everyday, every day.

Sometime in early January I read about Project 365 on a couple different blogs (sweet sassafrass for sure, and else where as well).  I think it is a fascinating idea as an artistic challenge (how to you find the artful or beautiful every day in you life?), but there is just no way that I could be that consistent.  I’m still working on flossing daily–as my denstist will tell you.  Last visit she said, “Please, just floss at least once in the next few days.  Please.”  I’m glad to report, I did.  But remembering to take a photo EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR A YEAR?  I seriously doubt I would succeed.

What I did decide I could do (and probably a lot more consistently than I floss) is remind myself to take a photo every so often of my everyday life.  Not when we go somewhere special, or it is someone’s birthday (and believe me, I am really done with birthdays for awhile and happy to report the second party was completed last weekend), but just the normal things, the things that don’t get photos taken of them all the time.  Like the ironing pile that lived in my mom’s kitchen her entire childhood that you can see sneaking into a few candid shots, but never starred in its own photo shoot even though it comes up in conversation more often than you would imagine.

So that is my little challenge for the year.  Photos of the “real.”  Of the laundry.  The homework.  The messy dinner dishes still in the sink in the morning.

And if I remember to squeeze in a little flossing this year too, then I’ll really consider myself accomplished.

Red, red scarf.

I’m knit, knit, knitting away.  But this time for a good cause–that makes it easier to keep on knitting, even when my kids are buzzing around me, and people are hungry, need help, and, in the case of my son,…hungry again.  I’ve cast on to finish a red scarf in record time (personal record only) for project 6 at craft hope.

I remember checking out craft hope months ago, but it had been completely forgotten until I saw it mentioned somewhere recently .  (Where, oh where was that?  No idea at the moment.)  Looking at their current projects I noted their red scarf project and thought it might be a challenege for my friend Lara and I, who have been meeting for weekly knitting/what-have-you time.  I forwarded her the post and she agreed.  So we cast on and are in a knitting fury to finish in time.

I picked a pattern with a wee bit of a challenge for me (but not too much, I do want to finish this one)–Smock-a-Ruche Scarf from 101 Designer One-skein Wonders.  You might remember that one of my first knit projects in the re-emergence of my knitting bug was from the other One-skein Wonders book.  I had great success with the baby gnome hat, and this one is knitting up nicely as well.  The instructions are clear, and the finished piece looks like it will be lovely.

As of this evening, I’m nearly half way done.  Which is more than I can say about that feathered cowl I have in the works.  The less said on the cowl right now, the better.

cabbage salad *I* liked

We are BIG salad eaters.  BIG, BIG.  Last summer, while we were on a road trip, we had gone the route of fast food stops for a whole day and contemplating another meal of grease and more grease, we heard a high pitched plea  from the back seat, “Please, PLEASE, can I have salad?”

But, that is not always true if I mess with the basic salad at home, as I did the other night.  In December I had ripped out a cabbage salad recipe I was thinking of making for Xmas, but it never happened.  I tucked it away, and then staring into the fridge at a very large purple cabbage that was part of our CSA share last week, I thought it might round out our dinner of lentil soup and bread.

I was pretty sure the kids wouldn’t go for a straight cabbage, so I added in some salad mix, as well as some raisins for a little more sweetness.  I wouldn’t say it was a hit with them, but sometimes I get a little selfish and make a recipe that I want to try (as I had to explain to them as they pushed the nuts to the side).  I enjoyed it very much, and thought it was a nice mix of winter flavors.  And easy to make to boot.

Winter Salad

I found the original recipe reprinted in our local paper in Dec., but it was originally from The Washington Post.  Here is the link to the original version, and my version below.

Large handful of walnut halves or pieces

2-3 large handfuls of salad mix

1/4-1/2 head of medium purple cabbage (original recipe calls for savoy cabbage, but I used what I had on hand)

2 TBSP cider vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

sprinkle of salt

Large grind of fresh pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp creme fraiche, or heavy cream (I had 1/2 & 1/2)

1/2-1 crisp, slightly tart apple, like Granny Smith– Thinly sliced

Handful of raisins

Place nuts on cookie sheet and place under the broiler.  After a couple minutes shake/stir them.  Toast a few moments more until you can smell them.  Let them cool while you prepare the other parts.

Remove tough leaves of cabbage and then slice thinly desired amount.

In a jar with a lit, combine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add oil, put on lid, and shake until emulsified.  Before using, add cream and shake again.

Combine cabbage, nuts, apple, raisins and salad mix.  Lightly dress and combine.

Enjoy with hot soup or hot sandwich in the depths of winter.

Welsh Cakes

Last week was a parade of little bitty bites of goodness.  I made sconelettes, and then, days later, I tried my hand at Welsh Cakes.  How did I not know about these before?  They are so, so good.

