02-22T07:56:00.004-05:00

Spring has Sprung....well almost

the urge to spring clean is creeping up on me and with that always comes the urge to purge, rearrange, organize....you get the picture.

I have so many things I would love to change at the house it is a matter of prioritizing and figuring out what is do-able.

One thing I am looking for at are flat panel TV stands. I really like this one...

also on my list is to remove the wallpaper in Leo's room - we hung it 14 years ago and it's time has come to be replaced! Any tips for painless wallpaper removal?? Wouldn't it be nice if it just peeled off like this....

unfortunately I have the feeling it will be more like this...

My Review of Women's Classic Mid Paisley Boots in Gray

2011-02-15T22:17:00.001-05:00

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Classic Mid Paisley Boots by Bogs

Features:

Women's Classic Mid Paisley Boots in Gray
Part of the Classic Mid Paisley collection
Natural hand-lasted rubber
Easy-on pull handles
Non-slip, non-marking and self-cleaning out...

fashionably fun!

By skimom from rochester, NY on 2/15/2011

very comfortable

everyone stops to ask where I got them

run a bit small though - I am a 9 and I wish these came in a 9 1/2

also - say they are good to -30 ... maybe if you are hiking/moving/walking in those temps but I wear them to watch my kids ski race and standing on the snow on the hill my feet got very cold ... I use toe warmers and ski socks if I am going to be standing around for awhile

(legalese)

2011-02-15T17:54:00.003-05:00

A Valentines Day Dinner

Last night I treated the family to one of my favorites! Chicken French with arugula and orzo!

I love Rao's Shrimp Francese recipe and just swapped out chicken for shrimp

* 2 large chick breasts pounded flat cut in half
* 1-1/2 cups flour
* 1 cup dry white wine
* Juice of 1-1/2 lemons
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 4 large eggs
* ¼ cup grated Romano cheese
* 2 teaspoons minced Italian parsley
* Additional chopped parsley for garnish

Whisk eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper until well blended. Dredge chicken in flour and dip into egg mixture, and dredge in flour again.

Heat oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place chicken in pan, open side down. Brown shrimp on each side. Remove cooked chicken to a warm serving platter.

Drain off excess oil. Add wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add 2 tablespoons butter. Raise heat and whisk in remaining butter until sauce has thickened. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and squeeze lemon juice over chicken.

I served mine on a bed of arugula with a side of orzo!

enjoy!

2011-01-31T08:38:00.006-05:00

Will work for Fabric...

you know those signs you sometimes see people standing at the edge of the road holding...

I think mine should say... "Will Work For Fabric"...because I have been known to do this in the past!

Last year I swapped my labor for the giant roll of batting you see in the photo above. I did some sewing for Roc-Lon Industries for quilt market & in return I got the batting...only problem was, I didn't quilt!

I have long drooled over the new movement in quilting - modern colors, traditional patterns approached in non-traditional ways, the use of solid colors to complement the prints and decided just before christmas that I wanted to give quilting a try and made some table runners for gifts.

Then I stumbled upon a friends blog post announcing season 2 of Project Quilting! This was just the inspiration and challenge I needed to try my hand at quilting!

here are a couple of pics of my work in progress..

and the description of my piece for the challenge - inspiring friendships

20"square pillow cover

named for Friendship, NY

driving through the hills of allegheny ny this summer I passed a roadsign for Friendship NY and thought that would be a great place to say that you were from ... when I spotted this challenge on your blog I thought it would be the perfect place name from which to draw my inspiration.

so... friendship...my online friendship with you brought me to this challenge, the fabrics I used are from other "friends" I have made both online and in real life while pursuing my creative endeavors...Patty Young and I started out together in the same boutique group on ebay, I met Sandi Henderson there as well, Jennifer Paganelli and I became online friends and later met in real life when I visited her home in CT for one of her fabulous home shows(turns out she also has inlaws in my hometown!), and I snuck a little Valorie Wells in there as I had the good luck to meet her at quilt market!

the nesting dolls fabric represents the friends we made while living in Poland too many years ago!

the fabric used for the border came from my stash - the outermost print reminds me of the hills where friendship, NY is located

I started with a log cabin block that I cut into quarters, shifted around and sewed back together, made the stripwork heart applique, added batting & backing and quilted it all free motion (?) ... as I may have mentioned this is one of my first forays into quitling and I don't know all the correct terminology yet! I then added an envelope back to the front so it could be used on a 20" pillow form

thanks for inspiring me!

2011-01-26T09:03:00.003-05:00

breakfast treats....

it has been awhile since I shared a recipe so I thought I would share one of our favorite breakfast goodies that our neighbor introduced us to - also makes a great afterschool snack...

cream cheese & jelly paninnis!

heat up a skillet or if you have a george foreman we love to grill ours!

2 slices of bread, cream cheese (we use strawberry or cranberry orange) & your favorite jam or jelly.

butter the outside of the bread slices, spread cream cheese on the inside of both slices and spread a spoonful of jam between the slices - grill until golden!

let cool a bit before you enjoy!

sometimes for a special treat I get fancy and use my pampered chef circle cutter!

2011-01-24T21:58:00.001-05:00

Facebook Fanpage Special

time for another facebook fan page special!

op over and check it out!

2011-01-17T22:43:00.004-05:00

Facebook Fan Page Specials...

After seeing a variety of promotion ideas on facebook I have decided to try offering some specials available only through my fan page for a special price.

Tonight I posted the first deal....

this dress is a one of a kind - ready to ship in a size XS (4/5/6) for $30 shipped priority in the US

if you are interested in any of these deals on my fan page, message me with your paypal addy and I will invoice you directly!

if that is not your size or style I have listed a couple of new skirts in my etsy shop

Sunny Days

and Mikayla

2011-01-11T16:47:00.002-05:00

Petition ELLE magazine!

I received this email today and felt it was something important to share with you and hope you will take a moment to read it and if you feel so inclined...fill in the petition located in the right hand column on my blog......

It looks like Elle had quite the white Christmas.

Bollywood actor and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is featured on the cover of Elle Magazine looking far paler than she is in real life. Most fans are up in arms and an appalled Ms. Bachchan is considering a lawsuit against the magazine.

Consumers have long been inundated with ads that use prominent Bollywood actors to promote skin-lightening products. In a country that produces gorgeous women of color, it is sad that Ms. Rai-Bachchan, who is relatively light-skinned, is one of the very few with some cross-over appeal. To see magazines like Elle further enforce the color hierarchy of crossover appeal by making Aishwarya appear lighter-skinned is a slap in the face.

This is the second racial debacle surrounding Elle. The American version was criticized for its October 2010 issue, which featured actress Gabourey Sidibeon on one of its four celebrity covers with noticeably lighter skin than her natural complexion.

Lets tell Elle Magazine to make a commitment to moving away from using white as a standard for beauty, and demand a public statement and apology.

2011-01-07T22:16:00.007-05:00

Comfort Food...

this time of year makes me want to snuggle up under a blanket and enjoy my favorite comfort foods....

I think the top of my list in winter must be toast dunked in a cup of hot cocoa

this was definitely a favorite from childhood...which brings me to a few others I remember form days home sick on the couch...my mom would serve up lipton noodle soup and pb&j on saltines!

I thought I had died and gone to heaven! when I am feeling a little nostalgic these days I will pull out the saltines and serve my kids pb&j for snack after school!

BUT... a favorite childhood treat that can be rather hard to find today were chick o'sticks!

what are some of your comfort foods...childhood favorites...do you still eat them today!

2011-01-05T09:04:00.003-05:00

Wear it Wednesday!

A sweet & funky skirt for valentines and beyond! Hearts and ruffles, a rainbow of colors

available in 12months - 12 years in my etsy shop or leave a comment on the blog or my facebook fan page!

