Travels With Monkeys

Another bird feeder

2012-02-14T21:02:00.000-08:00

I just purchased an awesome bird feeder. It's huge and plastic with no less than six perches. The little tree on one side of our house, where I hung the feeder, is now aflutter with tiny, pink-headed finches. They're mesmerizing.

And they are mighty hungry. They went through a half-gallon of seed in almost a week. So it reminded me how important it is, and how cool it is, to feed the winter birds.

Jack and I made this easy bird feeder a few months back. The good old pinecone slathered in peanut butter and rolled in seeds, then hung with string (or purple yarn in our case.)

Valentine sandwich cookies and a sweet purse

2012-02-12T19:25:00.000-08:00

We made up a quick batch of sugar cookies last night, using Martha's sugar cookie recipe, which follows here. I eyeballed a quick frosting and tinted it pink for Valentine's Day. We, oh who are we kidding, I then wrapped them up and personalized them with some little stamps. Jack will be bringing some to friends at his preschool.

Valentine Sandwich Cookies

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup fine sanding sugar, for decorating (optional)

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.
Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Wrap dough in plastic; chill for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Yield Makes about 16 large cookies or 30 2 1/2-inch cookies

In other news, I recently realized that the makeup bag in my purse is waay too big and takes up too much space in my bag. Rather than go out and buy one, I figured I'd make a quick pattern and whip one up. From start to finish, this little purse took all of two hours to sew--and the ribbon is sewn on my hand. I love quick, rewarding little projects.

Here's what I did:

First, I cut out long rectangular pieces from two fabrics. I used my quilting ruler to help make sure they were square, especially the point at the one end for the closing flap.

Then I sewed the layers together, right sides together, leaving the short, straight end open. I snipped the corners, then turned it out carefully.

Then I turned the open end in neatly and sewed that closed, sewing all around the perimeter of the piece, with about a quarter inch seam.

Then I folded it in threes, with the lining fabric on the inside. Mine is tan muslin. I also place the ribbon down, wrapping the ends in at one side.

Then I ran it through my sewing machine and used short, strong stitches up the two sides.

Next, I pinned the ribbon around the base where I wanted it. (The ends were already sewn in when I stitched up the sides.) Then I hand sewed it on with dark blue thread.

And voila! Done.

Whale watching and rugelach

2012-02-04T21:40:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend looking for whales out at Bodega Bay. We saw a few sprays, but no actual whale was spotted. The weather was clear and sunny and cool--Jack ran around in the fields while my girlfriend, Bri, and I ate scones and jam.

And a few projects were finished when someone got a cold (Jack) and someone else (me) got to stay home from work and keep him company.
First: an aquarium scene made out of construction paper and sequins.

Second: some seriously delicious rugelach.

You can find the recipe in my favorite baking cookbook: Martha's Baking Handbook or online here. These are so friggin' good, I have a tummy ache from eating waaay too many. The flaky layers are almost pastry-like and hold chocolate slivers, finely-chopped walnuts, raisins and sticky apricot jam. The filling in my book is different from the one online, I used 1 cup of walnuts, 1/4 cup of sugar and only 3/4 cup of jam. I made half of ours with chocolate, the other with raisins, all with nuts. Too good.

And from what I remember from my coffee shop days, rugelach freeze really well once baked. (I've already put more than half in the freezer to deter a late night rugelach attack.)

And I found this in a drawer the other day, don't you just love these? Jack is fascinated by it, and always wants to drink the water out of it. Yuck.

Sweater quilt

2012-01-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make this quilt for a long time. I think I saw one here a while back and loved it. As each one of my favorite sweaters begins to show its' age or gets too tight or just not right for me anymore, there's been a crafty voice in my head that whispers "sweater quilt, sweater quilt."

So over this incredibly lengthy and relaxing Winter break, I finally began The Sweater Quilt.

First, I gathered up seven sweaters that were all sizes medium or large and about the same, medium weight. I then grabbed by rotary cutter and self-healing mat and cut them into six by twelve-inch strips.

I arranged the strips on my queen-sized bed in a way that was pleasing to my eye.

Then I stacked each vertical row together, stacking them one on top of the other, so I'd know which way to sew the strips together in the pattern I wanted.

Then I sewed the strips together, stacking them and running them through my machine on a straight stitch with medium length. I ended up with 11 long vertical strips with about seven and a half 6x12-inch strips. I say one half because I didn't want any long horizontal seams. In other words, I didn't want my blocks to line up, so I added a piece that was 3 or 6 x12 at some spot on every vertical strip to give each strip a unique pattern. (See the picture with all the strips laid out--they don't line up horizontally.)

After sewing the strips I squared them up, making sure that they consistently measured six inches all the way down.

And that's as far as I've gotten. Next, I'll stitch all the long strips together. I'm excited to see all my sweaters together, in one big cozy blanket.

Handmade sleep mask

2011-12-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

I made this Paris-inspired sleep mask for my sister last week. The cream-colored lining and lace were 'borrowed' from an old nightgown of mine and the blue silky fabric (seen on the front here) used to be inside a wool skirt! I love re-purposing and using things on hand. I searched for about an hour for these materials, through fabric scraps and old clothes waiting to be donated...it was delightful to find such pretty fabrics and fixings in what I already own.

Here's how I made it:
First, I used my (homemade) sleep mask as a template. It would be easy to sketch one if you don't already have a sleep mask, I'd just draw one big enough to comfortably cover the owner's eyes and then some.

Then I traced that onto the wrong side of my two fabrics. I like a soft, silky lining for the inside (the fabric that will be against the eyes.) I cut the two pieces about 1/2 inch larger all around and used my iron to press it along the traced line.

Then I cut out a double piece of cotton flannel about 1/4 inch smaller than the pressed pieces to sandwich between the two fancy fabrics. I pinned this 'sandwich' together, adding the elastic at the sides.

And then I put on some DVR'd 30 Rocks and sat down and hand-sewed all around the perimeter, making tiny stitches, and adding extra stitches around the elastic for strength. I think my sister could choose to wear it with either side facing out.

Gift box from a cereal box

2011-12-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, then you probably have about four empty cereal boxes filling your kitchen recycling bin. If you're also like me, then you also have a serious shortage of cute boxes to give away your Christmas presents this year. I love the idea of using something that you'd normally recycle in lieu of buying something that would also just be recycled. While it takes a few steps (and a glue gun) I think this project is super cool and really useful. Find directions here.

Handmade Christmas update

2011-12-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

I whipped up these potholders last night from some already quilted fabric I bought. I've found that potholders need a good, grippy material on at least one side to really hold the pot safely. I made some out of 100% cotton once and they were just a little too slippery. These ones have canvas on the other side. I used extra wide double-fold bias tape along the edges and stitched in the ditch (along the already quilted seams) to make these potholders look more quilted. Get ready, Dad!

