Polliwog's Cakewalk

Summer Break Has Begun

2009-06-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Posts have been few and far between around here! I just can't seem to keep up with all that is going on in my life. I'm going to officially announce a blogging break. Don't worry, it isn't permanent, Denny has been working on a new design for this space and my silence hasn't been about lack of stuff to talk about, just lack of time to sit in front of a computer.

Summer break has begun and I am looking forward to spending time with both the kids. We've got some things planned, but I'm also looking forward to having some lazy days. And I'm totally going to take a bit of time to clean and organize the clutter that has accumulated around here!

Don't be sad, I'll be back soon!

Loving The Fresh Vegetables

2009-05-28T13:32:00.001-07:00

Look what made an appearance on Saturday! There were only 3 flats and they were gone in seconds. I ate one and it was heaven.

My new favorite breakfast is a bagel with cream cheese, cucumber and some freshly ground black pepper.

We grilled fennel with new potatoes and fresh garlic.

Here is Tom Denison, the farmer I work for, putting some ice on the vegetables. We have had beautiful weather and the ice helps keep them from wilting.

These are salad turnips. They are delicious raw or sautéed with butter. They make a short appearance, so you should snatch them up if you see them!

And this was our market dinner Saturday evening. Grilled salmon, new potatoes, red onion, fennel, carrots and fresh garlic. We like to use our old cookie trays for grilling fish and vegetables, then you don't loose anything down the grates. The potatoes, carrots and garlic were tossed lightly with olive oil, fresh thyme, salt and pepper and placed on the grill first. The onions and fennel were added after the potatoes started to soften.

We covered the salmon with sliced red onions, salt and pepper and placed it on the grill for 10-15 minutes. The broccoli salad was the only thing not from the market, but I was craving it and found this great recipe that I had to try.

I'm away from the market this weekend because we are heading out for a school camping trip. Should be lots of fun. I'm in charge of Sunday brunch (for 200)! I'm using Diane's delicious strata recipe that was in her Christmas zine. Wish me luck!

Market Day 1

2009-05-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Oh so delicious.

Carrots and sweet onions.

Leeks, new potatoes, green garlic, and fennel.

Lovely radishes.

Cabbage raab, oh yeah.

New potatoes.

I'm so glad that Farmer's Market Season is here!

The Fairy Festival

2009-05-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

My pretty fairy. She is wearing the fairy dress I made from Wee Wonderfuls. The crown was part of the festival activities.

Wand making was very fun.

I wore wings too. We must have dropped beads under the table.

Wren was not going to have fun, he has entered the "this is girl stuff" phase. :(

But I made him a wand and he had a hard time staying grumpy.

So...

2009-04-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

I've been on a computer hiatus lately, no posts, no facebook and I'm totally over due answering emails. I don't know what my deal is! But I must tell you, the bunny pattern is almost done. I just need to get together with my computer guy (Denny) and get the instructions onto the PDF.

Also, The Market is starting May 9th!!!! That means market pictures. Oh, I'm so excited. I'm told there will be carrots and strawberries along with the usual early spring produce on the first day. Hurray! I can almost taste them just thinking about it.

Market picture from last spring.

Easter (make something cool when I can)

2009-04-14T16:26:00.001-07:00

It was Saturday, I hadn't done A THING for Easter. It is hard to be motivated when you have been invited to three Easter celebrations and there is going to be candy and egg hunting at each one. But I decided I needed to do something, I wanted to do something. I preceded to brainstorm, rabbit silhouette, felted sweaters, images from a Google search. Result: Easter bunnies for the kids.

Denny said he will take my pattern and turn it into a pdf so I can post it here. Maybe in time for next Easter.

Happy Easter kids getting revved up for the hunt, decked out in scarves I made them with that dreamy-soft-bumpy-baby blanket material (don't know what it's called) and scraps of fabric. Something I did on a whim and just love how they turned out.

Just Too Busy

2009-04-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

Seriously Folks, I'm just too busy for my own good. I really don't know how people with kids are supposed to get anything done. I'm never home anymore and never seem to have the time or energy to have some me time! I actually have tons of things I want to write about, just can't get it done. I'm trying to be a part of Dabbled's Make Something Cool Every Day challenge. At this point, just posting here will be challenging enough!

So here are some teaser pics just to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking and "doing".

Velvet Chocolate Sauce.

Trying to take a picture of the dress I made.

Cake for the school auction.

A bowl of dirt?

Sunday walk.

Ta Da!

2009-04-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

*The quilts sold for nearly $400 a piece!

I've heard that photographing quilts can be a challenge and I must agree. I had good lighting, so the colors turned out lovely, but it is hard figuring out how to lay them.

These quilts are really all about the children's art work. I love the imagination.

Now they are headed to the school auction that takes place on Saturday. I'm actually nervous about watching them get auctioned off. I hope they are a hit!

Dropping By...

2009-03-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

...to say that the quilts are done! I'm going take pictures tomorrow and write up all the details of how I took the children's art work and turned it into a quilt. I'm extremely anxious to get working on something new. I've been mulling Easter ideas around in my head and need to figure out what I can actually finish by Easter.

I'm crossing my fingers for enough sun tomorrow for a successful photo shoot!

Kids Say The Darndest Things

2009-03-11T11:12:00.001-07:00

While driving in the car...

Violet: "Are superheros real?"
Me: "Not really."
Violet: "Oh, hmmm. Yeah they are, some are real and some are not real. I think I just saw a superhero flying in the sky!!"
Me: "Really?"
Violet: "I think so."

Homemade Goodness

2009-03-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Graham crackers and milk where one of my favorite snacks as a child. I could eat a whole package myself. Dunking until it was just right, still with a bit of crispness, not too soggy.

My kids haven't really experienced the goodness of graham crackers and milk because most brands are full of hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and bleached flour. I have found a couple of brands that have a good ingredients list, but are totally lacking in flavor.

Why couldn't I make some? So my quest began. I found a recipe in my stash of cookbooks, but the attempt failed miserably. I couldn't be satisfied until I had successfully completed my mission. I scoured the Internet, I found recipes and compared them to the first. Finally I found one I felt looked worthy.

It was my first time visiting Baking Bites.

The graham crackers worked perfectly and tasted better than I'd hoped, with a hint of molasses, honey and cinnamon. And it couldn't be easier, just throw all the ingredients into a food processor. I've since made them many times, sometimes using cookie cutters for fun shapes, but usually I just cut them straight with a pizza cutter and snap them apart when cool. Just like when I was a kid.

*Please follow the link for the recipe, the only thing I did different was to use white whole wheat flour for the total amount of flour instead of a mix of AP and whole wheat.

Progress

2009-03-03T16:35:00.001-08:00

The kindergarten quilts are coming along. The artwork has been printed onto the fabric and the fabric is cut and ready for sewing.

There has been a lot of work getting to this point, there were 48 images to scan, material to prep and then cut. Then came the printing, washing and more cutting. It is very exciting laying them out and getting to see the work coming together. The auction is in about 4 weeks, must get sewing!

