If I’d Known You Were Coming…

Everyday Adventures

Oh, wait, I totally did! So I baked a cake.

Hidden Strawberry Cake

Hidden Strawberry Cake*

Alright Artsies (how does that sounds for a name for us? thoughts?), we’re going to have some new folks around the blog, today tomorrrow, because… tadaa! It’s Wedneday’s my SITS Day!

UPDATE: Due to some tech issues–they happen, we roll with it–my SITS day is now Wednesday, so if you come here on Tuesday and are a bit confuzzled, no worries, we’re just having a little fun with the timestream 😉

What’s SITS? It’s the Secret’s in the Sauce–a line from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes AND an amazing group of women that are all about supporting each other in the Blogosphere. If you’re a blogger and haven’t checked them out, you really might want to!

Cocktail, Anyone?

Cocktail, Anyone?

For those of you who have happened here because of that lovely linkie they gave me, today, welcome to Scraps of Life and the 64 Arts! I’m so glad you’ve stopped by. I love all things creative, about as much as I love lists (and crossing things off them!) and the 64 Arts is a list of accomplishments pulled from a very old source but it still pertinent to this day and age. To find out more, check out the beginning of this odyssey: A New Direction. For the cliff’s notes about what we’ve done so far, check out the Arts so Far for topics and some of my favorite posts.

But, silly me, can I offer you a drink before we get on with the getting to know me?

Bits and Scraps

My name is Jennifer but that name was incredibly popular in the mid-70s and, after being one of 4 Jennifer’s in my 3rd grade class I began my search for the perfect nom de plume. After buying this domain in 2003, I ended up stumbling into the screenname and nickname Scraps, so that’s what I go by online for writing and comics.

See, I have a very uncreative day-job…

I have a very understanding boss.

I have a very understanding boss.

And my need for a creative outlet (or 10) is immense. First it was food: I did double duty as a full-time bookkeeper and a full-time (evenings) culinary student and took a leave of absence to do my internship and beyond as a Pastry Chef. Funny thing, though, I like paying my bills (on time, even) and cheffing wasn’t being too helpful on that front. So I checked it off my master to-do list and went back to bookkeeping.

Next was art: More night classes and a plan to go back full-time but, divorce happened and I needed to support myself. I’ve always been a crafter and a long-time scrapbooker, and around the same time I started my autobiographical webcomic (like a blog, but with lots of drawings and fewer words) I became the Arts & Craft Expert (their title, not mine) for eHow.com. When the writing gig ended I got more time to do my own work, and that’s when I went a little blog-overboard.

Plenty to go Around

… and a little something for everyone!

I’ve now got 2 comics online: my life-inspired one, Cocktail Hour, and a geeky dating comic, Where the Geeks Are.

Even though they are both on hiatus, there’s plenty of archives to read through. Comics aren’t just for boys and they aren’t all super-heroes, either! Me? I’ve been described as the heroine in my own chick-lit novel.

Not that that’s a bad thing (keeps life interesting).

The reason they’re on hiatus is my current project: What to Feed Your Raiding Party. I’m combing my love of food and comics and the desire to help and creating a cookbook that half comic book, too! If this is something you’d like to know more about, feel free to check out the progress diary.

Speaking of food, I’ve got a dedicated food blog: Nibbles ‘n Bites. The occasional recipe (like the one for the Hidden Strawberry Cake, above) interspersed with plenty of foodie opinions and ideas.

And, if you’re in need of a drink, you might find my cocktail blog, Sips & Shots, to your taste. Each Friday I post a new drink recipe to get your weekend started off right.

Finally, if you’re like me and like music playing pretty much all. the. time. you might find yourself getting into some musical ruts. I like a wide variety of music and really love finding music no one (okay, few) have heard before. Get in on the secret at my monthly podcast: Random Acts Radio.

Okay, that’s Me!

Now, I’d really love to find out who you are! Comments are great and I do my best to respond (either via comments/email or by visiting your blog) to every one I get. Let’s get to know each other better!

Oh, and one more thing–If you like hand-knit items and want a chance to win one, check out last week’s post (Today’s Cowl)–all it takes is a comment (on that entry) to enter the drawing!

220 thoughts on “If I’d Known You Were Coming…”

    1. Pictures if you make it! lol

      And I consider that high praise, indeed, as I find your posts to be full of the hilarity, too!

  2. Happy SITS day!

    There is just so much to see and do here….I love it! I’m psyched that you draw comics. My bf from college worked in a comic book store, so I would spend most days after classes hanging out there and keeping her company. I developed a fondness for the comics 🙂

    1. Oh, dear, I hope I haven’t overwhelmed! And yay for another woman who’s comics-friendly. When I do conventions the guys automatically think the flyer I’m holding out is for them, until they actually look at it and pass it onto their girlfriend or wide who had no clue comics aren’t just a guy thing!