And I still have a few of these precious strawberry pincushions left from the spot I once held in a gift shop. They make great stocking stuffers for sewers. Directions here.

I realize after seeing this photo that I really should have taken the time to iron the bag before photographing it. I made this out of a canvas bag from Joann's. It's a great big bag made of medium-weight canvas that I got on sale for, like, crazy cheap. I added the fabric design using Steam-a-Seam, my favorite, and added a cute little pocket on the back out of the same material. Slowly but surely, the gifts are coming together!

Thanksgiving round-up

2011-12-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

We made this cute homemade turkey centerpiece with a few pieces of construction paper, a big pine cone, some white glue and a few beads. I just glued the leaves onto the pieces of the pine cone.

And these pumpkin pancakes are seriously the best I've found, and I love pancakes. I also really love pumpkin, people, so I'm picky. These suckers are a great way to use up any of that leftover pumpkin you may still have in your fridge from that pie... They are creamy and dense with a great spice flavor, but don't be afraid to add more spice. Find the recipe here.

Handmade Christmas: Part Deux

2011-11-22T13:34:00.000-08:00

I had myself a little candle-making party today. I'm sorry, but the best thing about working in education is these long breaks. A week off for Thanksgiving? Yes, please.

So in my quest for great handmade gifts, I'd remembered seeing these on Martha's website. I had a huge (I mean silly big) candle and this cute set of teacups, and all I really needed were the wicks. These took longer to find, but I finally found them at Michael's.

I did make a huge mess at one point (melted wax all over the table) but these were totally worth it. I think they make cute gifts and when the candles are spent, the recipient can just put the teacups in the freezer and the remaining wax will just pop out. Voila! New cup. Martha's are quite cute. Directions here.

Pumpkin pudding

2011-11-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

Found myself craving pumpkin pie yesterday and was feeling absolutely unwilling to wait until Thanksgiving to get some. I'd seen this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen a few days earlier and was considering making some of these when I ended up talking to my sister who told me she'd just made them.

Luckily, she told me to amp up the flavor a bit. I added additional salt, sugar and spices and followed the recipe for cooking the pumpkin on the stove top first, although I didn't put it in the food processor like the recipe suggests.

Anyway, they are crazy good. They're like pumpkin pie without the crust. I made them in a cupcake pan, with liners and just eat them from the cups. And while we didn't have any gingersnaps to eat them with (also as suggested) I found that the graham crackers we always have on hand do the job just fine.

More handmade gifts

2011-11-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

Embellished tote bags for my gals who like to tote things. For directions, go here

Healthy breakfast recipe

2011-11-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

Preheat oven to 180C, 350F

Cream together 2oz butter with 4oz runny honey. Gradually mix in a beaten egg. Add 4oz of grated apple and 2 small mashed bananas and 3oz of self-raising flour. Finish off with 2oz of any dried fruit (or in a less healthy version chocolate chips!) and 1 tsp of grated lemon or orange zest.

If the mix is very sloppy, add more flour until a spoon will stand upright in it and bake in a shallow, lined tin until browned (approx 40 mins).

Cool and cut into fingers to serve, it will last 4 days in an airtight tin if it isn't eaten in one sitting!

Homemade Christmas gifts

2011-11-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

This year, I and (some of) my family have decided to go all handmade on the gift-giving. I'm excited because it's always something I've wanted to do. And with the Occupy protests going on around here, it's a natural choice to forgo the frenzied dash to buy and rather, make.

I have so many ideas: homemade sugar scrubs, potholders, children's smocks, bags, aprons, blankets....and on. I've decided to organize my projects here on the blog, and gather cool ideas for future works.

For Jack, I'm making a boy version of this smock:

And I was thinking a pillowcase:

Source: Mousy Brown

And that's all I've got so far. In other news, Jack and I made an autumn mobile from things we gathered at the park.

And I made another one of my grandma's recipes, these Cranberry Almond cookies

The cookies were delicious when they first came out of the oven, but they softened up quite a bit over the last day; maybe it's the fresh cranberries. I've been storing them in plastic, perhaps waxed paper would keep them more crisp. Very balanced flavor though and the almonds and cranberries are great together.

I'm cooking my way through my grandmother's recipes, I inherited them when she died a few months ago. It's such a personal experience, holding these cards that she wrote in my hands.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall...

Macaroons

2011-11-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever had a macaroon was in Beauvais airport outside Paris as I was about to leave France for what I thought would be quite a long time. On my way out of Paris, I stopped by this little patisserie on the corner close to my hostel to pick up some treats for the plane ride back to Ireland. I think I'd stopped at the same patisserie at least every day of my short visit, probably to pick up an almond croissant or a baguette or something I couldn't pronounce (example: mille fuille).

Anyway, back at the airport I hastily pulled out the chocolate macaroons. As I bit into one, I fell head over heels. The chewy, fudgy texture was somehow delicate, the chocolate was sophisticated and cocoa-y. I somehow managed to save the other macaroon (yes, I knew to buy two!) for my sister who was back in our apartment in Dublin. A fellow pastry and chocolate enthusiast, she too swooned over the petite delicacy.

Fast forward five years. My sister and I are back in the states, living an hour apart. I just happen to buy some almond meal at the store one day, my subconscious sweet tooth hinting at macaroons in my future. And lo and behold, my sister and I happen to have an afternoon together--one that would be perfect for making macaroons.

We found the recipe in Martha's Baking Handbook, my new favorite cookbook. The recipe for the cookies was spot on, but I would definitely swap out a different frosting. Her recipe calls for Swiss meringue buttercream which I found to taste almost like whipped cream. The macaroons I had in Paris were sandwiched with a dense, silky, almost chewy filling. Find the recipe here.

Oh, and the chestnuts I roasted were not good. I don't know what happened, but they tasted rancid. Gross.

Roasted chestnuts

2011-10-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Jack and I like to visit a particular park here in Santa Rosa around this time of year because it has three glorious chestnut trees that drop these little babies. We spend time looking for good, shiny nuts beneath the trees and maybe even pick some from the trees and husk them for our collection.

Well, yesterday we weren't alone in our chestnut gathering. A man showed up all prepared with a plastic bag to collect some too. Luckily, there were more than enough to go around. Now, onto roasting.

I've never actually roasted my own chestnuts before. The first time I ever had them was while walking the streets of Rome in winter, where they are sold in the infamous paper cones. People just drop the shells in the street. I remember wondering how all the Italian women, in their amazing high-heeled boots didn't trip on them. How do European women navigate those cobblestone streets in heels?
I've seen chestnuts roasted in a coffee roaster...those were good, but the ones in those street 'ovens' seem to do the best job.
I've found lots of simple directions for roasting these babies in the oven. I've excerpted some directions from a Smitten Kitchen recipe below.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut a small X on the top of each chestnut with a very sharp knife. Don’t be afraid to cut into the “meat” of the chestnut a little; I found that the the ones that were the most easy to peel start with a deep enough cut that the skin peels back while roasting. Roast chestnuts on a baking sheet for about 20 to 30 minutes, until a darker shade of brown and the X peels back to reveal the inner nut.
Cool on tray and then peel.
I'll let you know how they turn out...