Tomato Orange Soup, or I Love Power Tools

2009-02-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

I had this soup at a school pot luck dinner and LOVED it. I'm told it is a recipe from a deli in town that is known for delicious food.

The key is to use quality ingredients. Violet helped me squeeze the orange juice and I used tomatoes I brought home and froze from the farmer's market.

After it has all cooked, it needs to be blended. You can do this in a conventional blender, but that involves ladling hot soup into it. Also, I've heard you must be extra careful when removing the lid or else you can end up with hot soup on your ceiling. Here is where I get out the power tool, the immersion blender. You can just stick it right in the pot and blend it smooth. I could have used a smaller pot because I had to tip the soup to one side to cover the top of the blender so it wouldn't spray. Still, much less work than the on the counter version.

Elephant's Tomato Orange Soup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
28 oz unsalted diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup fresh orange juice

In a saucepan melt butter, add onion and sauté until translucent. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Purée in a blender and return to sauce pan. OR use an immersion blender and keep it right there in the pan! Stir in orange juice and cream. Simmer and serve.

We ate it with grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches. YUMMY!

Itchin' To Sew

2009-02-18T18:18:00.001-08:00

But just look at the condition my sewing table is in! As soon as I get this cleaned up, I'm sewing this cute grab bag. Also, I just received the new rolled hem foot plate that I ordered for my serger and I would love to do some experiments. Maybe I'll have time this weekend?!?

Pop Out Valentines

2009-02-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the kids are passing out Valentine's at school. I really wanted to come up with something that would be fun for my kids to make and fun for the kids in class to receive.

Violet's very violet Valentine.

Supplies:
paper cups
colored card stock
stickers
googly eyes
glue stick
craft sticks
ric-rac

I bought colored paper cups and then made a template of a heart that fit inside that I used to trace onto colored card stock.

While I cut out the hearts, the kids had the job of signing their names on the cup and decorating them with stickers.

Then came the fun part, googly eyes and ric-rac. I glued the stick on to ensure that they were straight so that they would align well in the cup. I used an exacto knife to cut a line in the bottom of the cup. The cut needs to be right in the center and just the size of the stick so that the heart fits inside and the stick is snug.

Making 24 of these was a lot for the kids to do. Wren signed his own name on all the cups and did most of the stickers and faces. I printed out the word "from:" and glued it in front of his name. I hope the kids have fun with them tomorrow!

Magic Flashlights

2009-02-09T21:46:00.000-08:00

Here is something to brighten your February. The song is 'Kids' by MGMT. I'm really loving it. My kids are really loving watching this video. Enjoy!

Magic Flashlights from Mike Benson on Vimeo.

Quilting and Knitting

2009-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

I've been quite busy lately. My biggest project right now is organizing and designing the kindergarten class quilts. Yes, I have volunteered to head the project!

The kids have been studying water and ocean themes in class. I thought it would be a great idea to have each child create a painted sea creature that would be scanned and then printed onto fabric.

We did a test print from one of Wren's paintings he brought home from class. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

The process is quite simple. Cut an 8 1/2" X 11" piece of freezer paper, iron your fabric on and trim. Then you can send that right through your printer. I was surprised to find that HP has detailed instructions on how to do it. Now I get to print out about 50 of them! Wow, I've got a lot of work ahead of me. I'm trying not to worry about the fact that I've never made a quilt before! Luckily, there are many other parents who are helping and some of them have quilting experience.

The rest of my extra time has been put to use knitting socks. I finished Violet's and started on some for myself. I have been holding onto this yarn for years, it feels so good to finally knit with it. I really love how toe up socks knit up. Can't wait to slip my feet in!

Homemade Hot Cocoa: For REAL!

2009-01-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

Look at that face, I think he likes it!

my preferred ingredients

I give you two recipes. First a Hot Cocoa mix recipe. One that I made with friends a couple of winters ago and gave as gifts. Originally from Sunset magazine. Go here and you will find many versions; Mexican, peppermint, mocha. Just note, there is a typo. Use 1 teaspoon salt, NOT 1 tablespoon! The second is a stove top recipe, you can also make it by the cup in the microwave for an instant fix.

Classic Cocoa Mix
1 cup powdered milk
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chips

Mix together in a container. Pour 1 cup boiling water in a cup, stir in 1/3 cup of cocoa mix. Et voilà! I like to pour in a bit of half and half to cool it and for a smidgen of creaminess. This makes a deliciously rich hot cocoa.

Stove Top Hot Cocoa
4 cups milk, any kind
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients into a pot. Turn on to medium heat, start stirring when milk warms up. The cocoa powder will not mix in until milk is warm. Don't boil! Makes 4 cups of hot cocoa just like your grandma used to make.

For 1 cup serving:
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt

Place in a ceramic mug, microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and enjoy!

*An interesting fact about cocoa powder, it doesn't actually dissolve, it just suspends in the warm liquid. That is why you always find cocoa at the bottom of your cup!

How To: Fairy Warm Cocoa

2009-01-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

Fairy Warm Cocoa Tutorial from Denny McEntire on Vimeo.

This is what happens when I leave Denny alone with the kids!

The Perfect Shade Of Blue

2009-01-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

The yarn: Cash Iroha Sage Blue, a silk, wool, cashmere blend. I fell in love with the color, the sheen, its soft feel.

The pattern: Swirls Cap by Sophia Kessinger, a free crochet pattern on Ravelry. The pattern is written well with plenty of pictures and step by step instructions. I needed to do some adjusting to fit my gauge and didn't have any trouble making it work.

I love detail on the hat, the puckered swirls, the belt across the brim.

And I love yarn. It has such a nice feel to it, the blend is a perfect mix of luxury and practicality. It is fun to splurge sometimes!

Coughing and Sneezing and Aches, Oh My!

2009-01-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

I've been hit with a nasty virus. One of those not quite the flu, but worse than a cold and it has lasted for days. Everyday I've thought, this is almost over and everyday I feel just a bit better. But really, I think it is almost over!

Just so you know, I've been thinking about you while I've been gone. Wanting to hop on to say hello and to show you my newest hat, that I totally LOVE. The sun is shining today, so I'm hoping to snap a nice picture. I really can't wait to show you!

The Trouble With Bamboo Sock Needles...

2009-01-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

Yup, totally snapped.

I'm attracted to the aesthetics of bamboo needles, that is what I usually buy. So that is what I went for when I started my sock class. I noticed how fragile they were as soon as I started knitting, I felt like I was going to break them while I was knitting! I've never felt that with the larger sized bamboo needles. Well, it happened. Not while I was knitting, but in my bag.

These are my new indestructible needles, the addi Turbo Lace. Not only are they strong, they claim I will knit faster! They are quite nice, the joins are smoother than the bamboo, which seems to be more of an issue when knitting with tiny sock yarn. Smooth needles also seem to be essential with smaller yarn. I've used size 17 metal needles and had horrible trouble with the yarn slipping off.

All this rambling on about knitting needles! I'm really just happy to be knitting socks, something I've been wanting to do for years.