I am working with my daughter’s 3rd grade class on a year long pen pal project with a similarly aged class in Wales (I located this class using epals–they are geared toward finding class exchanges, but there are some singular exchanges available as well).  As part of this project we spent a little time talking about cultural heritage, and I wanted to bring in some Welsh food to help them grasp the idea of how culture translates into everyday experiences.  Now, I’m not an expert on Wales, but I did a little online research and came upon these little goodies.  A cross between a scone and a griddle pancake, Welsh Cakes, or Picau Ar Y Maen, are a treat not to missed.  Maen means bakestone in Welsh, which describes the cooking method of these little goodies.  I’m not exactly sure what a traditional bakestone looks like, but my large cast iron pan worked very well.

I made mine a bit petit as I needed to stretch the recipe to serve 20 3rd graders, but normally they would be made the same size as a pancake or scone.  They are buttery and I made mine spiced gently with cinnamon and studded with raisins.   They kids gobbled them up (some of them noting the hints of cinnamon) as we discussed their own heritage foods.  Some of them want to bring in some food to share on the day they present their heritage projects and I can’t wait to discover some new tastes.  I just love food.  Don’t you?

I used this very thorough this squidoo posting to learn a little bit about Welsh Cakes, as well as using their posted recipe.  I’m reposting it below converted to American measurements.  If you’re interested, I also found this nice post on a Smithsonian blog about food and science–this post has a link to this recipe at the Washington Post.

Welsh Cakes (recipe adapted from http://www.squidoo.com/welsh-cakes)

Makes approx 20 Welsh Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups self-raising flour (or 2 cups all-purpose + 3 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (optional- and certainly if you use salted butter you don’t need any more salt!)
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (optional) (I used cinnamon)
1 stick butter,  softened & cut into pieces (I actually used chilled butter)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup dried fruit – currants, raisins or sultanas (or a mixture)
1  egg
A little milk (I needed about 1/4-1/2 cup to get to a good moistness, but it will vary)
Oil or fat to grease the griddle or pan
Sugar for sprinkling over the Welsh Cakes after they are cooked (I didn’t do, they were sweet enough)

Method:

1) Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.

2) Rub in butter/margarine until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

3) Stir in the sugar, dried fruit, mixed spice and salt (if used).

4) In a separate bowl or jug, beat the egg lightly.

5) Stir the beaten egg into the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Gradually add milk a little at a time if the mixture is too dry.

6) Using a rolling pin, roll the mixture out on to a floured board to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (5mm).

7) Cut into rounds with a cutter of about 2.5 – 3 inches (6-7cm) diameter. (For the class, I used a 1.5 round cutter)

Grease griddle/frying pan/skillet and allow to heat up gently for a few minutes.

9) Using a fish slice or pallet knife, carefully place Welsh Cakes one at at time onto the hot cooking surface.

10) Cook the Welsh Cakes for about 3 minutes each side, or until they are golden brown. (Watch your heat and cakes…I burned a few)

11) Allow to cool and then sprinkle with sugar.

12) Serve hot or cold. Welsh Cakes can be eaten plain or split and spread with jam/butter/honey etc.

Sconelettes

That’s right.  Sconelettes.  So tiny, you can barely see them.  Or notice them going down, so you are free to eat two, or five,…. or a dozen.

I found the recipe in that same issue of Readymade mag (unusually good issue, I guess) and whipped them up for my knitting hour this week.  Apparently the originator (and purveyor) of Sconelettes is a local gal and checking out her other flavors I was tempted to taste some more versions.   For now I had the recipe for Spiced Pear Sconelettes with Ginger Butter and thought I better start there, but lo and behold I was  missing at least some of the ingredients (does it really have to happen EVERY time I go to make something).  But I made do.

They were lovely with tea, and would have been even better with a little butter or cream on them.  Or maybe jam, although I’m not sure what kind.  Actually, I’m thinking apple butter.

Thank goodness the recipe makes like 60!  I can keep on trying them.  But I shouldn’t be that indulgent, so I’ve packaged up some to pass on to friends. Just a little sharing of some itty-bitty goodness.

There is just something about those neat rows...