More cute handmade costumes!

2011-10-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

I know, I must stop! But there are so many cute ideas!

Directions here

My son would love to be a car! Directions here

Quinoa burgers

2011-10-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

These will definitely be on the menu the next time my sister rolls into town. They love quinoa over there in San Francisco. I have never prepared quinoa before (I know, how is this possible?) and feel that the time has come to try it once and for all. I've been eyeing some recipes for quinoa breakfast porridge and 'risotto.'

I found the recipe here, it follows below.

Quinoa burgers

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

To cook quinoa:
In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

OR 2 rounded cups leftover, cooked quinoa

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Measure 1/4 cup and form into patties about 1/2 inch thick - mixture will be slightly sticky. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Per burger: Calories 132; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; NET Carbs 12 g; (Fiber 2 g); Sugar 0 g; Sodium 200 mg

Cute handmade adult mini-costumes

2011-10-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

These are so darned cute and look so fun to make. Since I became a mom, I haven't wanted to 'really'

dress up for Halloween, it makes sense for Jack to take center stage now, at least for a few years. The little 'hat-ettes' would be perfect and look so fun to make! For directions, click here

But last year, I made this and wore it while Trick-or-Treating around with Jack.

Nails!

2011-10-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

source

Homemade Halloween costumes

2011-10-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy making beautiful costumes to dress my son in at Halloween. I found some great ideas online for this years' creation.

Source: here

Another sweatsuit costume idea

You can buy this sew-your-own dinosaur here on Etsy.

I love this one!

Find directions for the gnome here.

Next, the Superhero!

Directions here

This wouldn't be that complicated, if you could just find a fuzzy sweater/onesie like that to start with.

The owl costume can be purchased here

Carrot Cake

2011-09-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

This is my attempt at copying the cake below:

I didn't finish the edges in the same way, but I think it was still pretty. And I used Ina's recipe for Carrot and Pineapple Cake and it was seriously the best carrot cake ever. Super moist and dense. The only thing I'd change is that I'd use salted butter in the frosting, I think it needed another element. I don't like frostings that just taste sweet, you know?

A Birthday smock

2011-09-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

A little friend of ours was having her 2nd birthday, so I whipped up this quick smock using a pattern from Amy Karol's Bend-the Rules Sewing. I wanted to do a trial run of the pattern before making one for Christmas this year for my little man. Our friend is a very girly girl, so I chose this blue fabric with little blue roses and a wide red bias tape for the edges. It's made from one piece of fabric, but took me a surprisingly long time to make (I don't know why, but Lord knows I'm not the fastest sewer.)

I thought it came out really well, and it was rather a hit at the party (if I may say so myself.) I'm hoping to find a cool fabric for Jack's, maybe with dinosaurs on it. His smock will most likely be more of an apron, since we'll probably use it primarily for baking and making pancakes on weekends. The size given in the book (with the pattern enlarged to the suggested 235%) is about a 2T-3T and would comfortably fit most of the 2-3-year-olds that we know.

In other news, we were lucky enough to spend a morning the other day watching a family of deer eat pears beneath the tree in our front yard. Our bedroom window looks out onto the tree, so we could safely watch them without freaking them out. I gotta say, deer sure drool a lot more than I'd thought.

Kid's apron

2011-09-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

After doing lots of baking with the wee one, I decided he is definitely due for a mommy-made apron. I searched around online and found these easy looking instructions here.

The blogger said that she'd make the apron wider next time to protect the child's pants, and I totally agree I'd do the same.

If you have lots and lots of free time...

2011-08-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Just saw this awesome idea over at Craft.

It is "wallpaper" made entirely out of tiny stickers!

For more info on the project, go here.

Seitan Bourguignon

2011-08-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Saw this dish prepared on Martha today. It looks seriously deelish, something that should probably wait until the weather is a bit cooler though. Bring on autumn!

Find the recipe here.

35th Birthday

2011-07-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

We spent my birthday (35?!) at a beautiful vacation home in Calistoga.

It was truly lovely. The swimming pool, the wrap-around porch. Not to mention a hot tub. And we made a version of a salad my sister and I had in Paris years ago. Perfectly dressed greens, couscous, fingerling potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. The real Parisian salad had goat's cheese wrapped in a crepe, cooked in butter though. Mmmm.

We chose to nix the cheese in the salad because my sister made this cake, complete with goat's cheese frosting. And goat cheese on goat cheese, I don't know....too much of a good thing, perhaps.

Pretty cake tutorial

2011-06-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Isn't this rose cake just the purtiest? Find directions here

Kitchen sink quesadillas

2011-06-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe adapted from Real Simple. I've omitted many ingredients to make it a recipe I can make almost anytime from staple ingredients. If you swapped out the flour tortillas for whole wheat and used a lowfat (or polite amount of) cheese, it would be even healthier. But we like our flour tortillas and healthy amount of cheese over here.
Added bonus: It's a vegetarian dinner that my meat-eating husband loves.

Kitchen Sink Quesadillas
adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:
flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese
one 15 oz. can drained and rinsed black beans
one 11 oz. can corn
one cup salsa

Preparation:
Mix the beans, corn and salsa together in a bowl. Heat one side of the tortilla over medium heat in wide pan. When one side is hot, flip over and sprinkle the hot side with cheese. Top with 3 or 4 big spoonfuls of the bean and corn mixture. Top with more cheese and finally another tortilla. Let bottom tortilla get some color on it before gingerly flipping the entire thing over. Let other side brown, then slide off onto a cutting board and cut into quarters. Dip into more salsa, sour cream, or eat as is.

Handmade memory game

2011-06-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful gift for a child this would be. If only I had an extra 100 hours...

Directions for making one of these memory games here

Summer terrarium

2011-06-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love this idea for bringing nature indoors. Find complete directions (even for the hand-painted gnomes!) here.

And aren't these artichoke stems beautiful?

In other news, I made this sour cherry apple pie for an Irish friend visiting. I used up the sour cherries I picked from our trees last spring. I think I'm just going to stick with crumb topping for my pies, a double crust is so much work. And crumb topping is so yummy! You can find the recipe for the pie here, but I used Martha's recipe for the crumb topping. I accidentally used salted butter instead of unsalted and let me tell you, it was salty, so I ended up adding more flour and sugar to even it out. It worked in the long run, but I had lots of crumb topping left over. I just froze it and used it for an apple pie I made later during our friend's visit. It's nice having pie in the house, don't you think?