Chupe de Quinoa

2009-01-10T16:17:00.000-08:00

If you haven't tried quinoa, this is your chance! Quinoa is a quick cooking, extremely healthful grain. It contains a balanced set of essential amino acids which make it a complete protein source. What more could you ask for? Besides delicious. Which is where this soup comes into play.

Although this is a lengthy recipe, it is quite simple and comes together rather quickly.

Chupe de Quinoa, Quinoa Soup
(adapted from The Art of South American Cooking)

2 T oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 t cumin
1/8 t white pepper, or 1/2 t black pepper
1 T coarse sea salt, or 2 t regular table salt
1 lb potatoes cut into 1" cubes, peeled or unpeeled
1/2 lb fresh spinach, shredded
1 c raw quinoa
5 c stock or water
Juice of an orange
8 oz feta cheese
Hard boiled eggs, one per person

Heat your oil on medium heat, in a large pot. Add garlic and jalapeño. Be careful not to let the garlic brown. Add cumin, pepper and salt, cook until fragrant, 1-2 min. Pour in your 5 c water or stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft. About 15 min. While potatoes are cooking, make your quinoa and eggs.

Quinoa: You should always thoroughly rinse your grains before cooking. (Bob's Red Mill sells pre-rinsed quinoa!) Place 1 c quinoa and 2 c water in a pot, bring to a boil. Place lid on, turn off heat. Leave the pan on the hot burner. It should be done in about 10 minutes.

Eggs: This method is from Martha, and produces the most perfectly cooked egg. You know when you have over cooked eggs when your yolk is green. That wont happen when following these directions. Place eggs in a pot, add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand for 12 minutes, then drain and run under cold water. I like to cook more than I need so that there are some left for a quick protein snack.

Back to the Soup!

Once your potatoes are soft, stir in the spinach and cooked quinoa. Pour in the orange juice and cook for 5 minutes more. Serve with feta and boiled egg on top. Bon Appétit!

A few additional notes:

*I don't always have jalapeño or oranges on hand and the soup still tastes delicious with out these ingredients.

*For less spice, remove the pith and seeds from the jalapeño before cutting. A spoon works great for this. Cut jalapeño in half and use a spoon to scrape out the insides.

*Choose feta made with goat or sheep's milk, it is much more flavorful. You will find that you use less, which counters the higher price.

*You can substitute any green leaf vegetable for the spinach.

*If you want to add meat, brown it in the pan before adding the garlic.

*If you want to add other vegetables, add them with the potatoes.

A Frosty Walk

2009-01-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

We received a book called WALK THERE! 50 treks in and around Portland and Vancouver and decided it was as good a day as any to go for a walk. The path we chose was along a creek with wildlife viewing areas and is a favorite of local bird watchers.

Brrrr! Look at all that frost!

We walked along a creek where attempts are being made to bring back salmon and steelhead.

Frost covered railing.

Frozen rose hips, so cold, but so beautiful.

We weren't really expecting to see any wildlife in the cold, so we were very excited to spot this great blue heron in a pond about 15 feet away from the path.

School is back in session tomorrow. I think we will all benefit from getting back into "the routine". It was a wonderful holiday break. I really enjoyed the pace of our Christmas, not so many presents, with an emphasis on handmade. I'm also ready to start on projects that got put on the back burner while I was in production mode. I've almost forgotten where that back burner is!

The End. And A New Begining

2008-12-31T08:52:00.000-08:00

The end of 2008 is here. I'm not a fan of resolution lists. But I do like to reflect on the year that is passing and try to send myself into the new year with a positive attitude. Hoping for the best, reminding myself to be adaptable because things don't usually happen as they have been planned. Remembering that things happen for a reason and you may or may not figure out why.

We are all one year older, hopefully wiser.

I am very thankful to have a healthy, happy family to accompany me into the next year.

All in all, this has been a wonderful year, I've been able to spend a great amount time making and creating and I have found a great place to share it. Thanks for reading and supporting my efforts and experiences.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

*I'm a guest blogger over at Dabbled today! I needle felted a little gnome and wrote up a how to. Dabbled is one of my favorite blogs. Dot dabbles in many things, felted sweater crafts, illustrations, robots, cooking, just to name a few. She also hosts contests that are very fun to participate in. Go check her out!

We had a wonderful time yesterday, quite relaxing.

Denny's mom took pictures of the kids in front of the tree on Christmas Eve,

and I wanted to join in the fun!

Happy Solstice!

2008-12-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

And I'm happy to say that my camera has returned! I'm busy finishing up the gifts and trying to stay warm. There is an unusually large amount of snow in Portland, OR right now. I'm very thankful for heat and a fully stocked kitchen!

I just have time to show some of the pictures I've take since the camera returned.

I bought four of these crocheted snow flakes at a craft bizarre, now I'm wishing I would have gotten three times that many!

This is one of my faves, a sweet little hedgehog.

Here are the kid's advent trees.

More stenciling.

We have such an abundance of drawings and paintings by the kids, we decided to use it for wrapping paper. Shown with gift tags from the black apple.

The house for Violet. I still need to sew on buttons, doors and such.

I was going to make Wren a little house too, but he is obsessed with the creatures from this book. I've made sock moneys and glove monsters, now I've ventured into the world of Stupid Sock Creatures! So very fun.

Stocking stuffers for the kids. Pattern from Mochimochi.

I finished one sock! The second one will have to wait until after the holidays. Can't wait to finish it and start on a pair for me though.

Hope to stop in at least one more time before Christmas. Until then, don't forget to enjoy these last few days until the New Year.

Attempts With The Point And Shoot

2008-12-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

The good camera is still in the shop, but I just had to take some shots with the old point and shoot. I can't believe this used to be the only camera we had!

Wren likes to 'ride' his finger board on the tree and sometimes I find it there, left for decoration.

I think this shot actually turned out quite nice! Denny took this while we were out playing in the snow yesterday. I don't want to go outside today, it is freezing. We just aren't equipped for this kind of weather here in Portland, OR.

And here is a picture of some craftyness. I cut a cool print off of one t-shirt that wasn't fitting so well (due to shrinkage, I'm sure!) and sewed it onto a plain old brown shirt. Et Voilà! Now I have a one of a kind creation.

OK, now I must go work on more Christmas projects. I'm trying to take pics of them with the old camera and I'm just not pleased. Hurry home Power Shot G9!

Perfectly Rotten Timing!

2008-12-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

I just had to take our camera to be repaired and it wont be back for up to 2 weeks! Crazy how dependent on that thing I am. I'm crossing my fingers that it be back sooner than later. I've got stuff to show you!

W.I.P. It Up

2008-12-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Freezer paper stencils. Butterflies from Lotta, dandelion by Leethal, praying mantis by Denny.

These are the guts to the little houses.

I'm finally learning how to knit socks! This toe up pattern is designed and taught by Chrissy.

This is Violet's new do. Ah, she looks so old now!

I also made the kids cute advent button trees from a tutorial by Diane, but I can't get a decent picture to show.

And I can't forget to tell you about the coolest Christmas Digest by Diane and Katin! I got mine yesterday and I'm totally enjoying all the whit, humor and craftiness. You should go and buy one. Thank you guys!

M.I.A.

