At any given time I have about 5 creative projects actively in progress. The 5 are chosen from a list of about – well, the numbers are embarrassing, let’s just say a significantly larger and ever growing list. I’m pretty certain that I’ve become an idea machine for the primary purpose of rationalising my procrastination: I can’t work on that right now, I have this new project that needs attention. I’m getting better about this though. New ideas are almost always pushed to the end of the line now. It would be great if I could work on just 1 or 2 things at a time, but my brain refuses. 5 is too many, but any less than that and I won’t work on anything at all. 5 works because no matter how much I’m doing, I’m procrastinating on something. I need to procrastinate, I don’t feel complete unless I’m neglecting something.

Yea! Once I had the right glue, these were super easy to put together. I used contact cement (after failing miserably with Modge Podge) and applied the glue in thick globs, dividing the shoe into 4 parts: toe, heel, instep, and – er – outstep? Then pressed the glue covered area into a large tupperware filled with nonpareils. I used red licorice ropes to line the shoe and glued a sort of bow on the top.

Let it dry, spray with sealant, and tada! Candy shoes!

I know I took more progress images but I can’t find them anywhere. I can be trigger happy with the delete button.

A few sprinkles have escaped, but not many. Really, the licorice bow is the most fragile part of the shoe.

Butterscotch is awesome. Unadulterated awesomeness. The best part is that it’s easy to make and lasts a long time in the fridge. Assuming you don’t just eat it all right away. Which I of course have never done. More than once. Twice. Leave me alone.

Butterscotch is easy to make so long as you prepare beforehand:
4 tablespoons (half a stick) of butter (I don’t bother use unsalted but you can if you want more control over the salt content)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
Vanilla (if you don’t have real vanilla extract, don’t bother, just use brandy)
1 teaspoon (or so!) Salt (kosher or sea salt are my preferences)
A whisk

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Turn the stove on to medium and melt the butter till foamy.

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You can also keep cooking the butter until it starts to brown a bit, which is what I do – I love browned butter. The pic to the left is just butter, I’m whisking it to move the foam away so you can see how brown it is. Then add the sugar in one big plop (right).

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Whisk lightly, at first it will look like wet sand (left), but after a couple of minutes it’ll get liquidy again.

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The mixture will start to get a bit foamy (left), which means it’s time to add the cream and WHISK (I missed the pic here – it blended super quick!) You can lower the temperature or take the pot off the stove before adding the cream and then put it back on the stove once it’s blended if you’d like.

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Whisk lightly for another few minutes (for me it’s usually about 3), and then remove from the heat. Add the vanilla and salt (maybe start with just half the salt). Give it a stir and a taste – but beware! – right now it’s seriously hot so don’t stick your finger in the pot. Dip a spoon in the mix and blow on it first! (Sorry about the patronising warning, but people just don’t take sugar heat seriously!). Add more salt if needed and voila – butterscotch! Once it’s cool (or while it’s hot, I don’t care) transfer to a microwave safe storage container and you’re set.

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I like using a microwave safe container since it will get pretty thick once refrigerated and you have to heat it up if you’re going to pour over ice cream (or onto an available sex slave, whatever). Here I have vanilla ice cream and pecans. Yum!