How to Oxidize Sterling Silver by Meredith from Raven's Craving Studios

Looking to beautiful your jewelry before the holiday season begins?  Meredith Steele from Raven's Craving Studios is here to share her earth friendly tutorial on how to oxidize your sterling silver jewelry.  

Preliminary work: Construct something to hang your earrings, findings, whatever you want to oxidize on. I built this overly-excessive and probably-unnecessary wire thingy.  *muffersquish says "Instead of making a "overly-excessive and probably-unnecessary wire thingy" I simply put the pendant on a string and taped the ends of the string to the lid of the tupperware." What a great idea! Thanks muffersquish!


Step One: Obtain 3 eggs, I just buy cheapy eggs in half-dozen cartons (Hope recommends purchasing happy chicken eggs from a local farmer friend).  You will only use 3 per batch so you can get 2 batches from one carton. You will also need some sort of air-tight container, I like to use the cheap-tupperware-type leftover containers.

Step Two: Boil the eggs in salty water for about 20 minutes. You should put the eggs in the pot before you add the water so dropping them in will not crack them. It doesn't really matter if they crack, the salt in the water will stop them from leaking all over the place.    


Step Three: While the eggs are steaming hot, put them in the air tight container, shells still on. Mash them up with your choice of mashing tool. I use a fork. Mash them up good, especially the yolks!!

Step Four: Place your hangy-tool, or the overly-excessive and probably-unnecessary wire thingy in the airtight container, and hang your stuff on it. The objective here is to hang the items so they do not touch the eggs and get all... eggy.

Step Five: Replace lid and wait. It usually takes about an hour. You will see results after just 15 minutes but it will turn goldish bronze first, then brown, and finally dark grey. I get sick of waiting for it so I just leave them overnight and in the morning I have some lovely oxidized pretties!

Step Six: In the morning, just pop open the container, and throw the eggs away, compost them, or feed them to your dog, whichever! :) You can take a polishing cloth and rub off some of the oxidization to achieve that gorgeous depth in the cracks and crevices of your silver.

If you want your piece to stay dark all over, you can seal it. Most people recommend Renaissance Wax. If your oxidized parts won't be in contact with skin a lot, it's not necessary.  There you have it!


Many thanks to Meredith for sharing your lovely tutorial with Big Bad Art!  For those of you who aren't familiar with Meredith's work, Raven's Craving Studio features high quality handcrafted artisan jewelry using gemstones, pearls, sterling silver, antique brass, and dark annealed steel.  

Reclaimed Turquoise Nugget Necklace by Raven's Craving Studios


Vegetarian since 2003, Meredith has been utilizing earth friendly creative business methods since opening her Etsy shop 5 years ago.  

Earthy Picture Jasper and Waxed Cotton Wrap Bracelet by Raven's Craving Studios


Meredith's love of jewelry began as a young child, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, while visiting a bead shop.  Since then, she has earned a degree in art and design and her knowledge of beading and jewelry making continues to grow at a pace much faster than she ever imagined.  Go Meredith!  

It's Almost Earth Day with Katkin Studios and Krug's Eco-Logic

Lately I've been astounded by all of the talent in the world that surrounds me!  Mother Earth has truly blessed her children with creativity and love.
I'm part of an all vegetarian and vegan team on Etsy called Etsyveg and the two shops I'm highlighting today are lovingly operated by my Etsyveg teammates.  I chose Kat's gorgeous paintings because many of them are inspired by nature and they reflect my earth mamma sensibilities.  As for Erin's shop, I've been meaning to buy her beer soap for quite some time:)  Her products are eco-friendly and vegan.

Moonlight by Katkin Studios

                                                                                      
                                                                            Birth by Katkin Studios

Sun Waves by Katkin Studios

Men's Skincare Gift Set by Krug's Eco-Logic

Beer and Cedarwood Natural Soap by Krug's Eco-Logic

Please don't forget to comment and give them lots of love!  Thanks for the inspiration, ladies and Happy Earth Day every day.

Winter Kale Salad

I made this the other day & loved it!  Perfect for winter, because few veggies are involved and kale & carrots are easy to come by in the winter.  The almond butter dressing is warming, as well.

salad
1/2 lb. firm tofu
small-med sized bunch of kale, chopped in thin ribbons
2 large carrots, grated
olive oil

almond butter dressing
3 T almond butter (I used raw)
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
water, as needed
1 T honey
1 T grated ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic, or more to taste
few drops sesame oil, optional

Drain tofu and wrap in dishtowel for 5 minutes to absorb some of the water.  Cut into small 1/2" cubes.  Add 1 tsp. olive oil to frying pan (I use cast iron) set on med-high heat and stir fry for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from heat.
Mix together all of the ingredients for almond butter dressing.  Add more soy sauce if desiring a saltier dressing.  Add enough water so that the dressing is a little thinner than ranch dressing and stir well.
In a large bowl, mix together dressing, carrots and kale, and tofu.  If mixture is lacking flavor, add a little bit more almond butter and rice vinegar.  Considering how large your bunch of kale is (or isn't), it's better to play with it a bit.  Let sit for 2 hours and enjoy.  Keeps well in refrigerator for several days.







