Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 04:24 PM CST [General]
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season (including tonight's New Years' celebration... stay safe!!)!!
I'm back and ready to rock for 2009, so make sure you keep Made By Moms in mind for all your baby and toddler gift needs! We'll be adding a few new lines this year, so keep your eyes open for plush toys, organic blankets and lounge pants for babies!
Before I run off again, I come bearing our huge After-Christmas Clearance Sale. I need room in my closet (so says the husband), so I'm cleaning out some of our older styles to make way for new ones! What is it they say at this time of year? Out with the old, in with the new!
We just listed a bunch of items on Art Fire between 50% - 75% off and we'll be listing more in the coming days. Go and check it out -- we have blankets as low as $10 (wow!).
Check out our Art Fire for more information: Made By Moms
Thursday, December 11, 2008, 11:19 PM CST [General]
Alrighty all, before I head off to sleep, I figured I'd fill you guys in on some stuff...
First, I just listed new items on Art Fire including a Winnie the Pooh blanket and blankets featuring Amy Butler and Heather Bailey fabrics.
Check them out here:
Second, I posted a new blog... so check that out ;)
Lastly, I'm going to be at Homegrown for the Holidays in downtown Orlando on December 20th from 11 am until 7 pm. Please come and visit, check out our purchases... if you say you saw us on the internet, we're offering 20% off!
Take care everyone and have a super-fantastic day :)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 09:32 AM CST [General]
So, I've been looking around for prospective websites to list on. Etsy is nice but it has huge issues that I've yet to see resolved in a year of buying and about six months of selling -- the search function is a huge one. It's tough to gain recognition or traction there and it's easy to spend boatloads of money listing and relisting items on a daily basis to keep yourself at the top of the list.
So, I found a place called Art Fire -- http://www.artfire.com -- that has two different membership levels. The first level is completely free -- no monthly fees, no listing fees, no selling fees... Absolutely. Free. The second level is a "Verified" membership that is $7 a month and opens up all sorts of new possibilities like the ability for site recognition through their featured artisan spotlight, ability to join guilds (teams), etc. The $7 is limited, though, to only 5,000 people and after that it'll go to $20. We need to start spreading the word to all those who buy and sell handmade items... The search function is great, the admin truly respond to your concerns and the community is fantastic -- just the way Etsy was a few years ago when they actually cared. I'm not meaning to sound like I'm dogging on Etsy because I really do like them, but they've snubbed the sellers far too often... and when something new comes along that actually offers things that Etsy doesn't, well... it's hard to pass up.
Let's be realistic... I have the same blanket listed on Etsy and on Art Fire. I listed it on 11/26 and it has received 48 unique views, it even shows me unique links and referral IDs through Google. On Etsy, I have only 101 total views and it's been up there for over three months *and* I promote it heavily on the forums. So while the traffic isn't that high at Art Fire overall, I'm gaining a whole heck of a lot more traction there than I ever had on Etsy.
Anyway, do me a favor and check Art Fire out (buyer or seller). If you do sign up for a Verified Account, please use the referral link below -- right now they're running a promotion where you can be Verified for life FREE if you refer 10 people. It's a neat way of giving back to those who promote their site the heaviest.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 01:13 AM CST [General]
Please, everyone, spread the word... talk to your congressman or woman and help save us small handmade artisans !! Get the word out and STOP THIS!
Why the plea for help? Apparently, back in August 2008 a new law was signed on to the books -- the Consumers Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). It mandates that EVERY single manufacturer of items for children under the age of 12 must test every component of their items at certified testing labs for levels of lead and phthalates. This means that every ribbon, every fabric, every button, every bead -- everything that goes into my items will have to be tested for lead. This will cost hundreds of dollars per test and would effectively put me, and most other small businesses catering to children completely out of business. We can't even rely on suppliers testing their materials (which, it should be THEIR responsibility ANYWAY), the onus of certification is on our head. The cost of noncompliance? Thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time.
My choice is between completely shutting my doors or violating the law.
Please check out the following websites for more information :
If you like buying handmade and supporting local artisans, please rally to this cause. While I am the first one to admit that there are far too many chemicals in our lives today, it shouldn't be the job of small business manufacturers to test. Testing should be done in batches by the large-scale manufacturers. It's sheer stupidity that if I and three friends go to a fabric store and each buy three yards of the *same* fabric, we'd each be forced to run the same tests for lead and phthalates. If the manufacturer batch tests their fabric to conform to the new safety regulations that SHOULD BE ENOUGH. No need to shift the onus to July Seamstress or Bobby Wooden Toy Maker.
This is far-reaching regulation. It impacts everyone -- you make hair bows? Wooden toys? Felt toys? Stuffed animals? You crochet baby clothing? Make blankets? Bibs? Burp cloths? Knit baby booties? How about child's clothing? Stockings? Socks?
Do you make, or know someone who makes ANYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE USED BY A CHILD UNDER 12? They will be impacted by this.
Please help, fixing this legislation is the only way to keep reputable businesses from choosing to close down or operate outside the law.