2008-11-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

Wow! I haven't had anytime to sit and write. So much going on, so much to do.

*WARNING* Lots of words, no pictures, but also some fun links!

I commissioned a wonderful local artist and blog friend to paint something for Wren and Violet. They turned out perfect!

My über crafty friend has an über crafty mom and she has started a blog that is all about winter celebrations called Gingerbread and Snowflakes. You will find eye candy, recipes, and some crafty how to's.

Another friend of mine has started a business called Lost Arts Kitchen and is teaching cooking and baking classes that incorporate slow food traditions back into our fast paced world. I took her Dairy Magic class and learned how simple it is to make your own yogurt and soft cheeses. It is much cheaper and tastier than store bought.

We went to Great Wolf Lodge for a little family vacation. The water park was great fun. There are lots of unnecessary ways to spend your money there. If you go, bring as much food as you think will fit in one of those little hotel fridges as they charge an enormous amount for mediocre food.

And on the holiday front, tomorrow is Thanks Giving! Ahhhh! I should actually be making pie dough, roll dough, cranberry sauce, puréeing squash for pumpkin pie, portioning and puréeing up some persimmon and then figuring out what to do with it. (A post all about the persimmons in question will be coming soon. Oh yeah, and that post about how to make a fish cake...)

OK, I'm not going to mention all the things that I'm working on or need to be working on for Christmas, that will come when I'm out of the weeds with all the cooking and baking I need to do!

(Scroll down the restaurant/diner lingo list to "in the weeds" for that last link.)

Quick And Tasty

2008-11-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

You've just got to love a dish that is both quick and tasty!

I can't think of a name for this dish that conveys how yummy it is, so I will just get on with the recipe.

8 oz pasta, cooked according to package instructions
1 bunch of cooking greens like chard, collard, mustard, kale. Use one, or a mix.
1 c chicken stock or broth
1 T oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
Shredded Fontina cheese, or Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio
Bacon for garnishing

I use rotelle pasta and I chop the greens pretty small with the thought in mind that small pieces will get stuck between the ridges of the pasta and then be consumed by my unsuspecting children. That being said, any shape pasta will do.

In a large pot, heat oil on med. Briefly cook garlic until soft, being careful not to brown. Add broth and greens. There will seem to be quite a bit of greens, but they cook down. Stir until the greens are wilted and then put a lid on so you don't loose all the liquid, cook for about 15 min. Mean while, cook your pasta, grate your cheese, get your bacon ready. I baked mine in the oven and then crumbled it to order.

Add your salt and pepper, mix the pasta and greens together. Serve with cheese and bacon. Yum.

Raking Up The Leaves

2008-11-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

Or at least trying to. While I was out getting groceries, Denny snapped these pictures.

I'll Bake That!

2008-11-16T11:25:00.001-08:00

A piano needed to be tuned at Wren's school. A generous man offered to tune it and would do it for a chocolate cake. Seriously? I'll bake that!

I used my favorite cake book, The Cake Bible. Perfect All American Chocolate Butter Cake and Dark Chocolate Ganache, oh yeah.

Violet's Fishy Swimming Party

2008-11-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

Violet turned three! She wanted a fishy swimming party. I made a fish cake (how to coming soon), and a birthday crown from The Creative Family.

And these wool felt fish for party favors. We ate cake, opened presents and then all met at the neighborhood pool for a swim. Much fun was had. Hurray for 3!

It's All Black & White

2008-11-03T17:09:00.001-08:00

Fleece, that is. I made Mr. Skelly following a pattern from the book Plush-O-Rama.

There are two because one is for Wren and one went to my brother who is stationed in Iraq. My brother is there for the second time and is having a hard time right now. The kids told me that Mr. Skelly protects you from the bad guys, so hopefully he can help their uncle.

I have been wanting to make a panda pillow for Violet ever since I picked up a pillow form from a thrift shop many months ago. Working with fleece was so fun! Kind of like felt, just fluffier. For the panda, I drew a sketch, measured the pillow on the white and cut out the other pieces straight out of the fabric, no pattern. I think the whole thing took me 25 min.

I couldn't stop there and made this simple ghost. I ran out of stuffing though and Mr. Ghosty is still flat.

I think it would be fun to make the kids some jackets with fleece. Not this year though, both of them have plenty of coats and jackets already. Maybe for next year.

I Voted!

2008-11-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

Hope all you folks out there that can vote are doing it!

Over at the do stuff! blog, Lee is giving away a pdf file with patterns for a knitted hat, a stencil, an applique, a thank you card design, and mac and cheese recipes for voting. Woo Hoo!

A Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Carmel Apples from 101 Cookbooks.com, insanely delicious!

Violet and her friend Anna in their fairy costumes sewn from Wee Wonderfuls pattern.

Violet's pumpkin, ready to be carved.

One of Wren's pumpkins getting carved.

left to right: Wren's, Violet's, Wren's, and in back is mine. Denny just got to help carve the kid's pumpkins and didn't get to his own.

Missing: picture of Wren in his costume!

How To: The Great Pumpkin Cake

2008-10-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

It all starts with two bunt cakes. I made one pumpkin bread and one banana bread.

Cut the bottoms to make a flat surface. You will want to save that part for snacking!

Place one on top of the other and line up the ridges.

After frosting the cake, roll up a paper bag for a stem and carefully fill in the hole with bits of scrap cake. Carefully frost the last bit.

Decorate as you wish! I had great plans to melt chocolate to make cutouts for decorating. You could also use this for a Thanksgiving cake. Use your imagination and get fancy!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe
2 c baked pumpkin or squash or 1-15 oz can
1 c brown sugar, packed
1 c granulated sugar
2/3 c veg. oil
4 eggs
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
2 t ginger
2/3 c water
3 c flour of your choice
1/2 c mini chips

Mix pumpkin, sugars, oil and eggs. Add salt, baking soda, ginger and water. Mix in flour until incorporated. Stir in mini chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour for a bunt pan.

Banana Bread Recipe
6 large bananas
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
2/3 c veg. oil
1 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 c flour of your choice
1/2 c mini chips

Smash bananas. Mix in sugars, eggs and oil. Add vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix in flour until incorporated. Stir in mini chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour for a bunt pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter, softened
1 pkg cream cheese, cold
2 t vanilla
4 c pwd sugar

Beat butter until lightened, add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add food coloring.

BACON!

2008-10-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love bacon. But don't you just hate standing over the frying pan with hot bacon grease splattering.

A super easy way to avoid this is to bake your bacon in the oven. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lay your bacon on a baking tray, remember that it will shrink, so you can squish them on. Depending on how you like your bacon, it will take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Cook until done to your liking. Remove from tray, tongs are great for this, and enjoy. I usually bake up a whole package at a time and then store the rest in the fridge, reheating as I need it.

You could also line your tray with foil which makes for easy clean up.

Over The Shoulder Bag

2008-10-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

I saw this shoulder bag on How About Orange, followed the link to Tiny Happy's great tutorial and realized this was a must have bag.

This one went to my mom for her birthday.

I fell in love with the fabric and found the perfect button.

