Yardshark's Profile

That'll teach me! I just tried to find my longtime favorite, La Morena chipotle sauce (they have a sauce version and a whole peppers version), at a Silicon Valley Safeway. How silly of me to look in the Mexican food section!

All is not lost, because I found my fave brand at the Lucky. I'll have to puree, because they didn't have the sauce version I wanted. Whoever thought it would be difficult to find Mexican ingredients in California...?

In any case, the others are right: my brand is 72% cheaper than this.

Short answer: No.

And Deb93...thank you for your observation - I have been saying the same thing for years!! I am so tired of this fake "trend" they trumpet maybe even every season, let alone every 2 years... It's not a trend, it's a freakin' cliché.

Some of us also object to its subtext of domination - over "exotic" African animals plundered for pelts, and over women, who are constantly encouraged to dress up like "exotic" animals/trophies. Have you ever seen a man in a leopard coat?

Ick.

I'd like to see some examples of this in action before I put coffee all over my MCM walnut dining table...

About the corn meal method, it is corn *gluten* meal that is used - and it has to be done at a certain time of the year/growing cycle to work.

I'm of two minds about these types of items...they do make some classic textures available for low prices, fast turnout, and fewer natural resources consumed (in contrast to, say, a hand-carved fillip out of slow-growing wood).

But...most of this stuff is plastic. In contrast to the lime plasters of yore, plastic isn't exactly the most environmentally friendly either on the manufacturing/materials end or on the waste end (not all these things are going to be permanent parts of a building and even if they are installed as such, that thing is never breaking down after a building gets demolished).

One side of me loves the easy, trompe-l'oeil flash of these fun scrolls and stuff, the other side doesn't like the cheap plastic nature-killing consumption...

Oh well, I know which side will win out, no matter which side I lean to, 'cause this kind of product isn't going away.

Hopefully this post will be helpful for those who can't tell a "pallet" (these shipping supplies) from their "palate" or a painter's "palette." ...I can dream can't I?

The veggie chili I make shares much in common with this framework - but I flavor with leftover brewed coffee instead of grounds, and have always included the spoonful of Dijon, as well as at least 3 chopped pickled jalapenos (another seasoning arguably missing off the basic list) - of course there are a number of other seasonings as well. Favorite bean combo is black and white (cannellini).

(Yes, the tomato base makes it "black and white and red all over.")

Well, as in clothing fashion, so in housewares: proclaim trends that you're pretty sure people no longer own, so that they'll have to go out and buy to keep up. (Short hair was in last year...this year butt-length! Just kidding...but it's similar. Blue! No, yellow!)

But yes, the eye gets used to something like the current taste for everything nickel, so soon we want a visual break by switching it up. (However, dare I predict that we won't see a whole lot of the cheesy shiny brass that was the thing for most of the 20th century?)

About catalogs...I recycle the ones that still get through, but DO call the companies sending to you and tell 'em to stop the paper madness.

Less temptation, fewer dead trees, you don't have to use any mental energy after that one phone call, it's a win-win-win.

LOL.

That "vintage magazine holder" (#4) is not. It's a knitting stand or knitting tote. These come in some great fabrics and can be found for less on eBay (sold by those who know what they are. ;) )

For example: http://tinyurl.com/2v64vxm

Happy knitting. :)