"Fredericks OF Hollywood", 1960's - March, 2012, a photo by tlanephoto on Flickr.

We've come a long way, Baby! This stuff was considered "racey" back in the 60's!

2012_03230014, a photo by Fizule71 on Flickr.

Aren't these little crocheted birds delightful? I just LOVE the colors... perfect for Spring! I found a photo of these on Flickr. This lady has some really creative things in her photostream.

For the last 10 years or so, Mr. Craftola and I have been hosting an annual Murder Mystery Dinner Party. Most have some sort of "theme" or time period which aids in planning costumes, menu and party decorations. This year, our Mystery takes place at a Circus! I have had so much fun planning the food and decorations, many of which I have made. I'll be sharing some of these on the blog in a following post.

Hello Bloglanders,

I'm BACK! Yes, after neglecting this blog for oh, so long, I am once again motivated to get back into sharing my craftiness and a whole bunch of other stuff. To celebrate this re-awakening, I have given Craftola a new look. I hope you like it!

In honor of the occasion, ol' Craftola decided to share my most recent baking adventure and my recipe. Last Sunday I made a Coconut Cream Pie and it was sooooo good. It is, what some call, Semi-Home Made, so pretty simple to do in a 3-step process.

First, you have to make the pastry dough. I use this No Fail Pastry Recipe found at AllRecipes.com. Follow the directions, pricking the crust with a fork before baking at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Let Cool before filling. (While baking the pastry crust, put a 1/2 cup of shredded coconut in the oven to toast to a golden brown, for the topping.)

While the crust is cooling, prepare a large package of Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding, according to package directions. As it is thickening, add 1 cup shredded coconut to the pudding. Pour into cooled pie crust. Place in refrigerator until cooled and firm.

Last, top with your favorite non-dairy whipped topping. (You could make your own whipped cream, if you want to go the extra mile. I didn't, at this point!) Sprinkle with the toasted coconut prepared earlier.

Eat and Enjoy!