I made one for myself out of the cute cherry fabric I bought from Roxanne. I only changed the instructions a tad. Instead of leaving an opening for turning the bag right side out on the bottom of the lining, I left it open on the top of the bag where you are going to sew a top stitch to finish. This step eliminates having to hand stitch the hole in the lining.

I love this bag! If I had the time, I would make an over the shoulder bag in every color.

It's Pumpkin Patch Time

2008-10-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

We went, we conquered, we found the perfect pumpkins!

We all loved tramping through the field, searching for pumpkins was almost secondary.

Diane from CraftyPod was at The Pumpkin Patch with her parents running a fall photo booth. We sneaked up to say "Hello" and snap a picture. We also sat down and had a family photo taken that turned out great, all of us were looking forward and smiling! Thanks Pam, Kirby and Diane!

I Am Super Ninja!

2008-10-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to make a pair of fingerless gloves since last winter. Lucky for me, I found the greatest pattern and yarn from Leethal. And double lucky, she lives in my town!

I bought a knit mitt kit with recycled yarn that was retrieved from a sweater and then dyed. They are a super quick knit and as you can see, I've already worn them in from wearing them practically every day.

There is so much more than yarn at Leethal, she sews and prints many wonderful things. I bought Denny a button up shirt that was "made new" with a cool block print camera design. I just love the totally reasonable, totally unique things I found. You can follow Lee on her blog called dostuff!

Winter Squash Redux

2008-10-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

* I wrote this last February. Now that squash is back in season, I'm ready to make this next week. Oh winter squash, how many ways do I love thee...

Winter squash, how many ways do I love thee? Last night it was in lasagna. Oh, so delicious.

I just threw a layer of mashed up butternut squash in the middle of my lasagna and baked as usual. Lasagna is such a wonderful winter meal that can be done so many ways.

And I'm always making up a batch of 'Pumpkin' Bread, made with basically any orange flesh squash I have on hand. I played around with the recipe and this one is my family's favorite. The only spice used is powdered ginger, which brings out the squash nicely instead of covering it up.

Sally's Winter Squash Bread

2 c squash purée

1 c granulated sugar

1 c brown sugar

4 eggs

2/3 c oil

2/3 c water

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

2 t powdered ginger

3 c white whole wheat flour (or any flour of your choice)

Mix squash and sugars together in a large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in oil, water, salt, baking soda and ginger until combined well. Mix in flour just until combined. Bake at 350 in greased bread or muffin pans. Bread takes about 45 min and muffins range from 15-20 min. Bread will also brown much more on top than muffins will. Enjoy!

I don't think I will have enough squash left in my freezer to last through the summer. That's a funny thought, freezing winter vegetables to last you until they are in season again! Winter is almost over, thank goodness, but I sure will miss eating winter squash.

Thank You!

2008-10-08T13:42:00.001-07:00

For all of your sweet well wishes and condolences, they mean a lot.

We got back Monday, I still can't believe it is Wednesday. I'll be here soon with some fun stuff.

Just A Quick Note...

2008-09-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

to say that I'll be away for a bit, we are going to my grandpa's funeral. He had a wonderful life and accomplished many great things. I'm sad that he is gone, but I'm looking forward to celebrating his life with the rest of the family, some of whom I haven't seen in years.

Thank you, and we'll talk again when I return.

Deconstruction Of A Bell Pepper

2008-09-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Or, how to cut a bell pepper.

Start by cutting the top and bottom of the pepper off. This creates a flat surface on the bottom and allows you to see through to the inside.

Make your first cut into the pepper to the right of the pith (the bitter white part).

Your next cut will be right before the next line of pith.

You now have one section of pepper, and a peek at the inside.

Next, you will be cutting behind the pith.

And then once again in front of the pith.

Continue cutting around until you have a skeleton of a pepper.

Notice, there are no seeds on the pepper or the cutting board that need to be wiped away. You also have lovely pieces of pepper that can easily be cut any which way you desire.

Free Form Sewing

2008-09-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

That's what I'm calling it because I didn't use a pattern. I just laid the fabric out, drew on it, cut it out and sewed it together. I'm happy with how he turned out.

He is for a friend of Wren's who is throwing a super hero party.

Of course, you can see the influences from here, here and here. It was great fun letting the creative juices flow, using what I've learned and seen, but trying to make something of my own.

Violet really wanted to be a part of the photo shoot.

What Makes You Laugh?

2008-09-15T17:10:00.001-07:00

Randomly found this on youtube and watched it over and over. Quite the laugh!

It is called Sneezing Panda.

Update On The Roasted Tomato Sauce

2008-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

I roasted some more tomatoes, this time I added some sweet peppers and basil. I don't add any salt or oil so that it is easier to control when used in a recipe. I've been getting a lot of inspiration and information from Dan and Nicki. Also from friends I work with at the market.

I must tell you, this sauce smells delicious. I wanted to pull it out of the oven and eat it with a spoon.

We Survived!

2008-09-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

We were all exhausted by the end, but we survived the first week of school!

Silly face pose for Dad on the way out the door on the first day.

Signing in.

Finding her cubby.

I've got a back log of posts that I've been wanting to get to, some foodie stuff and some crafty stuff too. Hopefully I'll be able to think about more than getting the kids out the door with the appropriate items and then picking them up on time so I can squeeze in some blogging.

Making Some Sauce

2008-09-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

I brought home about 35 lbs of tomatoes from the market. Suffice it to say, we spent a few days roasting tomatoes.

For the most part, we quartered the tomatoes, placed them on the pan skin down and roasted them for about 3 hours at 250 degrees. Then we skinned them, weighed them out to 28 oz (large can size) and threw them in the freezer.

After hearing from some friends that they roast tomatoes with onions and garlic and then blend it all up in to a nice sauce base, I had to try some. The sauce was bursting with roasted garlic flavor and had a lovely sweetness to it. Hopefully I can make some more of this before tomato season is over.

I also tried my hand at crock pot tomato sauce and came up with a pretty good one.

Crock Pot Tomato Sauce

8 cups chopped tomatoes, I skinned mine, but it isn't necessary
3 carrots, grated
1 large onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T olive oil
3/4 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried marjoram
1 t dried basil
3/4 t fennel seeds
3/4 t salt

Heat oil in a sauté pan. Sweat onions, bell pepper, garlic and grated carrots until soft, being careful not to brown. Place everything into crock pot and cook on low for 7 hours or until done. You can blend this sauce or use it chunky.

Christmas Gift List, Halloween. Wow, It Must Be Sept.

2008-09-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

I'm starting on Christmas gifts. Here's what I'm doing so far.

This portable doll house for Violet from UK lass in US.

From mmmcrafts. I've just got to make these for the kids. I'll do a boy version with removable pants for Wren.

I really like this double sided cable scarf from Sweater Surgery.

This is what I want to make for Violet's Halloween costume from Wee Wonderfuls. Wren's costume idea changes weekly, so I'm not sure what that one is going to be.

Last year he was the Prince from Katamari. I also crocheted the Prince for him from a pattern I bought from anapauloli on Etsy.

