Hhhhmmm.... So I suppose this is where I explain what this is. I guess this is my spot for my ramblings, what's happening, etc. Let's start with Hi! I'm Calicoe or Urtica. Those are my main two online alias that I tend to go by. I'm an avid anime/manga fan and I try to do art in my free time. I'm married and have a one year old son and two cats. I'm here to make friends and hopefully improve my art. On that note I am willing to accept safe for work art requests, but depending on demand and my available free time it might take me a little while to fulfill. I am a stay at home mom so my free time is in short supply. Also I mentioned it once on one of my pieces, but I tend to keep clean line art of most of my drawings so if you are interested in doing a recolor of one just let me know all I ask is for credit for the line art.

Fooooooood

Alright so I mentioned before getting lots of different types of instant noodles. I got some from world market. A-sa noodles! I liked these! The noodles are weird and frilly looking, but they taste really good if you like building spice. They definitely had a bit of a kick to them. Tried another kind of noodle from the local Safeway that come in a bag with the noodles still in a soft state and a liquid broth. I really, really, like these! The broth is a bit strong and very salty. If you don't like a rich broth it might not be for you.

Yesterday I did an experiment in making steamed buns. Found a really simple recipe for the dough online and decided to fill them with some left over curry (made from Golden Curry Hot roux blocks). Turned out awesome! It has convinced me to buy steaming baskets so I have something better to cook them in than the steaming basket (meant for veggies) in my rice cooker. This has opened the idea to a variety of filling possibilities. I am now less impressed with the one dumpling place we have in town that only seems to make really odd ones.

Ah, one last thing...a fairly funny and semi-embarrassing cooking story that happened recently. I was making breakfast for the kiddo and decided I would make him a hard boiled egg. He loves scrambled ones and I figured a hard boiled one was even easier. I was making something else at the same time for myself...exactly what I can't remember, but either way I was moderately distracted. I figured after I had finished what I was doing more than enough time had passed for his egg to cook. Took it off the heat, cooled and peeled it. While peeling discovered the egg was soft boiled. I would have been fine with it, but not sure if a 1 year old should be eating raw-ish yolk. Now I know that eggs in a shell blow up in the microwave, but this egg was unshelled and the yolk was already exposed! What could go wrong? Put it in a bowl with a bit of water and stuck it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Ten seconds in and BOOM! A loud bang made both me and the toddler jump. Egg coated the inside of my microwave. Needless to say he ended up having to eat yogurt and my microwave got a good cleaning. (Don't microwave eggs that aren't scrambled!)