2011-01-04T08:30:00.004-05:00

Tasty Tuesday ....

thought I would share a dinner idea with you that we tried last night to much success.

We set up a baked potato bar and each person got to choose their own topping for a tasty baked potato!

some of the toppings we tried included...

chili
shredded cheese
melted cheese
broccoli
asparagus
stir-fried pork
sour cream
bacon
salsa

all in all it was a huge hit - a little something for everyone! What else would you add for toppings??

2011-01-03T07:12:00.005-05:00

My Little Monkey....

my youngest never ceases to amaze me....after a crazy week skiing every day of break and a dual slalom race on the 31st where he placed 4th for boys who are 9 & 10 years old (he is 8)...he couldn't sit still on New Years Day and just relax....

no, he talked his dad into Rock Climbing!!! Crazy!

wish I had just a little bit of that energy!

2010-12-26T13:54:00.004-05:00

It's Hot Chocolate Time!

as the temps dip to the teens & twenties here it is time to pack the cocoa into the ski basket. I thought I would share a recipe I got from a ski friend for a homemade coca mix...plain & simple, no corn syrup...just 3 ingredients!

4c powdered milk
1c sugar
1/2c cocoa powder

mix together - add hot milk and marshmallows and enjoy! I store the extra in a tupperware and bring it along with our lunch to the ski area!

2010-12-14T21:17:00.006-05:00

Ski Season is Here!

it is that time of year again to start thinking about packing our luggage sets and hitting the road for the downhill ski race circuit.

All 3 kids are racing this year and my husband is coaching which means someone is on the snow 7 days a week so we live a life on the go - often at freezing temperatures.

I decided this year that I need to invest in some good cold weather clothing so I have asked Santa for a long down jacket - kind of like wearing a sleeping bag on the hill!

doesn't that look toasty warm?? I also figured my feet need some new boots to keep them warm too so when CSN stores offered me the opportunity to review a product from their shops I decided to order a pair of BOG boots from them and test them out on the slopes.

look for my review here in a few weeks once they arrive and ski season gets underway!

2010-12-03T08:58:00.004-05:00

Holiday Open House at the Hungerford

The Hungerford Unwrapped!

Friday, December 3 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Saturday Dec 4th 1:00pm-4:00pm
1115 E. Main Street, at Goodman
Rochester, NY

Explore 4 floors of fine art & craft. Enjoy food, music, festivities & fun to WRAP UP your holiday gift giving.

Over 35 studios will be open

SHOP Local & Handmade for the Holidays!

2010-11-14T21:26:00.004-05:00

Holidays....

Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week. We are looking forward to family packing their suitcase to join us for a famly filled feast!

We love ot make traditional as well as non traditional dishes and I would LOVE to hear your ideas for non-traditional thanksgiving meals.

One year we even had a pot of chicken curry when an Indian friend joined the festivities!

we also look forward to the arrival of the newest vintage of beaujolais nouveau...what is your favorite wine for turkey day??

let the countdown begin!

2010-11-13T08:25:00.002-05:00

Love me my Sweet Potatoes!

with a bounty of sweet potatoes available right now I thought I would share a favorite sweet potato salad with you...something surprisingly different. Sweet and tangy with a delicious bite of ginger. Originally from Martha Stewart's Everydayfood magazine

I am able to find all of the ingredients at our local farmers market for one stop shopping!

Serves 4

* 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
* 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a nonstick rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, coarse salt, and ground pepper; roast until fork-tender, about 35 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together fresh orange juice, oil, minced fresh ginger, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
3. Add scallions and potatoes; toss to coat with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

enjoy!

2010-11-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

First Friday at the Hungerford tonight!

come join the fun from 6-9pm - door 5, 2nd floor!

2010-11-02T20:35:00.003-05:00

Karma

I am a big believer in karma ... I do my best to treat people the way I want to be treated ... the golden rule, right? Unfortunately there are people out there that don't care if karma comes to bite them in the @ss!

Unfortunately I had my first run in with some one of this ilk recently at a show.

I accepted a stolen credit card for a purchase at the junior league holiday shops a couple of weeks ago.

I did not process at point of sale and therefore did not find out that there was a problem until I got home and the credit card was declined. I tried again a few more times over the next couple of days, tried the phone number they had given me - only to be greeted by a fax machine...then tracked down another number for the name on the card using google white pages.

On my third try I managed to reach the individual only to be told what I had begun to suspect...her card had been stolen...most likely by someone who worked for her!

unfortunately for both of us I did not remember what the person looked like who used the card - but I take heart in knowing that karma is headed her way!

2010-10-18T06:53:00.003-05:00

Holiday Sale!

I have just listed a number of ready to ship holiday items in my etsy shop!

a few for Halloween and some goodies for winter and christmas! more coming later today :)

not on etsy but interested in one - leave a comment here!

2010-10-03T21:34:00.002-05:00

Rochester Fashion Week...

the past month has passed by in a flurry of activity as I got ready for Friday nights Art of Fashion runway show for Rochester Fashion Week. I debuted 7 new designs for women!?!? as well as some fun new styles for kids.

In the moments leading up to sending the models down the runway I had to pinch myself as I could not believe it was really happening. I worked with some amazing models, as well as a fabulous hair and make up crew from Tru Salon in Pittsford.

You can catch a glimpse of gock's frocks as they hit the runway in this news clip .. click the little photo on the upper right that says fashion week & the video will play.

I would also love to share a few pics here for your viewing enjoyment!

2010-09-23T18:13:00.001-05:00

I was thrilled today to find a convo in my etsy inbox from MaryMary - one of etsy admins. She wanted to let me know that the etsy marketing team had selected an item of mine for a Back to School guide on the Planet Green website!!

Handmade Back-to-School Must-Haves from Etsy (Slideshow) : Planet Green

2010-09-19T20:29:00.003-05:00

How I spent last weekend....

Last weekend I had the honor of showing my goodies at a local juried art show that is held by our local Memorial Art Gallery each year. I was a bit nervous as the weather has been known to be rather nasty for this event but I managed to escape all but a brief shower on Sunday.

This was my first solo outdoor show and I was not sure what to expect with set-up and display.

I had a corner which was great for showing off my goodies and I had lots of time to look at my booth to see what was working and what wasn't...I would also love your ideas for better or different ways to show off my items.

my number one helper was there both days! couldn't do it without her!

happy customers donned their new skirts and took them for a test twirl!

I also added some new items in my inventory for those shoppers without little kids...reversible tote bags & tablecloths!

new knot tie jumpers

funky flower pins

2010-09-13T20:34:00.008-05:00

Back in the Saddle ....

well maybe that is an understatement but hopefully life will return to its regular rhythms now that school has started again. That will also hopefully mean a more regular return to blogging!

I thought I would offer up a brief pictorial review of summer 2010 ....

2010-07-28T18:57:00.002-05:00

The Splendid Table...

I am a true fan of NPR and listen whenever I have a chance. Unfortunately the signal is a bit weak - or shall we say non-existent at the cottage so I have been going through withdrawl. This past weekend I got lucky enough to hear a bit of The Splendid Table and they were discussing the best coffee maker and debating ways to brew coffee.

They interviewed Tom Owens of Sweet Marias Coffee and I could practically smell the coffee brewing as they debated the best way to brew a pot of coffee.

you can pop over to the splendid table and listen to the interview.

then let me know....how do you brew your coffee??

2010-07-27T14:41:00.004-05:00

Knit One... Purl Two

so.. do you knit?? I can do the basics and a few years ago spent lots of time knitting wool bags to felt. It was a slight addiction I think. My piles of Black Sheep wool can attest to that! But then sadly the lure of the sewing machine siren became louder than the lure of the knitting needles and I have been woefully negligent of my yarn stash...

but...then this gorgeously tempting photo arrived in my inbox

it is a new pattern available at knitwhits or for free in the fall issue of Knitty

so...tell me...does it tempt you too???