  4. Its official…This gal is my kinda woman! She bakes, she cooks, she draws, and she makes custom cocktails!!! I am SOOO subscribing to this blog!

    1. Thanks! Hope you find something you like… I’m like Grannie’s attic (if my Granny’s had attics), all sorts of things you never knew you needed to know about, lol!

  8. You are a friggin’ hoot! So…you’re in “creative accounting”…we’ll just keep that a secret. 🙂
    And I didn’t even know you could blog way back in old 2003. You are diligent! Congrats on your SITS day…enjoy the love!

    1. Oh, I’m one of those by-the-book, follow-the-rules types that our clients appreciate only after they’ve been audited, too, and know why I’m like this, lol.

  11. You only had four Jennifer’s in your class? I had 12 in my graduating class in 1995 and we had about 32 in the whole school! NO JOKE!! That’s okay though, because only the smartest, prettiest, and coolest kids can belong to the “Jennifer” club!! 🙂

    I am a fellow foodie – I am really interested in your food blog!! Can’t wait to read more!
    Happy SITS day!!

    1. Well, that was one of at least 3 3rd grade classes, I’ve no idea how many were in the others. But now you’ve made me curious—I’m going to have to break out the Senior yearbook (c/o ’94) and see how many Jennifer’s there were by then. I used to think the one upside to having such a common name was that it was easy for everyone to spell. Right. Until I started getting college packets with all sorts of variations on the theme. Then I just gave up, lol.

  13. Happy SITS day! You are too funny. You must be incredibly organized to keep up with your job and all your projects! My name is Ashley, so I understand the 4 other people in your class with the same name thing.

    1. I’m mostly organized… unless you were to actually look at my office then you’d really doubt that statement, lol. Thanks for coming by (and sympathizing with the same-name-blues).

  17. Yay for super crafty amazingness!! You go girl!
    I love the clean and crisp look of your blog. Way to go. And happy SITS day. 🙂

    1. Thank you! I figured the blog theme has so much energy to it with the bright colors that it was bound to amplify the posts—glad to know it’s working!

  18. Wow you have a lot going on! I love the comics. Visiting you from SITS- congrats on your big day. I can’t wait till I have mine. 🙂

    1. Culinary school was one of the best things I ever did for myself (which is what I keep telling myself when I see my student loan balance, lol). You know, even though I’m not using the degree the way I thought I would, I don’t think it’s something I would change at all!

  20. Happy SITS day! Looks like you have a great job, one that entertains not only you but so many others. Enjoy!

  24. I love your pseudonym, “Scraps” it’s very appropo! Wow, lady! You’re just as ambitious and busy as I am. Love the blogs, especially “Where the Geeks Are” I’m def. a geek. I’m also a foodie, so I’ll be checking out “What To Feed Your Raiding Party.”
    Congrats on your SITS day!

  25. I am alwasy amazed by the things that artistic and creative people do. Your blog is entertaining and eclectic. Your comic work is soooo funny. I sent my husband your link and he laughed out loud!
    Congratulations on your SITS day. You surely deserve it. I’ll certainly be back on a regular basis.

    1. Well, then, I’m glad I could give both you AND your husband a laugh today—it’s one of the best ways I know to help!

  26. congratulations on the sits day! 😀 You deserve that cocktail & the cake looks amazing! I love your humor & that you are creative. I sometimes have so many creative thoughts, I don’t know where to begin. 😛

    1. Oh, I know the feeling! If I didn’t carry a notebook around with me I’d feel totally overwhelmed. Writing them down as they come means I can focus on what I’m in the middle of without fear of forgetting the things that occur to me in the mean time.

    1. I really loved working as a chef but I don’t regret the bookkeeping job–it pays the bills and lets me indulge my creative whims. Plus, now I get to cook for friends and spend holidays with family, something that doesn’t happen so much when you’re working in a professional kitchen! The blog and the cookbook project keep me connected, so it’s all good!

  28. Congratulations on your SITS Day! I love the blog, though I am not the crafty sort (unless you count crooked photo frames made of popsicle sticks solely to please the children).

    1. I certainly do count popsicle-stick frames as crafty–straight and perfect doesn’t hold a candle to the character of the delightfully cattywampus! Creativity is the goal, not perfection!

  29. I just love how creative this blog is! I would have never thought about comics for girls. You always think about superhero’s and the like as a first thought. I’ll definitely planning on checking out a bit more of your space; such amazing talent and wonderful content! Enjoy your SITS day!

    1. Let’s hear it for the Left- AND Right-brain proficient! That conversation was also the one where I told my boss I’d considered getting an accounting degree but there are quicker ways to kill yourself!

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