Spiced Sconelettes (with just some wee changes)

21⁄2 c all-purpose flour

1⁄4 c granulated sugar

1⁄4 c packed brown sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger (I was out.  I substitued maybe 1/2 tsp of cardamon & some grated fresh ginger)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

1⁄2 tsp salt

1⁄2 c cold butter

1/4 cup crystallized ginger- chopped

2⁄3 c buttermilk (I substitued milk mixed with a little lemon juice)

milk or cream for wash

turbinado sugar or other coarse sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger (or spices of your choice), baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.With pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped ginger. Stir in buttermilk just until dough holds together.
2. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a rectangle. Roll dough out to ½-inch thickness. Using a 1- to 1½-inch square cutter (I used a 1 1/2 inch round cutter), cut sconelettes (or use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1¼- to 1½-inch squares), and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet allowing ½ inch between each sconelette. With a pastry brush, brush tops of each sconelette with whipping cream/milk. Sprinkle with coarse  sugar.
3. Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until edges are golden brown. (mine were done in 20)

This is a map

via Hand Drawn Map Association : This is map #136.

I just discovered this site through Readymade mag Oct/Nov 09 issue (it takes me a while to make my way through them).  I have a bit of a thing for cartography and in high school had prints of old maps (probably shakespeare era) up all over my walls.  I love the one above because it is an interesting combo of illustration and map.  I’d love something like this showing the way to my house.  Hmmm.  Something to think about and add to my list of possible future projects.

I also discovered daytrotter.org from the same issue and can’t wait to explore it more.  Tons of free downloads of live music recordings.

But first I need to continue my book and magazine purging…which means I’ll probably find some more things to distract me soon.

Birthday badges:tutorial

My daughter and son both have birthdays back to back. One day apart, and by the end of those two days I’m exhausted. Then usually we still have the parties to do.

It’s not their fault I’m tired, it’s mine. I just can’t stop myself from trying to make it an extra special day for them, especially hot on the heels of the winter holidays, and sharing the spotlight with birthdays right after each other. We always make sure to have an early breakfast with some presents (my husband got up early to make the food this year–lovely), cookies for the classroom treat (different kinds and I wouldn’t want to make them compromise on this once-a-year treat), and crowns and birthday badges at the ready beside their place on their birthday morning.

Each year I find myself up to late the night before, finishing wrapping, baking, or crafting to bring this altogether, and this year was no exception. I found my son’s crown made last year, along with his store-bought birthday button, but the next evening when I was readying my daughter’s goodies, I couldn’t find her button, and to top it off she had specifically asked about it once she saw my son’s. So, nine o’clock found me piecing together a homemade version of the Birthday Girl button that had gone awol.

I have to say, I quite like how it turned out, and although she was too shy to wear it to school, she happily pinned it to her jammies at 6:30 in the morning as she ate her requested pancakes and bacon, and it looked absolutely smashing with her crown.

In case you might want to make one of these for your birthday girl or boy, here are some quick instructions. Let me know if I can clarify anything along the way. I will add pics soon.

BIRTHDAY BADGE TUTORIAL

1. Make a small sized yo-yo out of brightly colored fabric. A print would look lovely too, I just happened to have one left over from the apron I had made and so I used that one.

2. Cut a strip of brightly colored felt. I cut mine to measure about 11 x 1.5 inches.

3. Using a needle and thread, knotted at one end, baste along one edge of the felt. When you reach the end gently pull and the felt will begin to ruffle. I found this one running stitch was strong enough, but you may find you need to baste once and then sew again. I hand did this work, but you could, of course, use your machine as well.

4. Once your felt is ruffled to your liking, pull the two short ends together so that the ruffle forms a circle and sew the ends together. I used a whip (?) stitch close to the edge.

5. Place your small yo-yo in the center of the ruffle circle–it should cover the hole entirely. Using small stitches on the frontside, and larger ones on the backside, stitch the yo-yo securely to the felt to form the center of your badge.

6. Use matching or contrasting fabric cut into strips with pinking shears to form your “ribbons” hanging off the badge. I then used alphabet stamps and fabric ink to print “Birthday” on one ribbon and “Girl” on the other.

7. Attach “ribbons” to the badge so that the writing is visible. I hand sewed them on.

8. Hot glue gun a safety pin on the back (or just use a safety pin to secure to the birthday darling.

Gifts: apron

I’m so excited!  I finished up a project that was (mentally) in the works for over two years!  Of course, in actuality it was only in progress for about 4 days, but it was weighing on me.

A few years ago I noticed that one of my friends who often wears an apron, spent most of her time in a well-loved, but bit tattered, apron.  Since then I have been wanting to make her an apron for her birthday, that unfortunately and inconveniently falls two days after xmas.  Well, I finally did and can’t wait to pass it on to her next week when we meet up for our weekly handwork hour  (knitting, quilting, what-have-you).  She doesn’t read this blog (as far as I know) so I’m safe to post pics here.

You’ll remember I just postedI was working on this apron (from an illustrated japanese pattern) that I found through tipnut.com.  I liked how this pattern turned out, but would probably make the pockets a little more generous in the future, as I personally like to shove dishtowels in there.  It has a nice full-coverage style and I made the ties longer so it could wrap around and tie in front for easy on and off.