Handmade dinosaur and awesome coconut cake--apparently

2011-05-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of hand-sewing whenever I had the chance, Jack's little dinosaur is all done. I found the most awesome free pattern here. The details aren't filled in yet on this little guy, but I wanted to post it before I moved on to the next project. There's a confusing section in the pattern (I thought) so I took pictures of how I decided to sew up the tummy and feet. I ended up sewing the feet together last.

In other news, my sister turned thirty (!) and she requested this coconut cake that I made last year for a family get-together. I personally am not all that crazy about coconut cake, but people looove this one. It's pretty easy to whip up too-it uses boxed cake mix and just a few other ingredients.

We are enjoying the beautiful Spring out here in wine country. Hope everyone else is too.

This will come in handy this summer...

2011-05-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

The Hunger Games

2011-05-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with these books. They are a trilogy, the first one being The Hunger Games. A review from Amazon describes the tale as "a gripping story set in a post-apocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death." I know, brutal.

At first, I wasn't sure that I could get into books with as much violence as these have got, but I quickly got over that. They are real page-turners and the plot gives you what you want. I found myself saying, I wish this would happen...and then a few chapters later, it would. Books with short chapters are great too--they tell the stories in little nuggets, perfect for lunch breaks or nap times. And there are great cliffhanger endings for nearly each chapter. "His heart was no longer beating" or "And that is how a revolution dies." They are classified as young adult lit, but aren't as full of sappy, drawn-out conversations as say, the Twilight series (which I loved but ended up skimming over a lot of the romantic stuff.)

I'm on the last book now, Mockingjay. A friend who recommended these books found this one a bit slower than the others. I'm enjoying it so far. Anyone have ideas for good summertime reading?

I want this book

2011-04-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

It looks like a nice collection of simple, natural, meatless dishes. Must remember to ask for it for upcoming birthday.

Leafy branch draft catcher

2011-04-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

I saw this project first in this awesome book and then promtly forgot about it--until this winter when I noticed that the door in our new house is quite drafty and would really benefit from a draft catcher. I remembered this pretty leaf-covered branch project and just did my best to re-create it sans instructions.

First, I drew a branch nubby branch design on doubled up muslin. The branch should be about four inches wider than your door. I pinned the fabric together loosely to make it easier to cut out.

After cutting out the shapes, I ran it through the sewing machine but left the base of the branch open. Then I trimmed the excess fabric to about 1/4 inch and snipped the corners.

Turn it right side out, carefully turning out the nubs. You can iron it, but I didn't bother.

Then fill it with something like corn, buckwheat hulls, cat litter, sand, rice or beans and sew up the end. I used a funnel and this helped tremendously. I made one out of a plastic soda bottle.

I also used cat litter because that's the only thing I had enough of to fill the branch with. It's kind of dusty and a bit heavy, but it works in a pinch and is certainly a better choice then polyfill, which I think was a strange suggestion I saw online.

Then I cut some leaves out of green and brown felt and sewed them onto the branch nubs. It was a fun and quick project which will probably save us on some heating bills.

My favorite pancakes

2011-04-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

I love pancakes. I mean, I really love them. This love has inspired me to try countless recipes, most of which I try and then move on because they aren't all I want them to be. But these ones are awesome. They have an almost skin-like texture. They aren't cake-y or fluffy, they are more like thick crepes. They are the pancakes I make when I am cooking for myself or maybe my sister, who loves them as well.

Can you see how dense and eggy they are? Yummmmmm

I've adapted the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, my go to site for recipes.

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat a griddle over medium-low heat.
Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl. Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, being careful not to over-mix.
Spray the pan with cooking spray and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface, flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Top with a pat of butter and maple syrup.

Makes enough for about 2 people.

Sick buddy

2011-03-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

I made this lion for Jack while we were both sick. I'm always inspired to create something soft and cuddly for him when he's feeling unwell. I just cut two circles out of some fleece and then cut the edges into a fringe. I tied the fringe up in knots and stuffed it with fiberfill then appliqued and stitched the face details on.

He loves it and it seriously took all of two hours to make. Don't you love craft projects like that?

In other news, I found the ultimate carrot cake recipe. I took this to a family reunion and we gobbled it up. Seriously, I don't believe it can be improved upon. Find it here

Hope all is well out there for everyone!

Appliqued knee socks

2011-01-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

These are so darn sassy, I had to post them. For directions, click here

Winter projects to keep your hands busy

2011-01-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

Found this neat idea for a calendar. For directions, click here.

At first I thought it was magnetic, but no, it's made out of foam board and thumbtacks. It would be cool to make a magnetized one. I just found out that there is now magnetic paint. (Where have I been?) So you could paint the backing of this frame with the paint and adhere the backs of the buttons to magnets instead of thumbtacks and voila-- a magnetic calendar.

And here is just the prettiest little basket for knitting projects. If I had one of these next to the sofa, I'm sure I'd get more knitting done. Directions here

And these look easy and super cute, don't they? (Because of course I need yet another pair of fingerless gloves.) Directions here

Hope you all are keeping warm and enjoying the winter!

Gingerbread cake and pumpkin butter

2010-12-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

I first made this delicious, moist, deeply-spiced cake last fall and it has already become a family standard . Whenever the real winter weather starts, I crave this cake. It fills the house with such a wintry aroma. And the good news is, the recipe produces a huge amount of cake that freezes wonderfully, ready to be pulled out and zapped in the microwave at a moment's notice. I think small squares of it would also be a welcome addition to a holiday cookie plate. I've also considered drizzling it with chocolate (chocolate and gingerbread--I know, it sounds weird but for all of us out there who have had the combo, it's strangely tasty and intriguing, no?)

The recipe is here. I tried substituting half the oil with applesauce this time around and the result is a slightly lighter cake that I don't feel too guilty about having for breakfast. If it's your first time though, I'd make the original recipe as is because really, it's worth it.

And the pumpkin butter, it's also somewhat of a holiday staple around here. It's great on toast and scones, stirred into oatmeal, or I'll put a dollop of it inside pumpkin muffins just before I throw them in the oven. Yumm!

A very cool homemade gift

2010-12-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Isn't this the neatest artsy gift set for a little (or big) one? You can find directions for making it here

Some lovely things I would make if only I had the time...

2010-11-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

While perusing this website today, I found this collection of beautiful things I would love to make....

I love the orange scarf on the right (that lace!) And the Marie Antoinette doll would be a great Christmas gift for my sister. We saw Sofia Coppola's movie together in Ireland and adore its unashamed girliness. I mean, how could you not love a movie in which the inspiration for the color palette comes from a tray of macaroons?

I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall!

Some Fall inspiration

2010-11-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

What a great idea for celebrating Fall. This website is amazing for beautiful craft ideas.

I mean really, look at this amazing 'playscape.' So cool.