Things have been extra busy here. Wren is starting kindergarten next week and Violet is going to preschool. It feels like the end of an era for me, life is never going to be the same. It is going to be all about school for the next 15 years or so.

I've been at home with my kids since the beginning and this is a bit of a hard transition for me. On one hand, I'm thinking about all the time I'm going to have for myself. On the other hand, I'm really going to miss Wren. He is going to be in school for 6 hours a day! That is 30 hours a week! Violet will only be going for 5 hours a week, so she will keep me company. I think she will miss her little buddy too though.

Market Picks

2008-08-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

From the last couple of Saturdays.

Wall of Big Beef tomatoes.

Bunny ears.

Delicious varieties you wont find in your grocery store.

Italian sweet peppers.

What a fig should look like when it is ready to eat. (I didn't know this about figs)

Such an exotic looking fruit.

The morning sun.

Sweet peppers and tomatoes.

Pole beans.

Now I Just Need Some Pins

2008-08-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

My pin cushion is finished! Hurray! I just love love love cupcakes and really wanted to come up with my own design for my pin cushion. I crocheted the bottom and used a felted wool sweater for the top. The cherry is the coolest bit though, it is filled with steel wool for sharpening your pins! I got the idea from Diane.

Now I want to get some colorful pins that will look like sprinkles.

I still want to make this little cutie, as I've always wanted a hedgehog.

Baking Bread: The Short Version

2008-08-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is seriously fast and easy. I started it at 5:30pm and pulled it out of the oven at 6:45pm. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law when they were visiting in July. It makes a great basic dough that can be used in many ways. I made a loaf, burger buns, and Violet shaped a bunch of rolls.

Here is the recipe as I got it from my sister-in-law.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
5 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1 & 1/2 rounded T of instant yeast
1/2 t salt

Give the dry ingredients a mix

1 & 1/2 T liquid lecithin (found in the health department or at baking stores)
2 c hot water

Mix for 1 minute and check consistency, dough should be sticky. Add flour or water. Knead for 4 minutes. Spray pans, counter and your hands with cooking spray. Cut dough in half and shape into loaves. Cover and let rise for 25 minutes. Cook for 25 minutes, or until bottom is lightly brown.

*For whole wheat flour, knead for 10 minutes instead of 4 and use apple sauce for half of your water.

OK, here's what I did. I tried the recipe the way it was written, using the lecithin, apple sauce and white whole wheat flour. It was very tasty, but a bit sweet. I wanted to try it without the lecithin and apple sauce to see how it came out. Mostly to make it less sweet and also to cut down on the ingredients list. I also switched the sugar to honey. It worked great!

My version:

5 1/4 c white whole wheat flour
1 & 1/2 rounded T instant yeast
1 t sea salt

Mix dry together

1/2 c honey
2 c hot water

Mix together for 1 minute and test constancy, needs to be sticky or else your bread will turn out dry. Knead for 10 minutes making sure dough remains sticky, adding more hot water if necessary. Spray pans, counter and hands with cooking spray, shape and let rise 25 minutes, or until doubled. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

What? No Internet??

2008-08-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Idaho was wonderful. We went boating and swam in Lake Pend Oreille and spent most of a day at Silverwood Theme and Water Park, and had a great time with my cousin and her family.

We had brought the lap top expecting that we would be able to hook up to the internet somehow. Our expectations didn't quite match with what was probable. We could get dial up for $10 a week, but our lap top doesn't have a phone jack! What?!? So, no internet. I did manage to sneak on at my cousin's house where they too can only get dial up, wow, that is one slow connection! I have forgotten all about my dial up days. I didn't have the patience or the time to wait for pages to upload. So, a week with out the internet...what did we do?

Read books, talked(!) to one another, I got some knitting in, swam, went for a drive, hung out!

Finding round granite stones on the river.

Violet and I being pulled by the boat on the tube!

Denny and Violet swimming in Lake Pend Oreille.

Wren "wading".

I have market pictures to show you from the last two Saturdays. The bread posts are almost ready, I'm making one batch today! And I'm excited to show you my new pin cushion.

It's My Birthday!

2008-08-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

And we are off to Idaho for our last summer fling. I plan on popping in to say 'HI'. I've got a lot of ideas brewing for when I get back, like new pin cushions and bread recipes, to name a couple.

Hope you have a wonderful day, and remember : Groove is in the heart!

R Is For Robot

2008-08-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

This is the very cool prize I won for submitting my Memory Mobile in the Summer Doldrums Contest that Dot held over at Dabbled. It is an original water color by Dot herself.

Dot, I love it! Thank you!

I Heart Presents!

2008-08-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

I was super lucky to win this great purse from Nikolaas at digibudi's Digital Garden.

He threw in a super cute butterfly iron on as well.

I love the kitchen design, suits me nicely!

Nikolaas sews, does cross stitch and has some great drawings. He is over in Belgium, so it was especially fun receiving an international gift. Thanks Nikolaas!

Half Way Through Market Season

2008-08-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Melons made their debut this week from Denison Farms. This golden one is called Tangerine Dream. We were all amazed by the lovely scroll designs and the depth of flavor of this melon.

Yellow Doll and the Super Bowl were the other two there. More varieties are on their way.

Denison grows lovely lettuce, and at $1.50 a head, it can't be beat.

The cherry and pear tomatoes are like candy, so sweet and delicious, it is hard to pick a favorite.

I love my Saturdays at the Market. Working with Tom Denison and the crew, and all the great organic produce really makes my day.

Ta Da!

2008-08-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

This green bunny was given to Violet's now 3 yr old friend yesterday. The two of them were giving the bunnies shoulder rides around the park and pushing them in the swing. Super cute!

I made a couple of changes with green bunny. I thinned out the arms and legs by decreasing earlier and attached the arms a tad lower than at the neck. The ears are a big difference, I made them wider and attached them facing out. I used felt to make green bunny's face and attached it on with permanent fabric glue. I found it is hard to embroider much detail directly onto the crochet stitches.

To make the bunnies, I used this basic amigurumi pattern from Crochet Me and just adapted the arms and legs and made up the ears. If anyone would like me to go into more detail about my changes, please let me know and I'd be happy to!

It really doesn't take long to make, it is only single crochet stitches in the round. You can take this pattern and make what ever you dream up.

A Day Spent In The Kitchen

2008-08-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

I spent most of Sunday in the kitchen.

Baking bread. I'm re-working a recipe and as soon as I've got it right, I'll post it. I'm also going to try making Yeast Free Bread, very interesting.

Making more jam, black berry this time.

And these crumb bars. I used up the black berries and it was delicious!

For dinner we had grilled summer squash. We use a little olive oil, salt and pepper, throw them onto a baking sheet and then put the baking sheet right onto the grill. YUMMY!

Along with some delicious turkey burgers topped with divine market tomatoes.

Market Offerings and A Mountain Climb

2008-08-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

While I was working at the Market, Denny was off hiking Mt St Helens.

What I brought home: french white zucchini, yellow and green pole beans, purple viking potatoes, red bell peppers, sungold cherry tomatoes, persimmon tomatoes (orange), black copia tomato (green and red), zypher summer squash, zucchini. Oh how I love summer squash!