Ok, so I know I promised some major recipes when I started this blog and, months in, I have yet to deliver. Bad Jennifer, I know! Anyway, I thought I'd post a holiday favorite in my household -- my rum cheesecake. It's an old recipe that I've adapted throughout the years and goes wonderfully paired with either a chocolate or caramel sauce. If you're a novice cheesecake baker, make sure to read up on both cooking methods to see which one you'd like to try (you should always read the whole recipe first, but you already know that ;) )...
Anywhere, here goes...
Ingredients:
1 c finely crushed chocolate wafer or shortbread cookies, (about 10 - 13) 3 T dark brown sugar, packed 2 T unsalted butter, melted 5 packages cream cheese, softened (40 oz) 1 1/4 c sugar 1/3 c heavy whipping cream 1 T rum extract 1/4 t cinnamon 1/4 t ground nutmeg 1/8 t ground cloves 3 eggs
Notes:
*You can usually find chocolate wafers in the ice cream aisle of Publix, next to the hot fudge sauce and marashino cherries. Some grocery stores don't stock these cookies and some only stock them around the holidays, so call around to find them -- the brand is Nabisco and the name is "Famous Chocolate Wafers" . Worse comes to worse, you can find them online.
*You'll be able to find "Imitation Rum Extract" in the baking aisle near the other extracts like vanilla, almond and peppermint. Don't use real rum because it's not concentrated enough to pack in the flavor and if you use too much rum your cheesecake won't set.
*It's always best to use fresh, whole spices -- grate a cinnamon stick and put nutmeg through a mill.
*Best way of cooking? I'll give two directions, one for normal bake and one for a waterbath. The difference? Waterbaths don't produce the heavy, dense cheesecakes that normal baking does. They are a little lighter and a little more moist, with a less intense flavor -- which is better? Personal preference. Also, water baths have a tendency to avoid the cracks along the top (which are caused by overbaking and cooling too quickly) -- it's not a guarantee, though, just less likely to happen. Also, your crust won't be as crisp (as it's been almost steamed) in a water bath vs. the traditional cheesecake cooking method. So, in all? The waterbath method makes it easier to produce evenly baked cheesecakes with no cracks *but* it will yield a softer, more moist cheesecake that occasionally lacks the deep, intense flavor that many people love about cheesecakes!
* If you're doing the waterbath method, wrap the cheesecake with ONE PIECE of aluminum foil and wrap it tightly. DO NOT USE TWO PIECES IF YOUR ALUMINUM ISN"T LARGE ENOUGH, go out and buy extra-large foil. It needs to reach all the way up every side to prevent water from seeping in and ruining your cheesecake. You might even want to double-wrap to ensure no water gets in. This is the biggest problem people have when making cheesecakes and it'll even happen if you're careful if you accidently break a hole in your foil (yes, this did happen to me).
*If you like crispier cheesecake crusts you can bake your crust first. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before adding filling.
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and take out a 9" Springform pan. If using the water bath method, wrap with foil now.
2. Mix cookies, butter and brown sugar by hand. Press into the bottom of the pan. Follow directions above if you'd like to prebake your crust, otherwise set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer, beat your cream cheese (medium-low to medium speed) just until smooth (only a minute or so, as it should be softened already). Scrape the sides and add in the sugar, cream, rum extract and spices. Beat on Medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 1 - 2 minutes), scraping the sides to avoid lumps. Beat the eggs in on Low speed, one at a time, until well blended.
4. Pour over crust and smooth the top.
**NORMAL METHOD: Place pan on a baking sheet (this will make it easier to hold and it'll catch the grease that will escape from the pan, making your oven less messy) and put into the oven (middle rack, please). Bake until the sides of the cheesecake are set, but the center still jiggles a little when the pan is tapped (about an hour but start checking the cheesecake at 50 minutes to avoid overbaking... can be as long as 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your oven). Be careful not to overcook or your cheesecake will crack. Prop the door open a little and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour or so. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Put on a rack and let cool completely before unmolding.
**WATERBATH METHOD: Set the wrapped pan in a large roasting pan or baking dish and place in the oven (middle rack, please). Pour boiling water (or extremely hot water) into the baking dish, being careful not to get it on your cheesecake, enough to come 1/2 way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for around 55 - 60 minutes, or until the edges look puffed but the center still jiggles a little when pan is tapped. Waterbath baking is a little more forgiving than normal baking, so don't worry if you think you've left it in too long. Prop the door open and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour or so. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Put on a rack and let cook completely before unmolding.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours, at least, but 24 hours is best.
Cracked your cheesecake? Don't worry, it happens to the best of us... cheesecakes are finicky creatures and don't believe anyone who says they can produce a perfect, non-cracked cheesecake every single time -- they're lying. I've been baking cheesecakes for eight years and I *still* get cracks occasionally. IF you crack your cheesecake, don't worry... steal a trick from professional bakers and cover the cheesecake with something. Chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, fruit -- no one will notice because your cheesecake will look fantastic!
So, how was it? If anyone tries this recipe, please let me know. How was the recipe? Easy to follow? Clear and concise?