And an old sweater recycled into a scarf? Radical!

Homemade graham crackers and an easy baby blanket

2010-10-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

Has it really been a month since I last posted? I must say, going back to work outside the home has really been keeping me busy. Monday through Friday for the last month, we have left the house at 6:30 am and we don't get home until 12 hours later. It's all I can do to take a shower and crawl into bed after a day like that. Plus, we are moving to a new house in a week(!) These are all good changes of course, but the transition has been difficult. I've barely had time to celebrate the coming of fall by communing with my oven and sewing machine! But in a week or so, all will die down again and life will hopefully return to a more sane and healthy pace. I am looking forward to daily exercise, a more healthful diet and more time with family and friends.

But in the meantime, here are a few things we've been working on around here the last few weeks.

This blanket was a gift made for a very special little boy, born just a few weeks ago. The fun animal print is 100% cotton, the blue is the ultra soft baby blanket material that you can now buy in fabric stores everywhere. Although this blanket is of very simple construction, it took forever to make because I couldn't sew it without the blue fabric shifting all over the place in my machine. Thankfully, one of my more experienced sewing friends (good to have) told me to machine sew it with the stretchy blue fabric face down. It worked like a charm and the blanket came together lickety split.

Next we discovered how wonderfully easy and delicious it is to make homemade graham crackers! I found the recipe in this book. I really love making things from scratch for Jack, especially things like these crackers: the recipe makes enough to last a few weeks, they are easy to throw in a bag and pull out whenever Jack gets wonky, and they are made (at least partially) from whole wheat flour. Now you can't say that about the store-bought variety. I appreciate that feeling of knowing exactly what is in the food I give my boy.

I've decided this is going to be my Halloween costume this year. What should I call it? Should I just tell people that I'm a bird's nest? I think it's pretty cool. Surprisingly, this will be my second Halloween costume that has included fake birds. Strange.

Sweater Pole project

2010-09-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Our 'Yarn Addicts' group completed two knitted pole sweaters over last month. They can be seen in downtown Santa Rosa.

Six people worked on them, each knitting or crocheting one or two (or five) sections, and then they were all crocheted together onto the poles.

Aren't they cool?

Sweet corn pancakes

2010-09-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

We made these the other morning when I remembered that there were seven ears of corn just sitting in our fridge.

They were good, very corny. : ) I loved how the addition of cornmeal kicked up that corn flavor.

I forget where I learned the trick of cutting the corn off the cob using a bunt pan, but it's genius!

And here they are drenched in butter and syrup, just the way we like them! You can find the recipe here.

Jack's banner

2010-09-10T15:05:00.000-07:00


Jack got a new, big-boy bed. To celebrate, I whipped up this happy little banner to hang over it!

First, I made a triangle template out of cardboard. I traced this six times onto doubled up material and sewed up three sides, leaving the shorter side open.

Then I trimmed the points to make turning them out easier and to make the points cleaner.

Then I turned and pressed them.


I laid out some extra-wide double fold bias tape and arranged the triangles at even intervals and pinned them in place.


Finally, I sewed everything together with thread that matched the bias tape. It was done within an hour! Too cute!

For more detailed instructions and a slew of other beautiful projects, I highly recommend this book.

King (and Queen) of the Forest Crowns

2010-09-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

(Jack wouldn't model this, so I had to. Luckily, it's big enough to fit the both of us.)

On our morning walk, we collected some leaves to make a crown in honor of the coming Fall. I saw this and thought it would be a great project to do while Jack did his morning coloring. All you need is some felt, ribbon, leaves and a hot glue gun. It would be a great addition to a last-minute Halloween costume too, very Puck-like.

Homemade Finger Puppets

2010-09-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

These are so cute and look like such fun to craft. I'd imagine even those of us who claim to be drawing impaired could still whip up a basic bunny or owl shape and go from there. The embroidery is so pretty too. Me thinks my little monkey could be getting a Mommy-made woodland creature set for Christmas this year!

Source here

And here is another homemade set inspired by the first.

Source here

I heart this book!

2010-08-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I borrowed this book from the library and very quickly realized that I had to own it. I like her other encyclopedia of crafts, but this is 400 pages devoted entirely to sewing and fabric crafts which is just...so... totally... awesome! I have started three projects in the book and haven't yet completed one (durrr) but am very happily on my way. And with cooler months ahead, I'm sure this book will be taken down off its shelf and lovingly paged through many evenings.

Here are a few of my favorite projects...

Felt banner

Dolls!

Happy sewing!

Sweet and easy crocheted baby booties

2010-08-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Since I recently learned how to crochet (I'm a knitter) I've been looking for a simple basic project that I could practice my new skills with. This may be the one! I wonder how long Jack would keep these booties on for...

The free pattern and photo credits are here.

Biodegradable Orange Birdfeeder

2010-08-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a cool birdfeeder? Once the birds "have eaten all of the seeds, you can refill it as many times as you like. Eventually the orange shell will degrade and fall to the earth, and the wool yarn will prove to be a lovely addition to any bird’s nest." Done and done. For directions, click here.

Inspiration

2010-08-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about Halloween costumes lately. Halloween was a different kind of fun before we had Jack, it involved elaborate costumes, parties and usually copious amounts of alcohol. Now that Jack is here, it's tame. No less fun, just different. You parents out there understand. While I love making costumes for Jack, I kinda miss making elaborate costumes for myself. While I could certainly put on a costume myself while pushing Jack in his stroller while trick-or-treating, it's just not the same. And I think some people might find it odd were I to wear the kind of costumes I'm used to wearing. Not that they're risque, just elaborate.

But anyway, the costume I've been imagining for myself--for an elaborate event in the far future, is an ostrich. I see layers of petticoats topped with feathers, ballet pink tights, black suede heels, heavily makeupped eyes and wild, flyaway gray hair. A Tim Burton ostrich, if you will.

Here is what Jack wore last year. Cute, huh?

You can find directions on making the lamb costume here.

Dressy Bessie fix up!

2010-08-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the Dressy Bessie project is complete. It was fun working on a beloved doll from my and my sister's childhood. First, I mended the big rips by just sewing them closed as best I could.

Since her dress was so shot, I decided I needed something big to cover it up. But I wanted to keep the snap, zipper and button accessible, so I made a little apron for her. Then I appliqued patches over the big rips using some cute, retro fabrics. She also needed some new hair and shoe ribbons. And voila--done!

Isn't she cute?

Tree sweater

2010-08-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

So my knitting group has been working on a sweater pole project, that is, a knitted sweater for a downtown lamppost. I saw this tree and got all inspired to try something like this next. Crazy? Maybe.

photo credits here

Scrappy Owls free pattern

2010-08-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the cutest owls you ever did see? There's a free pattern for them right here. Happy crafting!