I'm going to make a green bean, potato, zucchini salad for a picnic in the park. Our neighborhood park is having a celebration for National Night Out on Tuesday August 5th (tomorrow!).

Denny put together a slide show of his climb for your viewing pleasure.

Hobbled on St. Helens from Denny McEntire on Vimeo.

Hope you are all having a great Monday!

Memory Mobile

2008-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

I made this out of objects that we found at the beach this summer. While I was making it I was brought back to each time and place where it was discovered. And now we have something lovely to look at that reminds us of our adventure.

Materials:
seashells, sand dollars, beach glass, snake grass, mossy stick, cotton pearl thread, beading wire, beads, our memories.

You can turn any outing into a Memory Mobil , a walk around the block, a hike, road trips. Collecting objects helps you become more aware of your surroundings and then you have something that will trigger your senses and conjure up a memory.

*This project was inspired by and is dedicated to my dear friend Sage who once gave me a Memory Mobile.

Our New Fence

2008-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

We are a part of a wonderful group called The Barn Raising Collective. It was started by four families who were new home owners and needed help with all the large projects that come with owning a home. Brittney, one of the originals from the group and a good friend, has written more about the group with additional pictures from our fence building party.

The fence that needed to be built was on the property line with the neighbors on the south side of the house.

Denny and our neighbor Sam bought all the supplies, set the posts and figured out the design of the fence a few weeks before the big day.

We had a great turn out.

We wanted to have the fence taller near the back of the yard for more privacy. We also wanted to have a gate and a shorter section so we could still chat with our neighbors.

Snacks for the workers. Some of those delicious black berries I brought home from the market and some Coconut Banana Bread from Baking Bites. We also made them lunch, part of the deal when holding a barn raising. You get workers to do your projects, they get fed. It's a nice trade off!

We had enough people to help us paint a room inside as well. The colors don't show it, but the room was originally an apricot color that I've really disliked. Now it is a lovely blue gray.

Denny finishing the last of the panels.

I loved the various colors of the cedar planks. They wont stay like this though, it will all turn a grayish color. We could seal it, but that would be a whole other work party. I'm just glad to have a new fence!

Our new fence and some of the great workers who helped us build it. It really does take a village. Thank you!

Summer Food!

2008-07-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

The peppers have started to arrive! That means that it has been hot and sunny enough for them to ripen. Still a bit behind schedule, but so appreciated now that they are here.

These are actually sweet peppers. They have a very strong red pepper flavor and would be delicious roasted.

Eat ugly food! These ugly tomatoes are delicious. They are called German Stripe and have variegated red and yellow flesh when sliced.

I had to get this guy! Just look at that face, it was calling out to me.

Green beans made their appearance as well. These are Romano Italian Pole Beans. I love these things, my kids ate them last year, I hope that is the case again this year.

These burst in your mouth, seriously delicious black berries! I'm definitely enjoying the fruits of summer.

We Have A Winner!!

2008-07-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Denny helped by making a number generator on his computer. We threw in the number 15 and this is who it picked:

"dph said... I love kitty cupcake! I would promise not to eat her too."

Congratulations!

I wish I could make one for you all. Thanks for reading my ramblings!

Give Away Reminder and A Shout Out

2008-07-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hello readers! Just reminding you to go and comment on this post so you will be entered into my Reader Appreciation Give Away. Anyone can enter, new reader, local or half way across the world! I will do a random drawing on Monday and announce the winner. Thanks for reading!

And now a shout out to Joss Whedon, the creator of many fine TV shows, movies and comics. My recent favorite being Firefly.

Joss made this joke in a recent interview “Fact is, there’s been some buzz, but it hasn’t reached the places it would normally. Where’s our write-up in Crocheting Monthly? (I did a very sexy shoot for that one.)”

Kim Werker, editor of Interweave Crochet and CrochetMe.com decide she wants to take him up on the challenge. So I'm helping to get Joss Whedon's attention. "JOSS, the crafty ladies want you!"

Pleas visit Kim's original post for more info.

A Day For Sewing

2008-07-24T17:51:00.001-07:00

We are quarantined to the house for a bit until the bugs in Wren's throat (as he puts it) go away, so I got a chance to do some sewing!

This book has tons of great sewing projects, 24 to be exact. I saw the Simple Drawstring Backpack and immediately decided that Wren needed one to start kindergarten with. Violet would need one too, of course!

It is a nice basic design. Lotta Jansdotter says that although this is a simple pattern, you should allow a day for this project, which was fairly accurate. I made these two assembly line style and it took me most of an afternoon and part of the evening. I did all the cutting and ironing first and then sewed them up. There were a few type-o's, but nothing that stumped me. Lotta suggests that this is a project for a beginner that is ready for a challenge and I do agree.

I think they turned out super cute, now I hope they are super useful!

Before & After and What Sticky Notes Are For

2008-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

Before:

We don't have a dishwasher, so our counter looks like this, often. Most of them are rinsed and ready to be washed, but it can still be overwhelming.

After:

20 minutes later I had them all done. I forget how much you can accomplish in 20 minutes. Now I'm all ready to make bread and then dinner. So, the cycle starts again.

The kids got a hold of a sticky note pad and now the house is covered. The ones on the door actually have little scribbles on them, messages of some sort.

These must be for a splash of color. Funny thing is that they are still there, I haven't cleaned them up. But what can I do with them now? They can't be re-stuck together, they might as well be enjoyed for a bit longer. Maybe I'll start writing my lists on them, this could be my new system!

It's Reader Appreciation Day!

2008-07-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to all you readers and for your great comments. I feel like I've been super busy and haven't been able to reply to everyone. So I want to say "Thank You!" with a fun little give away. Leave a comment on this post and I'll enter you into the drawing for a custom made crochet cupcake! I'll draw the winner on Monday, something fun to start next week off with!

Putting Food By

2008-07-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

I came home with a lot of berries from the market yesterday, which means it's time to start putting some away for the winter. We already made raspberry jam, now it is on to strawberries.

Basically all the preserving I do involves the freezer. I don't have the time for canning, some day I'd like to though.

First wash them. I've found that the easiest way to do this is in a big bowl of water. This does the least amount of damage to the berries and is pretty fast, which is essential when working with a lot of fruit.

I have a little system. The berries are in a bowl in the sink, the knife in my right hand with the discarded tops on the right. The berries are held in my left hand and then put in a bowl on the left. Denny calls me the efficiency police, can you see why? But seriously, this makes the job go fast and smooth.

This is for the chickens. The girls are eating good today!

We just throw them into plastic baggies portioned out to around 2 cups because that is what most of my recipes call for. If you want individually frozen berries that will pour or scoop out of a larger container, wash them, lay them out on a tray and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, you can dump them into a large bag or container.

Now we can freeze the bags like this or make some jam.

Next up, these beauties.

Family Visit

2008-07-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Some of my family came for a visit this week.

We took them to the Beach and did some sand dune jumping,

and some cave exploring.

We went to a local farm and went berry picking, something they don't get to do at home.

"Is this one ripe?"