2010-07-22T12:42:00.003-05:00

gock's frocks is now appearing at Kittleberger's

I am pleased to announce that you may now shop for special one of a kind gock's frocks designs at Kittleberger Florist & gift shop in Webster NY!

Offerings include petal filled tutus, peasant tops& dresses, skirts, appliqued crazy daisy tees, t-shirt dresses and frida tunics ... all one of a kind - available only at Kittleberger!

Green Jobs for Buffalo

2010-07-16T08:52:00.000-05:00

take a minute to watch this inspirational video about Green Jobs and PUSH Buffalo - my little brother is a project manager for PUSH and I am so proud of the great work that they are doing!

2010-06-03T21:25:00.002-05:00

Art In America interview with my baby brother!

The Sculpted Word
by Jon Leon 06/03/10

Ben Gocker is a New York-based artist whose exuberant drawings, paintings, sculptures, book objects, and other mixed-media works go on view next week in his first solo show at PPOW Gallery. Gocker, a librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library, curates a reading series of poetry called Poetry Time, inviting top-shelf authors to present their work in an intimate and interactive setting in a house at the border of Ridgewood, Queens and Bushwick in Brooklyn. His visual work often questions the precarious boundary where poetry alights from the page and becomes a full-blown lifestyle, an open way of moving through the world, where the graceful fold of a saddle-stitched book remains a remarkable technology.

Included in "There is really no single poem" are 11 pieces composed of small serial elements. Floating Collection consists of upwards of 30–40 books; the installation Early Poem is an assemblage of assorted collections and objects: coral, a 60-lb globe made of wood, rope, and twine, covered with canvas and horribly painted. Calendar consists of around 50 wooden staffs about 16" high whittled and painted in gouaches. These surround and interact with four boards painted and made porous with drilled out holes. Death & Friends, though one piece, is 22 separate monochromes - about the size of a hand. Drawings is an assortment of 36 plaster plates, each about the size of standard office paper. The work extends as far back as 2003 with a book called The Collected Poems of Matthew Romaine. A long scroll drawing begun about 3 years ago in Japan is an ongoing preoccupation with portability. Most of the work is very new, completed in the last 8 months or so and exhibits an all-over openness to the flux of one's surroundings.

JON LEON: I find it fascinating that you studied poetry at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, but instead of publishing a book of poems you're presenting your first show of drawings and sculpture and other visual works at PPOW this month. Did you ever intend to write a book, or was drawing et al, always your central discipline?

BEN GOCKER: I started out intending to write a book, and maybe I still do intend to write a book, but I feel like the work I'm doing now constitutes an approach to writing itself—not just the writing of a book, any writing at all. It seems to me that I'm still ‘on the way' to the poems. I'm creating a space for poetic practice, a poetic space—something not circumscribed by the page and yet still interested in that compositional field or place of activity. Drawing and sculpture have not always been my central discipline, yet always central to the ways in which I go about resolving the questions I have about language, life, color, and meaning—the whole experiential honeycomb.

LEON: The show's title, "There is really no single poem," is a line by the San Francisco Renaissance poet Jack Spicer. Spicer is often quoted as saying "Nobody listens to poetry." Do you find that loosening your definition of poetry allows for a more spirited and generous acknowledgment of its place among the arts? Like, if nobody listens to it, maybe they'll look at it?

GOCKER: I think it's important to keep your definitions loose. When we talk about poetry I think it's important to widen the scope rather than to narrow it. There is certainly a history of this. I'm thinking of the middle of the twentieth century here in America when poets would work collaboratively with artists, and also played roles as critics and curators. I'm thinking of O'Hara, Schuyler, Ashbery, Koch, and artists like Larry Rivers, John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg to name just a few.

There's an Ashbery poem, "And Ut Pictura Poesis Is Her Name," included in his Houseboat Days in 1977, in which he begins by writing: "You can't say it that way anymore." I think this is what artists and writers are concerned with—or can be concerned with—asking, "How can I say it?" And furthermore, how can the languages at work in different disciplines combine to make a more exacting language for getting it across—for saying it— whatever it is that has to be said. In something like 0–9, the magazine published by Vito Acconci and Bernadette Mayer in the late 60s, you have people like Dan Graham, Jasper Johns, Sol LeWitt, Hannah Weiner, Robert Smithson all seeking alternative routes to saying it - or maybe, as is the case, not saying it. But the field was open, and people had permission. Poetry has a pretty healthy history in the arts—I'm barely scraping the surface, of course— but I suppose Spicer is right somehow that no one listens to poetry. It still remains elusive.

LEON: It seems the limitations on what constitutes poetry and what the form can achieve is evolving from a hermetic and closed practice out into the world in a way that is reflexive and synergistic, almost magical, like Spicer going on about magic and transmissions in the "Poetry as Magic" workshop in 1957. There's an attention to exteriority in this shift, an acknowledgement that the work must allow entrance of a natural current from the outside, however mysterious and out-of-control it may feel, to crossover to a wider audience. What do you think about poetry's context and place in the public consciousness? Do you find it inspiring to think of it in the broader context of art generally rather than as a distinct artform?

GOCKER: A Haitian friend and I used to talk a lot about the spirit world. He had very strong opinions about this world—the reality and import of it. We would also talk about dreams being an extension of the spirit world, more accurately, the place where the spirit world and this world connect. His dreams offered him some serious and potent directives about how to live and what to do—whether it was drinking tea made from iceberg lettuce when he was sick, or taking wine at certain times of the year. Whatever it was, if someone came to him in a dream and told him to do something, he would do it. I don't know that my dreams offer me the same directives; regardless, your dreams exist, and the nightly unconscious phenomena happens. How do you choose to listen to what happens there? The same can be said of how you choose to listen to what happens anywhere at anytime during your life. What are the qualities of the world you pay attention to, in no small way, revere and allow to affect you? It's a matter of attention. When Spicer or James Merrill or an artist like Forrest Bess tap into these other possibilities of experience and relate it in their art they likewise make room for the reader or viewer of their work to apprehend more about the world.

Poetry is tough to get your head around sometimes. I think because it is made of words people want to understand it immediately, but it communicates with a rubbery immediacy. You have to give it time, and your head may never get around it. I know people who love looking at abstract art, but the minute they encounter language used with any kind of abstraction they run for the hills. I think, yes, if poetry can be approached from within the larger context of art people may allow themselves to listen.

LEON: You speculate on the qualities of the world we allow to affect us. Is there a diffusion of social stimuli that affects how you create and perceive your work? I'm thinking of the collection of monochromes titled Death & Friends (2010). Your work appears to be just delicate and reverent enough in its lightness of color, and its motivation to include the emotional and physical detritus of a world outside it to be impressionable in a meaningful way. It's generous to the space it occupies in the world by allowing the viewer entrance to it, like the delight that comes with a close reading of a text.

GOCKER: There's a lot out there that influences me. The work reflects those influences, reorders them, and presents them in another fashion. Death & Friends is a piece that points away from itself and toward another piece in the show, a large disc entitled Names, where I've written out in paint the names of acquaintances and friends and coworkers and old lovers; which in turn points to the 1970 Jon Anderson book of poems from which the title derives; which leads to Yves Klein's Yves Peintures and Haguenault Peintures. In some way, though the piece is drawing on all of these other sources, it can still be an empty space where someone can enter and think and look; and as you alluded to, approach the work with the sensibility of performing a close textual reading. I'd like the works to be simultaneously full and empty, to draw and to point, and ultimately, yes, to be generous

2010-06-03T14:48:00.003-05:00

Summer projects....

wondering what is on your summer TO DO list? We started a home renovation project this spring that will hopefully be finished before the kids start back to school.