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Book Review: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Cupcakes are hot right now.  Remember when bagels were huge in the early 90's?  Bagel shops were everywhere.  Then, Krispy Kreme doughnuts (which I have never tried) were all the rage.  Cupcakes are currently it, but not just any cupcakes- vegan cupcakes.

Believe it or not, and I know that there are many disbelievers out there, vegan cupcakes rock.  At least, the ones I made from Terry Hope Romero & Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World do.   So far I can recommend the Rum Raisin Cupcakes w/ Rum Glaze & Rummy Buttercream Frosting + Chocolate Stout Cupcakes (with my own coconut cocoa cream frosting).  Delicious!
The recipes are pretty straightforward and easy to follow.  There are a couple of gluten-free recipes and the variety of recipes is solid- I never felt like I was reading the same recipe twice.  Oh, and the ingredients are easy to come by.
A great little cookbook.  I'm not much of a baker, but I found these cupcakes pretty fool-proof and can't wait to make more.  Next up- Chai Latte Cupcakes to accompany an Indian dinner I'm making this Thursday.  Yum!







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Fav Valentine's Day Picks

Let me say right away that Valentine's Day isn't a holiday I normally go out and celebrate with my honey.  You'll also never find me at the Rite Aid deliberating over which cheap candy and lame-butt card to pick out.
Instead, one year I made heart shaped tofu on rice for my family.  I'm not averse to giving and receiving chocolate on this day either (if it's really good chocolate).  However, my husband and I have a wedding anniversary around this time, so I'd rather just celebrate the love all month long.

Etsy most certainly isn't Rite Aid, however, and I think that even the biggest V-Day hater wouldn't snub their nose at any of these choices.

This little dish is really adorable.  Perfect for little love notes or a cupcake.

Big Love Dish w/ Two Birdies by Lean Dog Pottery

Now, my son would be so grossed out by this card because he thinks that quinoa looks like little worms.  I saw this card a few weeks ago and I LOVE it.  Super cute.

I Love You More than Quinoa Eco Friendly Mini Valentine Cards with Coin Envelopes by deepfried

I'm so inspired by all of the upcycled creations artists and crafters have been making.  I think we'll see more upcycling as time goes by.  I love cuffs!

Love Recycled Vinyl Cuff by Baking Vinyl






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Killer Carrot & Cucumber Salad

This side salad is the easiest, most delicious salad I've made in years.  Great in the winter, because the garbanzo beans provide a rich protein and the veggies in it generally taste good year round.




Killer Carrot & Cucumber Salad

1 large grated carrot (or 2 medium)
1 large cucumber, diced in medium sized chunks
2 artichoke hearts, finely chopped (from canned artichokes preserved in salt water- no oil)
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1/4 c rice vinegar
2 T balsamic vinegar (aged is best)
1/4 tsp. salt (or more, to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. olive oil

Everything can be added simultaneously in a medium sized bowl.  Stir well.  Let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour, restir, then ready to eat.  If you don't have time, this can be eaten immediately, but tastes better after the ingredients marinate in the vinegars.








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3 Beer Chili on a Cold Winter Night

Nothing better than a steaming bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold winter's night- and it is cold pretty much every night here! I use 3 different beers and 3 different kinds of beans in this vegetarian chili. Delicious with rice or without.


3 Beer Chili

3 15 oz cans beans; 1 black, 1 pinto, 1 red kidney
36 oz. canned crushed or diced tomatoes
1 small carrot, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 c. dried bulgur
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. minced jalapeno (or more, to taste)
16 oz. beer (I use a combo of IPA or hoppy winter ale, Pale Ale, and Stout or Porter)
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
water, as needed

Can be cooked in a slow cooker (will take at least 8 hours) or in a big pot over the stove. First, saute onions in 1 tsp. olive oil for 2 minutes on med-high heat in a medium sized frying pan. Add minced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain liquid from beans and rinse. Add tomatoes, beans, carrot, green pepper, jalapeno, onions and garlic mixture and 8 oz. beer to slow cooker. Turn it slow cooker (or set heat on large pot to medium) and stir well. Let flavors meld for 2 hours (or 1 hour in large pot, stirring every 15 minutes), then add rest of ingredients. Add water as needed. Basically cook until the carrots are cooked. Add more beer, water, or spices as needed.
Tasted delish with a side of brown rice. You can try different combos of beer.






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Super Moist Vegan Banana Bread w/ Coconut Flour

Being fairly new to vegan baking, I was surprised when this banana bread ended up tasting absolutely fabulous. This bread is soooo moist! The coconut flour adds fiber and a slightly sweeter flavor. My son loved it and we didn't miss the eggs or butter at all.

3 1/2 cup white flour (unbleached)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon
7 mashed ripe bananas
3/4 vanilla soymilk (can sub any other milk)
1 cup canola oil (I only had 1/2 cup, so I used 1/2 olive oil)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Grease 2 bread pans (or 1 large & two small).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix wet ingredients in large bowl and dry ingredients into medium sized bowl.  Slowly fold dry ingredients into wet.  Do not overstir.  Pour into well greased bread pans.  My oven temp swings high and low, so your baking time might differ from mine.  I baked the small loaves for about 30 minutes and the large about 50 minutes.