A Project

2010-08-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

While going through some old toys in Hawaii, I found my old Dressy Bessie doll. She has some damage but is still such a cool vintage doll that I've decided to fix her up and pass her down to Jack. First on the agenda, a good cleaning. Next, her snap and zipper are a bit stiff, so I'll need to grease those up a bit. Last, I'll fix the big rips in her dress, stockings and arm. I haven't decided the best way to go about doing this--maybe patches? But do you see the potential?

We are slowly readjusting to being back in California. Hawaii is such a peaceful, beautiful, natural place, it's always a struggle to get used to freeways, traffic and reliable weather again.

I love the changeable weather in Hawaii, and I love that you spend so much time outdoors that you can't help but feel at the whim of Mother Nature. Yeah you wanted to go for a hike, but there's torrential rain coming your way. Sorry. And the pace of life...well, this picture says it all.

So I guess my next question is, when are we going back?

Blackberry Galette with Cornmeal Crust

2010-07-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, dear readers for the unannounced hiatus, but I'm happy to report that I have returned! And with a great recipe to share! It's been over a month since I was last here and I've got some good excuses. First, there was a pretty serious family emergency. Everything is fine now, but things were a bit shaky for some weeks. Then, we had our first real family vacation! We just got back from Hawaii a few days ago. We three are tanned and relaxed and ready for a return trip.

I'd been checking on the wild blackberries before we left and I knew they'd be in full fruit when we returned, so it was nice to have that to look forward to at the end of our Hawaii trip. Jack and I went out hunting this morning, and look what we found...

One teensy little bush yielded 6 cups of juicy blackberries! I've been long wanting to make a galette, and I thought that cornmeal and blackberries would be a great match. I found this recipe in Cooking Light and tweaked it a bit. This stuff really calls for some vanilla ice cream, or at least a healthy dollop of whipped cream. Alas, we were out of both, but it was still definitely worth eating on its own. Maybe I'll have it for breakfast tomorrow...

Blackberry Galette with Cornmeal Crust

The rich, buttery pastry dough is easy and forgiving. I rolled it out between two pieces of parchment to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin, and it also helped for transfer and cleanup.

Yield: 10 servings (or 8 big ones!)

Pastry:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 7 3/4 ounces)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk (or pour 1 t. white distilled vinegar into measuring cup first, then fill up with milk and let sit for 10 minutes before using)

Filling:

6 cups blackberries (or mixture of berries)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (honestly, I just nab an extra packet of raw sugar at the coffee shop here and there for dusting the tops of my pastries)

1. Using the spoon and level method to measure flour, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal and salt. Cut in butter (I use my handy dandy pastry cutter) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and gently mix just until dough forms a ball. Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover. Chill 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350° and place oven rack on the lowest level. I find this helps my pies cook really well in the center and I don't end up with a pale, soggy center.
3. Unwrap and place dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 15-inch circle. Place dough and bottom piece of parchment on a baking sheet.
4. To prepare filling, combine berries, flour, sugar and lemon in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange berry mixture in center of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edges of dough toward center, pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover berry mixture).
5. Whisk egg and brush onto dough. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over dough. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 30 minutes; cut into wedges.

Mmmmm. Tastes like summer!

Just a thought...

2010-06-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

to help enlighten Monday.

The Freebie List

2010-06-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who may not know, a freebie list is a list of celebrities with whom, were you given the opportunity, you could hook up with no negative consequences from your partner. My husband and I were discussing our's yesterday on a long drive to Oakland. Here is my list:

Russell Crowe

Once, I saw an interview with Mr. Crowe on Inside the Actor's Studio. When asked the infamous question, "What turns you on?" he replied "A well-constructed sentence." Humuhnuh humuhnuh humuhnuh. And Russell, "The tree was aglow with iridescent lights that shone on the myriad onlookers with proud luminescence." Now how's that for a well-constructed sentence?

It also goes without saying that all of my choices would be plucked from their prime and would of course, still be alive. I'd choose Russell from his LA Confidential days, not the perhaps more popular Gladiator days, and most certainly not now, because well, he's just too old. Sorry Russell.

Next, we have

Adam Brody

This guy is just smoking hot. And this outfit kills me. In fact, this picture was once my desktop background when I briefly worked an office job. I love Adam Brody because he's got the hot nerd thing going on and that is such a turn on, no? I even watched that stupid show, The OC, just because he was on it. Where have you gone, you hot nerd?

River Phoenix

My only blonde entry, and perhaps the only blonde I ever truly loved-- the fiercely talented River Phoenix. He was my #1 childhood crush: I had his posters on my little girl walls, read the Teen Beat articles in which he talked about being a vegetarian (which was like, the coolest thing when you're 11.) I loved him so much that on the day he died, my mom let me stay home from school. He was the guy with real character--a blonde with a dark aura--the sensitive, tortured artist. I miss him.

Robert Pattinson

I know, I know. I'm a little embarrassed. But seriously, I can't help it if this guy is ridiculously hot. He smolders. It may have something to do with the fact that I read all the Twilight books and really, I see him as Edward (again, I know, I'm so ashamed.) But in my defense, there are moms everywhere dreaming about this guy every night, so I am not alone. And have you seen him in interviews? He's just plain odd, and that's kinda sexy too. I wouldn't kick this greasy-haired kid out of bed for eating crackers.

So ladies, I'd like to know--who's on your freebie list?

Homemade deodorant

2010-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

I love this stuff. I've been using Amy Karol's recipe for homemade deodorant for about a year now and I really, really love it. Like Amy, I had long been a long-time hater of women's anti-perspirant/deodorant combos. The aluminum in the stuff is just plain toxic, and while I didn't want to smell like a hippie, I also didn't want to get Parkinson's disease either.

Once I swore off anti-perspirant, I tried 'the crystal.' This stuff just plain didn't work for me.
From there, I moved on to Lush's aromacreme which was awesome until it gave me a rash. Bummer. I used men's deodorant after that, but didn't like the man smell it gave me...so....I was so pleased when I finally found this recipe.

I don't add any fragrance to my deodorant because I love the natural smell of cocoa butter (yep, my pits smell like chocolate!) The last time I whipped up a batch, I poured the contents into an empty deodorant stick and now it's easy peasy to apply. As you may see from the picture, I tried mixing some of my beloved Chanel Chance in to see if I could get a deodorant that smelled like my favorite perfume. It didn't work, so don't waste your perfume! The deodorant works very well, but for those days when I know I'm going to be working really hard, I use my husband's deodorant spray--it just works that little bit better. But as far as everyday needs go, this homemade deodorant is really awesome.

How rad is this?

2010-06-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area Discovery Museum

2010-06-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is Jack at The Bay Area Discovery Museum, a totally awesome place that we finally made it to over Memorial Day weekend. And it was on a free day (!) in honor of the Asian Heritage Festival that was held, in part, there. I was worried that the museum was going to be aimed at older children, but Jack thought it was totally cool and we had a great time enjoying the beautiful, sunny day in Sausalito.