We opened up our back hall area and my husband built new cubbies for the kids - we desperately need help organizing all of our stuff...once the hall is done we are redoing the powder room off the hall so looking at new bathroom vanities, paint color, toilets etc... will keep me busy until the kids are off of school.

this is kind of the idea of our cubbies - will need to take pics when it is done

but, I would love to hear any tips for organizing our gear - soccer bags, school bags and ski race equipment and a 95lb dog!

2010-06-01T14:20:00.002-05:00

a bit late....but Happy Birthday to my Teenager!

it is hard to believe it has been 13 years - it goes by in the blink of an eye

taller than me - and thinks he is smarter than me :)

I am looking forward to the next phase of our lives together - or maybe not - I did say teenager didn't I?!?

2010-05-25T06:50:00.007-05:00

show me the love!

I love my customers and am always tickled to see the photos they send me in their gock's frocks ... I'd like to share a few I recently received and encourage you to send me photos of your gock's frocks in action!

Hard to believe she just had a baby!!!

and isn't she scrumptious! I so miss that age!!! thanks again for sharing - keep them coming!

2010-05-22T23:07:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my Grandfather...

if he were still alive we would be celebrating his 90th birthday!Hard ot believe he has been gone for 10 years!

My little man Leo played the trumpet in honor of his great grandfather whose father had played the coronet in John Philips Sousa's band during WWI ...

happy birthday gramps!

2010-05-20T22:05:00.002-05:00

Sharing some new designs....

I recently had the good luck of working with Carrie Daly of Daly Moments Photography in photographing some of my new spring designs....

she specializes in natural light photography (my favorite) and the weather in Michigan finally cooperated for her to get some great shots outdoors...

enjoy and pop over to etsy if you are interested in purchasing any of these!

2010-05-12T06:49:00.002-05:00

Read All About it!

In honor of creative mothers our local paper ran an article on mothers day that featured 3 local creative moms and their kids and gock's frocks was one of the moms featured! The kids were thrilled to see themselves in the paper!

Here is an excerpt of my part of the story...

Finding time to engage in creative endeavors in the midst of diaper changes, soccer practices and carpools can be a constant challenge. But some local artists have found ways to nourish their creativity by building businesses around their talents.

“I’ve always loved creating,” says local children’s clothing designer Kristen Hallagan. “I needed an outlet for all I wanted to do.”

Kristen Hallagan’s grandmother taught her to sew when she was 8 years old.

The 41-year-old has had a passion for creating things since. When she was in college, she sewed hand-crafted hair holders and designed T-shirts for a Regatta team.

Yet she decided to become a teacher. When her third child was born, she chose to stay home with her children.

And she was still sewing. In 2003, Hallagan decided to sell some of her children’s clothing designs at the Rochester Public Market during the Christmas season. She initially called her business “Crazy Mama,” because “I (was) crazy for trying to do this with three young kids.”

She eventually renamed her business, Gock’s Frocks, in honor of her grandmother, Betty Gocker. She started selling on eBay and then Etsy. Her business was an “outlet” for her.

She’s always had the art of design, now she learned the art of pricing and marketing her children’s and women’s clothing.

She has gradually increased her output, and had outgrown the basement, spilling her colorful skirts and dresses into the children’s playroom. She now rents a studio in the Hungerford Building by the Public Market and works there while her children — Klem, 13, Eily, 10, and Leo, 8 — are in school.

“How do I do it and give it 100 percent and everything I want to do?” she would often ask of her art business. “That’s the challenge for any mom.”

But, as with any artist, “the creative part would have come out at some point — you can’t suppress it,” Hallagan says.

2010-05-05T07:05:00.002-05:00

Yikes!!

I didn't realize I had become so lax in my blog posting - I am having too much fun at the studio and I have no internet down there that I have sufficiently neglected my updates.

I have been busy working on lots of new goodies - new skirts for women, a small collection for the girls and celebrating birthdays here at home. I have even managed to try out some new recipes that I will share with you later this week.

Today I would love to show off my new skirts for women - I love photographing at the studio - great light, simple background... these can be found in my etsy shop

sour cherry

Deb

chocolate breeze

spring berries

2010-04-01T06:33:00.002-05:00

You're Invited....

to the grand opening of my new studio space! It is rather hard to believe that I have moved out of my cave in the basement into such a light airy space.

I have teamed up with a local jewelry designer to share almost 800sq ft in an old fruit factory....we patiently waited about 6 weeks for them to renovate the space

this was about 2 weeks into the renovation work

and we thought it looked pretty good then until we saw this....

now it is a bit more filled up but we are slowly making it our home away from home...

some of my favorite fabrics in embroidery hoops

prints I use at shows

my trusty machines

and maazing cutting table my dad helped me with! the baskets have felted wool sweater parts sorted by color and bolts of fabric waiting to be cut are in the lower cubes. It is all mounted on a solid wood base on heavy duty casters so I can move it around the studio. My dad is the best!

So...if you have made it this far and are still reading I am extending an invitation to stop by our open house tomorrow night from 5-9pm ... email me for more details!

2010-03-18T08:16:00.002-05:00

A budding fashion designer...

This morning, about 25 minutes before the bus was expected, Eily asked if I could make her a pink skirt to wear for school - you see, yesterday I managed to pull off a skirt and a pair of pants before the bus as we had no green to wear to school so now E thinks I am a miracle worker, speedy seamstress.

Not wanting to disappoint I sent her to get ready after she picked her fabrics...she also had definite ideas about the style - high waisted and poufy ... I made my yoga style waist and added elastic to the hem to give it the full look she wanted - the result, in my humble opinion was pretty cute!

I think I will offer these on etsy for the tween crowd...what do you think??

2010-03-09T22:25:00.002-05:00

Some Bunny Loves Me.....

for easter I am offering one of a kind felted wool bunnies made from recycled wool sweaters in my etsy shop

as well as a couple of new skirts made with Patty Young's Flora&Fauna collection that would brighten even the grayest easter Sunday!

2010-03-04T20:42:00.005-05:00

We have another winner!

Lentil Barley Burgers from Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 patties and 1/4 cup salsa)
Ingredients

* Salsa:
* 1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple
* 1/4 cup finely chopped mango
* 1/4 cup finely chopped tomatillo - I skipped this and the grape tomatoes
* 1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 1 serrano chile, minced - I used a jalapeno

Burgers:
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1/2 cup dried lentils
* Cooking spray
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup grated carrot
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
* 3/4 cup cooked pearl barley
* 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
* 2 large egg whites
* 1 large egg
* 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. To prepare salsa, combine first 6 ingredients; cover and refrigerate.

2. To prepare burgers, combine 1 1/2 cups water and lentils in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain. Place half of lentils in a large bowl. Place remaining lentils in a food processor; process until smooth. Add processed lentils to whole lentils in bowl.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to lentils. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, barley, and next 5 ingredients (through egg); stir well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

4. Divide mixture into 8 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 4 patties. Serve with salsa.

I made these almost bite sized - they would be a great hors d'oeurve with a bit of th esalsa sprinkled on top!

2010-03-03T08:05:00.005-05:00

something new from the kitchen and on etsy....

thought I would share a yummy little soup idea using these tasty ingredients

tofu shirataki noodles
minute miso
fresh grated ginger and vegetables - I used carrots, oyster & shitake mushrooms and scallion

follow directions for making the miso, add the noodles, grate fresh ginger and sliced veggies - bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer ....

I also listed a new goodie in my etsy store

this is a custom order - pick your color and approximate size ... can be made in any quantity

2010-03-02T09:25:00.005-05:00

I Hate Mornings....but I love these strangers

my latest treasury on etsy

click on the link above to go to the treasury and from there you can click through to each individual shop - but hurry - only lasts a couple of days!

2010-02-25T14:17:00.003-05:00

Chickpea Sliders and bulghur salad ... mmmmmm

A couple more Cooking Light recipes I test drove last week included delicious mini chickpea sliders and a lemony bulghur salad...any substitutions I tried are noted next to the original recipe

Chickpea Sliders...