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Vegan Philly Open-Faced Sandwich

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and still feel nostalgic for a Philly cheesesteak.  The rolls were soft with a hint of sourdough; the grease and cheese was gooey, yummy, warm.  At least, that is how I remember it nearly 20 years later.

One of my New Years' goals is to incorporate more vegan and raw meals into my vegetarian diet.  I'm lactose-intolerant, but can't seem to stay away from cheese.
Today's sandwich was an experiment, an idea explored that is far from perfect, yet still pretty tasty.  Normally I would have used cheese, but decided to make a vegan cheez sauce instead.



Vegan Philly Open-Faced Sandwich

One large slice of toast
1/3 cup bite-sized seitan
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
2 T beer
water, as needed
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 slices tomato
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced

Saute onions in olive oil spray for 2 minutes in small sauce pan.  Add garlic and continue until onions are soft.  Add beer, nutritional yeast, and as much water as needed to make your sauce.  Cook for 1 minute and add the soy sauce and seitan.  Cook a few more minutes, letting the flavors blend.
Put toast on plate and place tomato on top.  Pour seitan cheez mixture over toast and tomato.  Bon Appetit!












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Three Philosophers' Grilled Cheese

Cheese is my favorite food.  Without cheese, I could very easily be vegan.  Considering my lactose intolerance I probably should be.  I try to balance my daily intake of dairy via cheese with soy milk, olive oil spray, tofu spreads, avocado and such.

This grilled sandwich was inspired by my love of Welsh Rarebit and an already opened bottle of beer in the fridge.

Three Philosophers' Grilled Cheese

sliced onions
1/4 cup Three Philosophers' beer by Ommegang Brewery
whole wheat bread
olive oil spray
dried oregano
cheddar + swiss cheese

Saute onions (how much depends on you) in small saucepan with olive oil spray (or butter), slowly adding the beer.  Slice as much cheddar/swiss as desired and layer on whole wheat bread.  Spray pan and bread with olive oil (or again, use butter) and cook on medium heat.  I cover the saucepan so that the cheese thoroughly melts.  When cheese is melted and bread is gently toasted on both sides, open up sandwich to sprinkle on oregano and add onions.  Yum!

Really Good Gluten-Free Brownies

I do a lot of baking during the holiday season.  I love trying different ingredients out in the kitchen and found this lovely organic coconut flour by Let's Do...Organic.   Perfect for gluten free baking and higher in fiber than most flours.

I took their recipe for wheat free brownies from the back of the bag and altered it- trying to create a somewhat healthier version.  It originally called for a lot of eggs, more sugar, no bananas/applesauce- which I'm sure is delicious, but since I added vegan marshmallows, tried not to make it too rich.  This is a double batch in 13x 9 Pyrex dish.



Hope's Wheat Free Brownies

8 eggs
2/3 c butter
1 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c unsweetened applesauce
1 cup Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c organic coconut flour
1 large banana, mashed
1/2 c Sweet & Sara's Marshmallows (if you want these to be totally gluten-free, add a gluten-free marshmallow- these are processed in a plant with wheat products)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a saucepan over low heat, blend butter and cocoa powder.  Remove from heat and let cool.  In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugan, vanilla, applesauce, and mashed banana.  Stir this into the cocoa mixture.  Then slowly add the coconut flour until batter is no longer lumpy.  Pour into pre-greased Pyrex (13x9) glass baking dish.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top of batter.  Cook about 45-60 min.- testing w/ knife or toothpick.  Chop marshmallows into 1/2" bits and gently push into the brownie.  You can bake the marshmallows too, but my son and I thought they tasted better when added at the last minute.







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Vegan MoFo Recipe: Mushroom and Rice Miso Soup

Been really into making combinations of mushroom and miso soups lately.  In the past, I've made mushroom and onion miso soup, mushroom and tofu miso soup with spring onions, and spicy pepper and mushroom miso soup.  Usually these are soups for one.  Really easy to make, warming, and healthy.
This week I had some leftover rice, which was the inspiration for this.  

I always saute the veggies/tofu first in about tsp. of olive oil or sesame oil.  This time I used 5 porcini mushrooms, a few slices of banana pepper, and 1/2 cup of leftover brown rice.  Cook until mushrooms are soft.

Heat 1 cup of water in tea kettle.  Right before boiling pour it into your bowl and add about 1 1/2 tsp. miso.  I used yellow miso.  Stir until miso is dissolved and add veggies.









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EtsyVeg Spooktacular Event! October 24th-31st

Halloween Spooktacular Event Oct 26-Nov 2nd etsyveg event 

The Etsyveg team is offering up some great giveaways in celebration of Halloween! Some great items have been donated by these artists: Palafoxstudio 23 ,  Aktie9 ,  JF Illustrations and Blackbird and Peacock paper things (me & Joe).

Check out these shops for awesome promotions: Silent Lotus , MagglePie , Au Clair de la Lune , Lalu Jewelry , Gardenias Garb , and more!

More details available at the EtsyVeg blog- this link will take you there- etsyveg blog