Here he is trying to build a boat, maybe a bit too young for that at 17 months old!

This awesome fort was inside the 'Tot Spot' section of the museum, a place for the little ones to explore that includes (content from museum website:)

Wetlands
Balance to stand, walk, roll or jump on a wobbly, water-filled pond. Crawl through the waterfall. Try on a fish costume.
Woodlands
Crawl and climb among the “roots” of a tree. Scale a baby-size mountain. Dress up as a bumble bee.
The Stream
Splash in a stream that flows through a multi-level faux rock stream bed.
The Meadow
Explore a gently rolling, grassy area. Meet a wood rat in his nest of sticks. Crawl like a gopher through a tunnel.

How fun does that sound?

And no, this isn't a creepy dead frog, but it kinda looks like one.

It was a great place to bring a child maybe eight years old and younger; there are kids and strollers and sippy cups all over the place. Despite the fact that our visit fell on a free day and a Saturday, it didn't feel crowded at all, probably due to the outdoor layout. The museum has a cafe that had already closed for the day, but lots of families had brought their own lunch. I love it when places like this allow outside food, especially when you've got kids.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Things to do in York, Pennsylvania

2010-05-26T12:18:00.000-07:00

So a few days ago, the monkey and I returned from a one-week trip to York, Pennsylvania. I had looked online for some ideas on things to do, but only found some pretty generic ideas. After a week of spending time with family and checking things out, here are a few ideas for things to do on a visit.

Explore Amish Country

Lancaster County, just a few miles from York, is a great place to explore. The countryside is peaceful and green, with lots of cool, albeit touristy shops.

The monkey sure liked this old wagon though.

But the shops have lots of cool crafts, like the world famous Amish quilts...

and some pretty good food. Anyone up for some homemade sauerkraut?

These pretty bottles of extracts would make nice gifts too, don't you think?

Go to 'Market'
Every Friday, my family in York visits the Eastern Market. Housed in an old warehouse, this place is only open on Fridays and is a meeting place, cafeteria, craft store, farmer's market and tourist destination all rolled into one.

We flew back home on Friday, but we made sure to stop by 'the market' to pick up all of the York foods we had to bring back, like soft pretzels.

These are nothing like the ones in the mall, believe me. They are chewy and soft and filling, and they freeze very well (hence the dozen I brought back in my suitcase.)

And then there are the sugar cakes which crumbled into a mess in my bag, so no pictures. But these are soooo good, great with coffee in the morning.
A real York dish is this Chicken Pot Pie, which I don't eat (being vegetarian,) but my family said this stuff was awesome.

Still, there were more than enough things to tempt me here...

Are these hamburger buns or something else called Hamburg rolls? Who knows.
And to top it all off, I found this awesome pin for $2!

And two jars of buttons for $3!

Relax and unwind in a quiet neighborhood

I was lucky enough to have my grandmother's house from which to go out and explore. But I wasn't prepared for how much I would love her neighborhood. The maple-lined streets, the symphonies of birds, the fireflies, the neighbors who brought over food and smiles...Pennsylvania was such a warm and welcoming place to be. Jack and I went for lots of walks.

I always forget how different the architecture is out East. All the red brick is so pretty.

And now that we're back in California, all I do is dream about being back there. I guess that means it was a good vacation. And next month--Hawaii. I love vacation season!

Cocoa brownies

2010-05-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

I love brownies, especially ones that have a deep, dark, cocoa-y flavor. I rarely make them from scratch though--for a few reasons. One-I am usually horrified by the amount of butter that goes into an 8-inch square pan. I read a recipe and just say to myself 'yeah, there's no way I can allow myself to eat these.' Two-why make them from scratch when the ones from a box aren't all that bad? I know, I know, and I call myself a baker.

But this recipe has me sold on the homemade variety. The deep cocoa flavor and dense fudgy texture are awesome. They are not as easy to make as the boxed ones, but they definitely taste homemade, and that's what I'm all about.

I would never make cookies out of a box, so why brownies? Plus, I think half the reason I bake is the enjoyment of the process, not necessarily the outcome. And there's just something in me that feels wrong when I rip the top of that box open and dump the sugary powder into a bowl, add some eggs and oil and voila--a half hour later get brownies.

So come on, let's make homemade brownies! Here's the recipe. If you require more incentive--not only do these brownies freeze very well, all the ingredients can be found in your kitchen right now. I promise.

A wedding and a trip

2010-05-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today my husband and I are going to a wedding. It's going to be one of those sprawling country weddings with meadows and a creek--the kind of wedding I always wanted. I am sooo excited! Plus, my sister is doing the wedding cakes, so I have legitimately delicious cake to look forward to, not the usual pretty but dry and kind of gross cake that most people have.

And tomorrow, Jack and I fly to Pennsylvania for a family reunion. This will be his first time on an airplane and I am a little bit nervous. I've downloaded checklists for traveling with a toddler, and have compiled a master list which I will post soon. Before going, I searched 'things to do in York, Pennsylvania' and found this funny video.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

My favorite breakfast...lately

2010-05-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Before I had my lovely son and became a full-time mom, I held many serving jobs. Oh yes, the soul-sucking serving job. Don't get me wrong, I have friends in the city who don't really mind waiting tables (probably made all the sweeter by the $250-plus in cash they take home every day.) But that crap was not for me. One thing that I hated about serving was the schedule: you walk into the restaurant, run around like a chicken with its head cut off for eight hours and you leave--frazzled, sweaty and generally pissed off. Or I did at least. There are people out there who do it with grace but that was never my style, I would lose it over someone who would ask for a straw and then wait for me to bring it before they'd ask for the ketchup. Retards.

Anywho, another thing I really disliked about the serving industry was the way the managers at these places somehow got to make us work eight plus hours at a time with no break. What the?? Isn't that illegal? No lunch/smoke/coffee/call your boyfriend to cry and complain about how much you hate your job break? Again, so lame. So before one of these fanatical shifts I would have to put something in my tummy that would keep me going for hours without stopping. Now mind you, I'm a hungry girl and nothing out there can fill me up for eight hours (except maybe lead, which I never tried) but this healthy breakfast made me smile before the bastards had the chance to take it out of me.

First I start with toast.

Then, I slather on some nut butter, this stuff is my favorite.

Ok, so you've got your toast and butter-- in this case, almond butter. Peanut is totally worthy too.

Then I add some sliced apple...

In this case, day-glo apples if you've got them. The apples cut down on the sticky nut butter and add a nice juicy crunch. Plus, you're working towards that five a day that we're all supposed to be having.

A healthy breakfast=healthy outlook, right? Plus this snack is nutritious enough to share with my monkey, which is an added bonus since he simply must try everything his mama eats.