Serve each burger on a whole-grain slider bun or we used mini pita bread with lettuce, crisp radish slices, roasted red bell pepper, and canola-based mayonnaise. Two burgers per person!

Yield: 3 servings (serving size: 2 patties)
Ingredients

* 1 (8-ounce) red potato
* 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and divided
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley - I used OREGANO
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Cool slightly. Coarsely chop, and place in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and garlic to bowl; mash potato mixture with a potato masher until slightly chunky. Remove 3 tablespoons chickpeas; place in a small bowl. Add remaining chickpeas to potato mixture; mash until well blended. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons whole chickpeas, parsley, and remaining ingredients. With moistened hands, divide mixture into 6 equal portions (about 1/3 cup mixture per portion), shaping each into a 3-inch patty.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until bottoms are golden and patties are set. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 patties.

Bulgur with dried carnberries

Serve this lemony bulgur—an American interpretation of Middle Eastern tabbouleh—instead of the more familiar and expected stuffing.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients

* 1 cup coarse-ground bulgur
* 2 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled English cucumber
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
* 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley - I used 1 large bunch - can't get enough fresh parsley!
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil - I used less than 1/4c
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place bulgur in a large bowl; cover with 2 cups boiling water. Cover; let stand 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Add cucumber and remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

both were a huge hit!

2010-02-23T07:19:00.008-05:00

Fishy fun...

just listed some new recycled wool sweater softies! Fish Pillows!! made from wool sweaters and dupioni silk - one of a kind creations....add some color and cheer to your winter days.

Available at gock's frocks on etsy!

and a custom top for spring!

2010-02-20T08:36:00.008-05:00

Some Customer Appreciation....

I wanted to take a post to thank my fabulous customers without whom there would be no gock's frocks! I love getting photos from you so please... send them my way and you too may find yourself gracing my blog!

this little Tula Pink skirt went all the way to Eastern Europe!

matching doll dress!

coordinating cousins!

the little girls can't have all the fun! Happy customers of my womens yoga waist skirts!

sweet Eden who has been a customer since her 1st birthday!

2010-02-19T09:41:00.003-05:00

What is a Quinzhee you ask.....

well, I will let my 7 year old answer that!

he built his very own show hut or quinzhee while home on february vacation! I know how I am taking with me in the winter wilderness!!

we have also been busy ski racing and training with our regular season wrapping up this Sunday

my 12 yo racing a giant slalom race

my 7yo skiing a slalom race

my 10yo skiing a slalom race

and while the kids were busy skiing I undertook my first successful quilted project - no wavy edges!

I made this little table topper for my husband for valentines day - I thought it was time he had his own gock's frocks!

I used mostly scraps from previous projects and realized I have quite a few scraps still so I am offering them by the pound at Betty's Closet on etsy

pop over and pick some up for your next project!

2010-02-10T09:22:00.004-05:00

Another Dinner Hit!

I am feeling pretty good here - 2 for 2! Last night I tried another Cooking Light recipe and LOVED it! My changes to the recipe are noted on teh side - if you become a frequent visitor to my blog you will come to realize I almost NEVER follow a recipe exactly nor do I measure spices with a measuring spoon - more of an educated eye to the amount!

So, without further ado, may I present Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry!

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground turmeric *** I did not have tumeric so I upped the curry
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger *** or more if you like ginger!
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth *** used 2/3 of a lg can
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained *** used crushed and 28oz
* 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
* 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
* 1/2 cup frozen green peas *** ommitted - not a pea fan
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and bay leaf in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bay leaf.

If you are veg - try adding more chick peas, onion maybe some spinach in lieu of the chicken.

We garnished with Major Grey Mango Chutney and practically licked our bowls clean!

2010-02-09T07:22:00.003-05:00

My Love/Hate Affair with Cooking Light....

I have always loved the healthy recipes from Cooking Light but never liked the layout of the magazine. I would give it a try for a few issues but then the jumble of recipes and lack of photos inevitably turned me off and I would abandon the magazine...

so you can imagine my delight when some design and editorial changes were made at the magazine and it became visually more appealing - cleaner layout, photos for the recipes etc.... I decided to give it another go and have been very pleased. It has helped me with my new resolution to plan meals and make them healthy!

Last night I tried Dan Dan Noodles from the Nov 09 issue and it received a 5 out of 5 from my gang! Give it a try and let me know what you think... I am giving the recipe as it appeared in the magazine and indicating the changes I made...

Ingredients

* 1 pound frozen fresh wide Chinese egg noodles, thawed (I used Chinese RICE Noodles as that was what I had on hand)
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
* 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste) (subbed red hot pepper flakes)
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled (used closer to 1 inch)
* 8 ounces lean ground pork (used 99% ff ground turkey)
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 3/4 cup thinly diagonally sliced green onions
* 1 1/4 cups chopped seeded peeled cucumber
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more like 1/2 c - I love cilantro!)

Preparation

1. Cook noodles in 6 quarts boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Place noodles in a large bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine peanut mixture, soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through ginger) in a mini chopper; process until finely ground.

3. Cook pork and salt in skillet over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Add peanut mixture and 3/4 cup cooking liquid to pork; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add pork mixture, juice, and onions to noodles; toss well. Place about 1 3/4 cup noodle mixture in each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 5 tablespoons cucumber and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

this could be good if you marinate the cucumber in some rice wine vinegar and sugar for a few hours before adding to the noodles!

Enjoy!

2010-02-01T20:08:00.006-05:00

I have a confession ...

or maybe I should say obsession! I am in love with Ariat boots! I treated myself to a pair about a year and a half ago and wear them all the time. Over the holidays I spotted some new styles on sale and scooped them up ... now these are taunting me!

"buy me, buy me, buy me!"

Do shoes ever talk to you? What is your favorite place for online shoe shopping? Can I tempt you with these???

just google ariat and you will find some great sites selling them - some of my favorite include onlineshoes.com and this site endless shoes & handbags seems to have some good sales too.

2010-01-27T22:16:00.002-05:00

A decade ... 10 years

we were just on the cusp of a new century - Y2K had passed by, who would have the first baby of the new millenium? I had a chance... I was due Jan 14th .... 2 weeks early and she could have been the first....but no, she decided to wait 10 more days and make her debut on her uncle's birthday!

It is so hard to believe that she is 10 .. I remember turning ten and thinking it was so cool I could say I was a decade old!

Happy Birthday to my sweetest Eily ... you bring sunshine into my life everyday with your love, compassion and caring for all around you!

we celebrated with a sleepover - 10 10 year old girls! amazingly enough asleep by 12:10!

we made each girl a pillowcase as part of their party favor...

eily is not a fan of frosting so her favorite cake is a tower of rice krispie treats! Regular, cocoa and fruity pebbles!

paper flowers for decoration

and ne handsome older brother headed off to his first bar mitzvah!

2010-01-18T09:15:00.002-05:00

Be My Funky Valentine....

I have turned over the photo styling to Eily - she has such a fun fresh eye towards fashion I always love to see what she puts together...

I decided to breakout my valentines day stash of fabrics and put together a ready to ship collection ... styling by Eily! These are available in my etsy shop

some of these goodies will be given away later this week on a couple of my etsy team blogs... the etsy treasury team blog as well as the blog for the RNEST

2010-01-12T09:13:00.005-05:00

Cool Runnings ....

with the winter olympics on the horizon we thought it would be fun to rent the old movie Cool Runnings about the Jamacian bobsled team

it was a huge hit with our little guy Leo... after the movie finished, he quietly disappeared for a bit...

you know what that means when they are little ... they are up to something! And even though he has hit the ripe old age of 7, he was still up to something!