I was able to use fabric sourced from my favorite store that re-sells donations from other peoples stashes to benefit a local senior center.  I found enough matching yardage to line this apron, and then added some yo-yo accents.  The yo-yo’s were also fun, and something I’ve been wanting to try for a couple years, but just needed an hour or so to do.  I only had the smallest yo-yo maker, and although you can of course make these with out the little maker, they are so much easier that way.  I splurged today and bought the medium size so I can embellish some other projects (I’m thinking a green plain cardigan I have, and maybe my next bag I make).

Working on…

It’s a rainy, rainy week here.  I’ve got a dentist appointment, and then back to that never ending to-do list.  But just wanted to share a couple things I’m working on/thinking about- real quick.

I’m about half way done with this apron for a friend (late b-day present).  I found what I was looking for through this link of 52 Free Apron Patterns.  I would also really like to make one of those clothespin aprons (like this one) for when the weather warms and I can start hanging my laundry again.

mural in mission district s.f.

I also went shopping last weekend (back to back no kids shopping days with friends–unheard of!) and was inspired by a couple things I saw–may try my hand at making something similar.  We’ll see how the apron goes.

short jacket from Anthropologie

Lacy blouse from Forever21

Peter Pan collar blouse from Urban Outfitters

knit-bits

I’m finally making some progress as a knitter.

After a couple years of false starts, I’ve sustained my focus (and found time–very important) long enough to complete a few projects, learn some new skills and gain some confidence. In fact, I feel so much more established as a knitter (still a beginner, but not quite a complete novice) that I found myself advising someone in the craft store on a good book to give someone who wants to learn to knit on their own (I suggested the book I used two years ago, The Klutz Knitting book–comes with needles, yarn, and nice pictorial how-tos). After that moment of realizing that I knew something (slightly) more than someone else about knitting, I am now comfortable calling my self a knitter.

And so, to maintain my new title, I have been knitting. So here’s an update on what I’ve completed, and what I’m working on.

FOs (Finished Projects–I’m trying to get hip with this online knit language)

Baby Gnome Hat — I posted the link to this pattern when I started it, and I actually finished it in plenty of time to give as a gift to my niece (above pic). It was a nice quick reentry into knitting and my neighbor knit a long with me so she was able to help me easily with my questions. After such success I quickly knit up a second had for my son, resizing it on my own with success!

Just Enough Ruffles Scarf– Again, thanks to my neighbor knitting this with me, I was easily able to learn a couple new skills. Didn’t finish in time to give to my sis for xmas, but finished it up New Year’s week and working on matching gloves (see below) so I can give it to her this month (before our cold weather is done here!)

Purple Knit Hat– Not a resounding success, but I did finish it. I was trying to knit up a purple hat (by request) for my daughter for xmas. I didn’t finish it in time and I wasn’t too thrilled with the finished project. Ravelry was down the night I needed to locate a free pattern (I was down to the wire timewise) and I settled on this pattern from the Lion Brand Yarn website. I learned how to do a seed stitch, but other than that, this hat probably won’t get much use. It is too short, and the style isn’t too flattering for my daughter. Oh well. At least I used inexpensive yarn.

Marsen Watchcap- – For my husband. when I was about half way done it was looking too small, but I finished it regardless. I figured I could always find a smaller head to give it too.  When it was all done, it fit just perfectly.  I’ll try to snap a pic soon.

UFOs (Unfinished Projects)

Ruffle Fingerless Gloves– Unknown how these will turn out, but I’m making them to match my sis’s scarf. I couldn’t find a free pattern that matched how I wanted so I’m combing a couple patterns together. Ruffle from an online one, and then use the Wave Fingerless pattern in One Skein, but changed stitch from wave to stockingette. So, as you can see, they could be a complete bust. Hoping not.

Just Enough Ruffles Scarf–This time for me. I bought some gorgeous dark blue/teal yarn at our local yarn store, Castaway, and can’t wait to start it. Hoping I have enough yarn for some fingerless for me too!

Feathered Cable Cowl– Wanted to make myself something in a kelly green color. Decided on a cowl, and found this one in a quick ravelry search for a free pattern that would introduce a new skill for me.

Aviator Cap-  Sweet Sassafras just posted the other day on this pattern and it looks just up my alley, but a bit of a challenge.  I haven’t actually started knitting this, nor bought yarn for it, but I can’t remember the shorthand for planned projects.  I also found the London Beanie on the headhuggers site the Aviator cap is on and that looks like a good quick knit up for my husband or son.

Well, that’s it. That’s the knitting update for now.  If anyone has any knitting patterns or sites to recommend, please pass them on!