Soup and Links…

The other day I was reading Posie Gets Cozy, a lovely blog, and she talked about comfort foods.  I was thinking about my comfort foods and how they’ve changed over the years.  In college, it was pizza, chips and salsa with orange juice.  In early marriage, I remember making carmel corn and baked croissants with meat and cheese in the middle.  Now it seems to be anything that isn’t local to here—baked apples, soups, casseroles, but also those seem kind of traditional comfort foods to my Midwestern up-bringing.  My mom sent a bag of egg noodles and they were gone in a weekend–used in Chicken and Noodles.  I’m going home in less than a month, perfect timing for baking Valentine cookies with my grandma—something I haven’t gotten to do in two years.  I wasn’t forgotten, I’ve gotten a parcel of cookies both years, but this year I will be there to eat them in person with my grandpa, fresh cookie baking aromas and all!  It is about smell too, isn’t it.  After living here (or getting older), I also think comfort not only comes with the flavors or warmth, but also with making something by hand because it takes your mind off everything else.  I look at the list of foods and each takes a little bit longer to make than the last.  Hmmm.  Food for thought, Thanks Posie.  And this cream of tomato soup was also one of her comfort foods.  I gave it a whirl today and it was so simple and delightful alongside a ham n’ cheese wrap.

About.com Jewelry Making 
Do you like two tone metal jewelry? Are you a metal clay jewelry maker? Tammy tells us about a new product to help you mix up metals using metal clay techniques.
http://jewelrymaking.about.com/b/2008/01/10/go-for-gold-with-metal-clay.htm

Art Bead Scene 
We are feeling groovy here at Art Bead Scene, as we celebrate our own Tari Sasser’s recent press with her tie dyed beads. What trippy thing would *you* make with them?
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2008/01/fit-to-print-tari-sasser-in-bead-style.html

Jewelry & Beading 
Cyndi has a free book giveaway going on! You can enter to win a copy of "Crazy About Jewelry" simply by leaving a comment on this post! What could be easier?
http://www.jewelryandbeading.com/2008/01/09/book-review-crazy-about-jewelry/

Naughty Secretary Club 
Thinking of selling your jewelry for a living? Jen has some tips on free promotion and suggested reading to get you started.
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-small-business-tips.html
PearlEsq. 
Check out the latest adventure of a rubber stamp that’s made its way to Australia!
http://pearlesq.blogspot.com/2008/01/journey-of-strange-stamp.html
Savvy Crafter 
Finding the findings is always an interesting experience in Candie’s part of the world. This week she shares a couple of pictures from a trip to Hong Kong.
http://candiecooper.typepad.com/savvycrafter/2008/01/find-the-findin.html
Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done! 
Beautiful (…possibly even…sexy?) champagne coin pearl chandeliers by Jean!
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2008/01/its-psych-marathon-on-channel-usa-and-i.html

The Impatient Blogger 
Need a dose of inspiration? Check out this video blog post by Margot Potter as she traverses a whole new dimension of bloggy goodness!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/01/say-it-dont-spray-itoran-inspirational.html

We have a glass coffee table that we often eat at.  I’m not crazy about the table, but it is kind of fun when a little white dog sits under it looking up at the food or us.