Leo, king of creations at our house, had tracked down a cardboard box, some packing tape and tin foil and set about making his own bobsled!

his sister got in on the act and helped him decorate it with sharpies!

with sled in hand, Leo donned his ski race suit & helmet and headed for the course (otherwise known as the hill in the backyard)

a few steering issues needed to be fixed!

all in all Leo declared it to be a victory!... note the packing tape covering the bottom of the sled to make it slip over the snow better! this boy has great design ideas ...

watch our winter olympics - Leo is in training!

2010-01-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

New Goodies on Etsy....

Now that my shows have wrapped up I have begum listing some of my show inventory in my etsy shop - these are all ready to ship and priced lower than my custom designs...

Have fun taking a peek...

valentines goodies coming soon!

2010-01-08T10:11:00.000-05:00

Be careful ....
it's addicting

46 words

Typing Test

2010-01-08T08:07:00.004-05:00

Rotten Bananas ......

does this happen at your house??

we go through the banana cycle .... it starts with everyone loving bananas. So much so that I buy bunch after bunch at the store only to have them gobbled up the minute they ripen or even with a tinge of green!

then the winds of change blow through - or maybe it is a secret banana boycott organized behind my back to get me to make banana bread.

Not sure ... but I do know that this is the result!

ugh!

so I decided it was time for banana bread - or rather banana muffins. A little easier to grab and go.

Of course I can never remember which recipe I used last, so I hunted through my cookbooks until I came upon Muffin Madness in the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home Cookbook and pulled out my trusty purple kitchen-aid!

This is a great recipe because it gives you directions for a tasty muffin base that you can flavor in different ways.

-- Basic Wet Ingredients --
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 - 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-- Basic Dry Ingredients --
2 cup unbleached flour (I use whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Choose one of the following combos to add to basic ingredients (the above is NOT a plain muffin recipe, but the base for the following)

Apple muffins: Add 2 cups of grated apple and 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel to wet ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to dry ingredients.

Banana muffins: Add 1 1/2 cups of mashed banana to wet ingredients and 1 cup chopped nuts and/or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to batter. (this can be adjusted to personal preference - we like fewer nuts and use mini-chips)

Blueberry - lemon muffins: Add 1 1/2 cups of blueberries and 1 tablespoon of grated lemon peel to wet ingredients.

Zucchini muffins: Add 2 cups of grated zucchini to wet ingredients and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom to the dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup of raisins or currants and 3/4 cup of chopped nuts to batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine wet ingredients, combine dry ingredients. Add two mixtures together and take care not to overmix. Spoon batter into oiled standard muffins tins and bake for 20-25 minutes standard size muffins or 10-15 minutes for mini muffins

the result was so yummy I made 3 batches in 2 days... and yep, I used up all of those black bananas !

2010-01-06T08:36:00.002-05:00

Etta takes the Big Apple.....

.............. the continuing adventures of Etta the traveling Meerkat! After a successful driving lesson, Etta and I hit th eroad with my sister for the Big Apple and the One Of A Kind Show. We treated Etta to a night in New Jersey near the Holland Tunnel... the drive had been long and tricky with lots of fog through the mountains so we decided to unwind a bit before turning in...

Etta seemed to like the Brooklyn Beer we let her sample

she started regaling me with tales of her transatlantic journey - via Australia!

Etta partied a little too much and did NOT want to get up the next morning...

but she rallied and helped us set up for the show

she got to meet lots of folks at the show...

my sister Jessie, who helped at the show

another etsy Treasury team member.. Beth from LilipadCreations

and other folks who were there with etsy

while Etta had a lot of fun she did begin to get homesick for Heather of NiftyKnits so we popped onto etsy so Etta could say "hi" to her friends back home...

after visiting with her fellow Meerkats it was time to send Etta off on the rest of her journey. She was headed to California for Christmas with Sandie, another fellow etteam member. We dressed Etta in her new holiday tutu and carefully packed her up and sent her on her way....

to follow the rest of her adventures, join the fun on Facebook....

2010-01-01T10:42:00.006-05:00

I'd like to introduce ....

Etta... the traveling meerkat! I participate in the etsy treasury team on etsy and one of our members... Heather of NiftyKnits has sent 2 of her knitted meerkats on a World Tour!

We were honored to host Etta back in early December! My youngest was the most excited for her arrival in the mail and promptly demanded that Etta come visit him at school!

Etta and I headed off in the car... I thought it would be a good time to start her driving lessons as we were driving to NYC together the following week and I needed a trustworthy co-pilot!

When we arrived Leo was already in the cafeteria... he was so excited to see Etta!

Etta checked out her first american tacos!

then got a kiss from Sharon ... head of food services

leo introduced Etta to his friends and showed her around the cafeteria

then Etta got to stay for lunch with Leo's big sister Eily!

stay tuned for Etta adventures to the Big Apple tomorrow!

2009-12-30T21:07:00.003-05:00

A is for Absent ....

from my blog that is! Life seemed to get in the way of my fun but I am back with lots of photos and tidbits to share!

flashback to November and the start of my show season ... first up was the Holiday Shoppes in Syracuse NY

I had a few models who helped advertise my wares!

I also had the great luck of meeting Michelle DaRin an amazingly talented jewelry designer from the Syracuse area. Fortunately she fell in love with my work as much as I did hers and we had a wonderful exchange of goodies!

these matching mother/daughter skirts were made from a fabulous vintage knit I have been saving in my stash ... these are available as a special order through my etsy store

Michelle's funky baubles are available through her website.

Coming tomorrow.... join me for a visit from an overseas guest!

2009-11-23T09:19:00.001-05:00

Holiday Shopping Online....

I love being able to sit in my jammies with a cup of coffee and do my christmas shopping! The only problem is making sure I am looking for everyone else on my list... and not making my own list for Santa! I did see these though and had to share!

Ben Sherman Vixen

how about some fun shoes for the holidays??? If I could only figure out how to walk in a 3" heel!

I'd love to hear what your favorite sites are for online holiday shopping!

2009-11-19T07:10:00.002-05:00

Get Ready for Some Fun Rochester!

Coming Dec 17th .... @nd Anual Holiday Social to benefit Alternatives For Battered Women

Kristen Gocker Hallagan is a fan of

ABW's 2nd Annual Women 4 Women Event

Create your Fan Badge

join the group on Facebook to learn more about everything we have planned for the evening... then grab your girlfriends and join us for the Holiday Social!

2009-11-15T22:29:00.005-05:00

The Doodle Police

Help! talking to my daughter tonight at bedtime I learned about the doodle police... think 1984... Orwell... mind control ...Yikes! Apparently in her science class at school they are required to take the Doodling Police Pledge at the beginning of the school year....yep, just learning about this now!

So... the jist of it is ... something like this....right hand on heart, left hand in air " I promise to be a doodle police and watch for people ... even my best friends ... doodling. I will tell the teacher if I see anyone doodling on anything. I also will not doodle"

I am in shock... speechless ... has this teacher not read the current literature on doodling... does she not know about Gardner and Multiple Intelligences??? I decided to google doodling and learning styles to see what I might find... pages of information SUPPORTING doodling!

This was a fantastic post from Think

How often do you find yourself receiving confused looks as you mindlessly doodle through an important meeting?

Doodling is often seen as an irrelevant act with no strategic value making the doodler appear disinterested in the task at hand. However for many with pen and paper at hand it is an unavoidable habit. A recent study by Jackie Andrade from the University of Plymouth has concluded that the act of doodling can improve information recall.

The study recruited participants without prior warning who had just attended another unrelated session. It was assumed they would be in a heightened state of boredom due to an implied expectation of going home.

Participants were then asked to listen to a tape they were told was boring. They were told not to remember anything but to write down the names of those attending the party (as discussed in the tape). Half of participants were told to colour in doodles while the other half were instructed to not doodle. Those in the doodle group recalled 29% more information on a surprise memory test than the non-doodlers.