May Day in Geyserville

2010-05-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend was beautiful and warm and we celebrated this gorgeous spring at the local May Day Festival. One of my favorite things about living in a small town is community events like this. We met some friends and shared a potluck picnic, some laughs and some very yummy chocolate cherry cookies.

One of the highlights of this year's festival was the dance around the Maypole, performed by a local third-grade class. I've never seen a maypole dance before, but this one was exactly as I'd imagined it would be: children dancing in a field, weaving these beautiful ribbons around and around the pole.

The kids seemed to love it...

And this is how the Maypole looked when all the dancing was over. Pretty, no?

Our little monkey especially enjoyed the dancing by Ballet Folklorico...

Ahhh, small town living.

Reversible Placemats

2010-04-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

The other day, I woke up and just had to sew. We got a 'new to us table' that seriously needs some place mats to make the table more...us. My fabric stash is appallingly low and somehow full of fabric that doesn't match (am I schizophrenic?) So instead of waiting until I could make it to a fabric store to buy coordinating cloth, I thought I'd make do with what I had. These is crazy place mats!!

Hip on one side...

French country on the other!

These were easy to make and are so handy to have. You can flip them over, depending on your mood (or company.)
I used four fat quarters. I cut each quarter in half and trimmed it to placemat size. Mind you, these are rather skinny--I'm thinking of adding extra-wide binding tape all around just to flesh them out a bit more. I matched up the fabrics right sides together, pairing one modern piece with one country piece, and sewed three sides with a tiny seam. Then I turned them right side out and pressed flat.

Next, I cut some batting so that it was 1/2 inch shorter than the placemats on all sides.

I inserted the batting. The easiest way to do this is to fold the batting in half and place one side flush with the inside of the fabric 'envelope' and then unfold it. Then I turned the open side under about 1/4 inch and sewed that up.

Here they are, before getting their batting.

And here's the monkey waiting for them to dry!

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party--San Francisco Style

2010-04-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

So my wonderful sister and her housemates decided to throw a tea party at their home in the Haight. With their combination of artistic skills, imagination and substantial baking capabilities, I knew this was going to be a party I didn't want to miss.
It didn't disappoint.

Don't you love the carrots in the long vase? I think radishes would look pretty cool too.
On the menu were cupcakes, chocolates, cucumber sandwiches, carrot cake, tea cookies, almond cake, and lots of assorted teas in lovely pots. I love the look of 'arranged chaos.'

And the costumes! That's me in the polka dot dress with my sister. The Mad Hatter looks wicked, doesn't he?

Anyone care for some tea?

Lovely beautiful things

2010-04-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

I love this lamp. It's from Anthropologie and costs nearly as much as one month's rent around here, but still...isn't it pretty?

And this beautiful little garden mug...a set of these would give me a reason to make scones and invite some ladies over.

And these towels are so dear, don't you think?

We like birds around here, can you tell?

And last but not the least cute, could I please have this tablecloth?

Felted stone soap and dolls

2010-04-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this lovely craft on Martha a few weeks and knew I had to try it. Then these beautiful 'stones' showed up at our local yarn shop and I was reminded that they were still on my mile-long list of craft projects. So since I was there, I picked up some roving at said yarn shop and came home and made some stones of my own.

Who knew roving was so beautiful. For those of you like me who hadn't previously heard of this material, it's basically raw wool. I thought it would be rough and nubby like the tufts that you'd find on sheep, but it's luxurious and soft, almost hair-like. And it feels so good in your hands! I'm in love like, seriously. I want to learn how to spin wool just so I have an excuse to hold this stuff in my hands everyday.

I found the instructions for the project here. My only issue was in getting the soap shavings to stick to the bar itself. I found that once they were warmed by my hands a little, they finally stuck. I had a good time with this craft, it was refreshing to break away from my usual fabric and sewing machine type of creation. Plus it's something usable, would make a nice gift, and would be a great activity to do with older kids. That's what we call a win win over here.

I've also been eyeing these as the next item to place on that mile-long list of craft projects.

My morning oatmeal or Things to do with extra baby food

2010-04-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

I borrowed Jessica Seinfeld's book Deceptively Delicious from our library in the hopes that it would give me some good recipes in which to sneak more vegetables into my 15-month-old's diet. I tried a few recipes, the French Toast with butternut squash (yum!) and the coffee cake with butternut squash (why did I buy so many cans of butternut squash?) Other recipes left me a little skeptical: brownies with spinach?

Finally, I gave this oatmeal a go. Not only does Jack love it, so do I. While I generally like oatmeal, it usually leaves me starving an hour or so after I've had it. Not this one. It's got lots of protein in it--a plus since Jack and I are both vegetarian, and it's a great, cozy dish for these not-yet-warm Spring mornings.

The peanut butter gives it a sticky texture which I love. The original recipe calls for a garnish of dried fruit and nuts, but I had already raided my fruit and nut supply to make these. Here's the recipe, with a few changes.

Deceptively Delicious Oatmeal

1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon brown sugar (the original recipe calls for 1/4 cup brown sugar which makes it WAY too sweet for my taste)
1/4 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree (I used sweet potato baby food, almost one entire 4 oz. jar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional but good)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts (optional)
big pinch salt

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin or sweet potato, vanilla, salt and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in peanut butter, if using.
2. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls and sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts. Yummmm...

The plaid Easter Bunny

2010-04-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

I whipped this little fella up in an hour (or two) the other day. The fabric is from a huge, and I mean HUGE men's shirt that I found at our local Salvation Army Superstore. I've already made a set of picnic napkins and a patch for my son's jeans out of said shirt. And its newest offspring is this wee bunny for our wee son's Easter basket. I found the template for the bunny online a few weeks ago and now can't find it anywhere (sorry!) But as there are so many free templates to find online, you could just as easily find a bunny shape that you like and go from there. Just trace your shape onto a doubled up piece of fabric, right sides together. Cut around shape 1/4 to 1/2 inch wider than your tracing and sew with a heavy stitch (I used a machine but you could easily do this by hand, making sure to use strong thread and stitches.) Leave a small opening for turning out your bunny and stuff with fiber fill. Whipstitch the opening, add a pretty ribbon and voila! You've got a sweet handmade Easter bunny!

Apple Pandowdy

2010-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

What is an Apple Pandowdy you ask? Well, it seems to be a cross between an apple pie and an apple crisp-- like a juicy apple pie without the bottom crust. It's good. You should make it tonight. I found the recipe here.

You'll notice that she suggests putting yours in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mine baked just fine in a nine-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Serve the pandowdy warm over vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with a big cup of coffee for breakfast, tea, late afternoon snack, heck--whenever. And don't you just love the name? There's something to be said for a dessert humble enough to call itself 'dowdy,' don't you think?