Carapace Carapace!

Until Friday night, I had no clue what a carapace was...  I do now!  I honestly don't know why I decided to Google "Is a crab considered hexagon shaped?".... but so glad that I did!  Not only did I conquer the hex parameter on this week's Craft Roulette, but...I learned a little about the sea spiders that I so love...especially if it's a Pacific Northwest Dungeness!  

 I really enjoyed this one.  The color parameter, "calm" colors, put me in the mindset of a tranquil beach vibe.  I work/have worked with many a med spa in my chocolate past and present, that I have the tranquil colors already figured out in my head.  Light blues/jades/white/starfish and sand is what comes immediately to mind.  I probably could have found a hexagon shaped shell, but, I have wanted to die cut this crab out now for quite awhile... somewhat of a diversion from stamping characters, fussy cutting to the line that I color carefully with a black marker to get rid of that white cut margin look?!  I needed something different this week, the parameters popped up so timely!~

My parameters are justified by:

 

1. My waves are cut at a diagonal!  This was tricky, as these dies have a small width, and my math/geometry brain wasn't working up to snuff when I did the cutting...  In the end, I figured it out, but, what a struggle, I had to THINK!
2. Calm colors, as in a fun memory of a beautiful beach in La Jolla / San Diego area years ago...
3. My mat(s) are with my  Postage Stamp Nesting Dies from Unity Stamp Company
4. A crab carapace is / can be hexagonally shaped.  (Not all species of crab) SO  ... I made a little hex diecut to stamp my inside card sentiment, to be doubly sure of the hex parameter...just in case your eyes don't see the hex shape in the crab that mine do!  lol!

 

So, there you have it!!!  Another fun Craft Roulette night started and finished.  I can't believe I'm at 113... I've had a ton of fun at it, and it has become my "thing" these days.

My calm!

A little bonus addition to this post!!!

 So I gave myself permission to copy a recipe out of the Adams Place Cooks With Vinegar Cookbook that my Mom and I wrote in 1989..  We have since then, printed 3 more times, changing the colors of the cover, not changing the contents...  If you have never cooked with Flavored Wine Vinegars, it opens up a great world of tastes by decreasing the need for salt and unnecessary calories too.  (Wine Vinegar makes a GREAT meat tenderizer).  Oh how I miss those early days of our business...  Since then, my husband and I found a passion to go crabbing on the Oregon Coast...it all started when my daughter played beach volleyball, in her early volleyball years.  Once she started playing in college, the tournament conflicted with her college schedule, it's been awhile since we have thrown the pots off the bridge...but when we did...our haul of Dungeness Crab can be plentiful,  once yielding over 40...yep, 40 crab to crack and enjoy! This dip recipe was created in our pre crabbing days, when my husband managed a wholesale seafood plant in our early years of dating, even before we were married....  My Mom and I had just started our gourmet biz, and decided to add a cookbook to the line to go with our line of wine vinegars.  We are even having this tonight!  :)  I prefer it now days with the Dill Vinegar, but any will do!  (and green onion)

 

 I prefer using our Dill Vinegar, and Green Onions for the onion...  so so good.  So good.  

 

Adams Place Cooks With Flavored Wine Vinegars

by

Gerry and Trudi Adams

Kennewick, WA  99337