The conclusion was made that doodling can aid in keeping the brain alert in seemingly boring situations allowing greater information retention while those who do not doodle are more likely to drift off in other ways taking concentration away from the task at hand.

Doodling takes little energy and allows your brain to maintain concentration for more important issues.

So next time you’re in a meeting and you find yourself nodding off, doodle

help! How would you approach a teacher with this approach to teaching??? I'd love any advice you have!

2009-11-05T06:55:00.002-05:00

Happy November!

just popping in to post pics of the latest goodies to hit my etsy store

I call this one ... Ralph Lauren... eat your heart out!

how about a reversible baby blanket....

or something fun for turkey time!

or a cute a-line dress made with gorgeous fabric from japan!

some cute bubble skirts for fall

or some yummy browns, aquas and violets!

2009-10-29T22:34:00.008-05:00

Tips for Preventing H1N1 or Swine Flu....

After a recent visit to the allergist who gave us some tips on avoiding the swine flu and having received this great e-mail with additional suggestions I thought I would pass this information along to my readers.... I learned a few new tips & I hope these will help you all stay healthy too!

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

By Dr. Vinay Goyal ~ Presently, he is heading the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The only portals of entry for the H1N1 virus (or any virus for that
matter) are the nostrils and mouth/throat.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1
infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms
and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not
fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced:

1. Frequent hand-washing

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any
part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't
trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/
nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple
gargling prevents proliferation. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt
water. Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with
cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down
viral population. Sinus rinse kits are available at the drug store and
relatively inexpensive. (neti pots)

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C
(citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make
sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking
warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse
direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the
stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Please feel free to share this information on your blogs, facebook, twitter etc...

2009-10-27T11:55:00.004-05:00

Yummy Goodness....

Oven Roasted Plum Tomatoes.... run, don't walk to your nearest farmers market... scoop up the biggest basket you can find (I bought a 1/2 bushel) and pop a few trays of these tomatoes in your oven Pronto! You can come back here and thank me later... after you tempt your tastebuds with the rich, salty sweet taste of the roasted tomatoes... so good!

so... here is what you need to do:

rinse off your tomatoes & slice in half lengthwise

place on baking sheet - cut side up - drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, add a few cloves of garlic and I used fresh thyme leaves too

place in oven at 225 degrees farenheit (sorry celsius blog readers) and roast for 9-10 HOURS! yes... HOURS! we ate them on baguette, homemade pizzas, plain, eggs, you name it... diced like a dip or popped straight into your mouth the taste can not be beat! I have even frozen some and the taste is great even out of the freezer... so as I said earlier... RUN don't walk to your local farmers market and scoop up a bushel to make these beauties!!

2009-10-13T23:44:00.002-05:00

If you are in the area....

stop in and see me the next 3 days as the annual twigs fundraiser for Rochester General Hospital

The Twigs of Rochester General Hospital Association present their Autumn Promenade

Wednesday, October 14th 6 – 9 pm
Thursday, October 15th 10 am – 2 pm and 5 pm – 9 pm
Friday, October 16th from 10 am – 3 pm

Admission: $5 at the door

Monroe Golf Club
155 Golf Avenue in Pittsford

A unique collection of upscale vendors from Rochester and beyond!

I have lots of new goodies I will be debuting at the show.... hope to see you there!

2009-10-09T10:13:00.004-05:00

What's for Dinner tonight??

with fall in the air it is time for roasting vegetables! My sister and I headed to the local public market yesterday to scoop up some of falls best bounty...

I picked out some yummy delicata squash and sweet potatoes for roasted veggies for dinner.... this is how I prepared it!

cut off ends of squash, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and slice into 1/2" thick slices

slice the sweet potato into thick sticks ... keep skin on for added nutritional value!

toss in a bowl with onion slices and season to taste with olive oil, salt, ground cumin and curry powder

place in pan - try to keep it to 1-2 layers high... roast at 350 degrees until tender - about 45 minutes

enjoy!!!

2009-10-04T07:08:00.002-05:00

Happy First (Week) Anniversary!!!

... to my brother & new sister-in-law! Last saturday was their wedding in Buffalo NY ... held in a vacant lot owned by the non-profit PUSH Buffalo that my brother works for. The day was rainy & gray which added to the fun & excitement in the air.

Very non-traditional ... no wedding dress, or organ music, no minister or priest ... but the most magical wedding I have ever been to - I was so glad my children had a chance to experience a wedding outside the box!

presenting Clarke & Melissa Gocker Kondrak

the nieces & nephews

with great grandma gocker

getting ready for the rain

the look of love

*insert squeal* ... I think they are about to kiss!

of course I had to make something for Eily to wear

our advice to the bride & groom... remember to always have fun!

2009-09-29T07:29:00.006-05:00

How about a Sneak Peek??? .... and a little giveaway????

Last week on my birthday an extra special package arrived on my doorstep....

a box of goodies from Patty Young of ModKid Designs! Patty's new line of fabric, Flora & Fauna is set to debut in a couple of weeks at the Fall Quilt Market in Houston and she was looking for a but of help getting her samples ready for the show....so I was lucky enough to get to see this gorgeous fabric up close and make a new Frida for her booth!

These fabrics are simply gorgeous... wonderful prints and rich colors.... 44 new designs in all!

I'd love for you to post your favorite colorway and prints from her new collection.... give me some inspiration for prints to order for Betty's Closet on etsy

I will pick one lucky winner from the comments received to win a stack of 8 fat quarters from Patty's Mezzanine line... you get to pick your favorite 8!

Eily in the size 4/5.... not too happy to model!

2009-09-19T11:58:00.003-05:00

We've got a winner!!!!!!!

this was the winning comment.....

CurlyGirlD said...

OK, ther are just too many sweet choices on etsy! But I think my favorite "Fall `09" piece is the "Isobel" yoga-waist skirt. It's so pretty, yet looks so comfy. It would be just darling on my DD!

Thanks for the great giveaway! Fingers crossed...

so.....CurlyGirlD...leave me your your email or contact information so I can get your prize sent out! Thanks all for joining the fun .....

2009-09-16T07:44:00.001-05:00

What's Cooking??

I asked this question yesterday as I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner...I posted it to Twitter and Facebook and got some great ideas! Lynn a fellow teammate from etsy posted vegetarian stuffed pepper casserole!

I thought as my thanks for the delicious suggestions yesterday I would share a family favorite from our house...

Tempeh Fajitas with Cucumber Salsa
from Jeanne Lemlin's Main Course Vegetarian Pleasures

Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE

* 3 tb Tamari soy sauce
* Juice of 1/2 lime
* 1 ts Brown sugar
* 2 tb Vegetable oil
* 3 cl Garlic; minced
* 1/4 ts Crushed red pepper flakes

FOR THE FILLING

* 3 Bell peppers; cut into 1/2"
* 1 md Red onion; halved vertically

FOR THE SAUCE

* 2/3 c Low-fat yogurt
* 1/2 sm Cucumber; peeled, seeded,
* And finely diced (1/3c)
* 1/4 ts Ground cumin
* 1 tb Minced fresh parsley

TO SERVE

* 8 8" flour tortillas

Preparation

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the tempeh, bell peppers and onion. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 450 F.

In a small bowl combine the salsa ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Sprinkle a little water on each tortilla and rub it into each tortilla with your fingers. Stack the tortillas, then wrap in foil. Set aside.

Spread the marinated tempeh and vegetables on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and tempeh begins to brown. Do not toss while cooking.

Place the tortilla packet in the oven for about 7 minutes. This will heat the tortillas with a little steam to soften them.

To serve, place a tortilla on each plate. Spoon some of the tempeh mixture along the center, cover with a little cucumber salsa, then fold and roll to enclose the filling.

2009-09-14T17:25:00.004-05:00

DIY desk Organizers....

With back to school in full swing I thought I would share one of our ideas for organizing the kids desk drawers. We have older, second hand desks that sport deep drawers...easy to fill up with junk and hard to find anything in! After seeing what was available to buy in the stores I decided we could fashion our own that would be just as nice & personalized to match each kid.

for this project you will need:

1. empty boxes such as cereal, tissue, cracker boxes
2. tape (we used duct tape but packing or scotch would work too)
3. decorative paper - or if you want to be really eco-friendly, use the sunday funnies when you are done with them
4. pencil
5. scissors

Step One: select a height that you would like the organizer to be - probably a couple of inches...but if it is going into a shallow drawer you might want to measure the height of the drawer to be sure it will fit.

2. we taped our box together along the upper edges as it came open after we cut it...adds a little strength too....

3. trace the outline of the bottom of the box on a piece of decorative paper - cut slightly inside the lines and place paper in bottom of box

4. trace each side of box on decorative paper and tape to each side of box - we wrapped tape over the top edge to reinforce it

5. place in drawer and fill with goodies!

there are lots of ways to personalize these boxes...add your child's name, label the box with what will be put in it, for younger children they could cut photos out of magazines of what they will place inside....the options are endless!

Hope you have fun with this idea...if you make some yourself I would love to see your photos!

2009-09-12T09:57:00.004-05:00

Halloween Giveaway from gock's frocks!

I thought it would be fun to do a little giveaway on my blog for halloween....

"Why Not ? " replied my daughter eily....so...this is what I am giving away...your choice of one of the following...

1. Halloween Skirt from my etsy shop
2. applique halloween tee to match a skirt in my shop
3. surprise handmade Halloween home decor item - I realize that not all of my followers have kids so I thought I would offer something for everyone!

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So...how can you win???? Easy...there are lots of ways to get an entry - for each leave a comment below letting me know that you have done this as I will use the random # generator to pick the winner :)
1. become a fan of gock's frocks on facebook
2. subscribe to my blog
3. join my mailing list (on my blog)
4. follow me on twitter
5. blog or tweet about the giveaway (leave me a link here to check it out!)
6. check out my etsy shop and let me know your favorite from my new fall '09 collection

whew....lots of chances to win some Halloween goodies from gock's frocks! remember to leave a comment for each entry !

Have fun!

2009-09-10T10:59:00.003-05:00

Back to School...
.......or more aptly titled "Mama's got the baby blues!"....the kids headed back this week and to my surprise I found myself feeling very sad to see summer end.

Granted we had our fair share of squabbles and spats but as Monday drew to a close I realized the carefree days of summer were behind us ... our adventures at an end.

I met the buses with mixed emotions as I waved my kids off to another year at school... time marches on and each day they gain a bit more knowledge, independence, and stretch their wings away from me.

I only hope I can continue to influence them to be the best that they can be, treat others as they want to be treated and be a great citizen of this world....

my 7th grader...where has time gone?

4th grade...peace!

2nd grade...not so sure he wanted to go! mama's baby! look what he asked for in his lunch!

salami, mustard, and nicoise olives on a baguette! gotta love it...my little gourmet!

2009-09-09T06:46:00.003-05:00

Fall Fun!

This summer I had the good fortune of being contacted by the talented Suymey Benson of Blossom Portraiture Art asking if I would be interested in working with her... I loved her photographs and jumped at the chance to send her some of my designs...Eily wasn't too sure she liked someone else modeling gock's frocks but she has gotten over it!

I am thrilled with the photos I received from Suymey and promptly got all of the pieces listed in my etsy shop yesterday...

I hope you like them as much as I do - and if you are in the Dallas area be sure to contact Suymey if you are looking for a fantastic photographer!

Introducing my new 3 way dress....features a removeable, reversible apron

a couple of new skirts.... and a new crazy daisy tee

and a fun new peasant style bubble top!

check them out now in my etsy shop!

2009-08-26T23:41:00.004-05:00

Calling All Vera Bradley Fans....

do you like this

or this

and would you like to get them at about 50% off??? Then follow this link to Rue La La..but don't wait, the sale ends in less than 12 hours!

2009-08-26T08:25:00.003-05:00

Dear Mr. President....

I recently sent 2 skirts to Sasha & Malia Obama in an effort to raise the President's awareness about the absurdity of the CPSIA. I am offering these new designs in womens sizes in my etsy shop!

made with the fabulous new fabric collection Mezzanine from Patty Young at Michael Miller and featuring my comfy yoga waistband. If you feel like making your own pick up some mezzanine fabric in my other etsy shop Betty's Closet

2009-08-09T21:55:00.002-05:00

I think I am going to cry...sniff... sniff...

that would be tears of happiness! I just signed in to etsy and found the nicest feedback ever! I recently completed a special order for a customer for one of my womens yoga waist skirts (example shown in photo - not actual skirt)

she really took time to leave me thoughtful, positive feedback that has made my week!

"Is this a Lily Pulitzer? Why no, its a Gock's Frocks! Wear one of her pieces and you are sure to garner much attention. I ordered the skirt for myself and it is by far the most comfortable skirt that I own. The waistband is incredibly soft and is not constricting at all. I never want to take it off, as it is that easy to wear. I wear it with a white tank top and a pink cardigan and I look like I am ready for a stroll in Palm Beach. Her workmanship is phenomenal- it looks like a very expensive piece you would find in a high end boutique, as the photos cannot even compare to the real thing. She customized everything for me and really understood what I was looking for. Thank you very much!! I absolutely LOVE my Gock's Frocks skirt!"

thanks so much!

:)Kristen

2009-07-31T10:08:00.002-05:00

Summertime silliness and more!

thought I would share a few of my favorite photos from the past few weeks of summer....a little Leo heavy as the other kids were off to camp last week.

snuck back to town for a quick afternoon show...

my #1 helper

trying out a longboard

leo and I went to our first auction! He really wanted this hat & goggles...

and I really wanted this old globe...

Leo met another Leo!

at a cool farm we visited

then we finally had a beach day and the kids covered themselves with ground up wet chalk!

2009-07-22T09:16:00.007-05:00

2 great books for this summer!

while at the cottage I have the chance to do a lot of reading...we have a fabulous little library out here that gets in a great selection of current materials and delivers them with a smile! What more could you ask for!

I thought I would share 2 AMAZING books that I read this week and thoroughly enjoyed...

the first was Sarah's Key by Tatiana deRosnay

here is the review from Publishers Weekly

De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.

the second one....be sure you are not hungry when you crack it open as it is mouthwatering good!

The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal

...while this book did not garner the same rave reviews as Sarah's Key...I would class it as a great "Beach Read"... entertaining & enjoyable if not predictable. There are some delicious recipes shared throughout the novel making it a book worth checking our of your local library!

Hope you enjoy them!

2009-07-21T10:07:00.003-05:00

Mezzanine makes its debut....

in my etsy shops!

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Patty Young's latest collection for Micahel Miller - Mezzanine.

You can find it by the yard in my supply shop on etsy...Betty's Closet or check out my new skirt collection on etsy in my gock's frocks shop.

be sure to check them out as I have some new styles avaialble!

2009-07-08T07:50:00.002-05:00

Say Cheese....

After modeling for dear sweet mom for the past few years, Eily jumped at the chance to model for a bigger company and showed up at casting calls for Hasbro & Kodak last month....she booked both jobs!

I didn't think to take my camera to the Hasbro shoot but remembered at the Kodak shoot which was out on a farm and she had to herd geese! It was quite humorous watching about 8 adults trying to corral the geese to an area near her so she could run through and "herd" them. She was a real trooper as the shoot took 3 hours! Maybe now she will appreciate my 15 minute shoots a bit more!

and then she got to jump in a puddle!

look for her shots on Kodak.Com