A wonderful time was had by all. Now we are settling back in and the kids are missing their cousins. Of course, I've got a million things 'to do' and I'll be trying to catch up. Catching up doesn't really describe it accurately because I wont ever be able to catch up, but I will be able to get things to a manageable enough state to start again.

Jam So Easy, A Kid Can Do It

2008-07-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Buy pectin. This one is my favorite, the directions are on the back and it uses less sugar than any other recipe I've seen, 4 cups fruit to 1 & 1/2 cups sugar.

Step 2: Wash fruit. In this case, we are making golden raspberry jam.

Step 3: Smash fruit. This is the best smasher ever! I don't think they make these anymore.

Very kid friendly part.

Step 4: Mix pectin, sugar and fruit together. If you don't want seeds, push raspberries through mesh strainer before you measure and mix.

Step 4: Label, bottle and freeze. Done!

Now you have jam to last you until next year.

Quick Market Pics

2008-07-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

It was hot and sunny today. There were a lot of shoppers at the market, which means a busy day!

We still have fava beans, and they are gorgeous!

Clockwise from top left: French White zucchini, Romanesco zucchini, Zypher squash, basil, garlic and green zucchini.

These black raspberries were being sold at a booth near us and we had to try them. I thought the taste was similar to mulberries but with a lot of seeds.

A close up of these striking berries.

I've got family coming for the week, so we will be off and running. Back to the beach tomorrow, then the zoo, lots of grilling and maybe we'll get to go pick blueberries!

Unplug Your Kids: Stone

2008-07-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

The beach was the perfect place for the weekly Unplugged Project. We collected stones and made little stacks. Turns out I'm more into beach combing and the kids are more into digging in the sand. That is still fitting, because the sand is millions and millions of tiny stones.

I Heart Summer

2008-07-10T12:55:00.001-07:00

My friend and I took the kids camping at the beach while the husbands worked and had a wonderful time. I love the Oregon Coast, it is so beautiful and relaxing. Here are some of my favorite scenic pix.

Going away always seems to cultivate more work when you get home, plus, we are having family come to visit next week! We are heading back to the beach for more fun and will also do some things around town.

I am also working on something for Dot's Summer Doldrums Contest and I'm trying to incorporate the Unplugged Projects in to our weekly activities. Lots going on around here!

Head On Over To The Farmer's Market

2008-07-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

A lot of care is put into the displays at the market, it needs to be visually appealing, to draw the customer in by their senses. It must also be 'shopable' so that the customer can easily grab what they need.

This is a beautiful display of salad turnips, (One of my favorite things right now. They are similar to a radish, a bit sweeter with a faint bite, crisp but also smooth.) broccoli, radishes and fennel on top. You can see a picture of me restocking this display and more great photos here!

Here is a picture of 2 of the many kinds of summer squash we had at our stand this week. The yellow with the green bottoms are called Zephyr and the dark green round squash is called Patti Pan.

These red raspberries, gold raspberries and mulberries were a fitting display for the 4th of July weekend.

Mulberries close up.

Denison Farms grows a variety of cherry and pear tomatoes. This one is called a Black Cherry.

They also grow a large variety of heirloom tomatoes. I love bringing home different ones each week to try. They are all so beautiful and each have their own unique flavor and texture. Some being more meaty, others juicy. Some best for making sauce, others for eating like an apple.

This one is called Copia. I brought one home this week and was told it is a good one for salads or with salt, pepper and fresh mozzarella.

The Black Copia has red and green stripes and is very striking.

These are also Copia tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes often have ridges or grow in odd shapes. When shopping for heirlooms, don't shy away from a tomato that looks like the one in the top left corner, it is a sure sign that it is delicious!

The Couore di Bue, Ox heart in Italian, has very distinctive ridges that can go from top to bottom of the tomato and a rich red color.

This little beauty is called the Black Prince. I'm always intrigued by the brown and green colored tomatoes, they look so rich and regal to me.

The Brandywine tomato has a lovely pinkish hue and is one of my favorite all around tomatoes. I am drawn to its color and flavor which is sweet and in between meaty and juicy.

I hope you all get a chance to try some of this summers wonderful tomatoes and locally grown vegetables! It is worth the trip to the farmer's market, you just might discover there is something you have never tried that you end up loving.

Fourth of July

2008-07-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

We were invited to spend the 4th of July with some friends at a State Park for a BBQ.

Violet spent most of her time stomping on the many mole hills that were at the picnic site.

The park was by a river, the kids always enjoy the water and sand.

Violet with her friend who really got into the sand!

Here I am, looking very patriotic!

We had a relaxing time and enjoyed the holiday, hope you did too!

Progress...and Some Random Thoughts

2008-06-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm progressing on the bunny, a little slowly because...brace yourself...I've been doing a lot of cleaning lately! Every time I have a minute, I've been cleaning and purging. Which is a good thing because we have way too much stuff in this little house and we are in major need of some organization around here. Suffice to say, I have been able to sit down and do some crocheting. Should be ready to stuff and piece together soon.

On another note all together, Dot at Dabbled is doing a 4 part Shrinky Dink Test Drive with #6 plastic containers. Super cool!

It has been brought to my attention that Christmas is only 6 months away! Time to start thinking about what to make for gifts this year. It is a little hard thinking about Christmas in July, but there have been too many years that I've found myself sitting at the sewing machine or knitting until the wee hours of the night on Christmas Eve to finish the last of the gifts. So this year, I'm going to try to get started now.

We had a power outage in our neighborhood this morning that lasted almost 2 hours. It was right when I was about to make coffee, take a shower, start some laundry, put on something for the kids to watch, read blogs, call some people; all the things that could not possibly be done with out electricity. First, the kids went around testing all the light switches, and I walked around the house wondering what in the world I could possibly do until the power came back on. After we finally accepted our predicament, we sat in the brightest room in the house and started crafting! The kids did some beading and I worked on some crochet. What a relaxing morning! Some times it takes a power outage to remind you to slow down!

Hope you all are having a great summer!

One Fine Looking Tomato!

2008-06-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Just look at this beauty! It is a 2+ pound Heirloom Italian Beefsteak tomato sitting in front of baskets of Sungold cherry tomatoes. Those lovely ridges on the shoulders are common on many heirloom varieties.

Heirloom Zebra and more Italian Beefsteak.

These wild, curly things are garlic tops. They are sweet with a subtle garlic flavor and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Sauté them quickly with olive oil, salt and pepper and use them like you would asparagus or green beans. Or blend them up in a pesto and have them with pasta or on pizza.

We turned some of our lovely tomatoes into bruschetta for dinner. The temperatures soared to 99 degrees today, so we used the gas grill to toast our bread. We also grilled some Romanesco zucchini that was brushed with olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.

For the bruschetta, rub cloves of garlic onto toasted bread. Mix diced tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper and spoon on top when ready to eat. The juices will soak into the bread blending all the flavors. Simple, refreshing and delicious. This brought me right back to when I traveled in Italy.

A Look At Blue Bunny

2008-06-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is Blue Bunny, my first amigurumi. Violet loves Blue Bunny. I look at Blue Bunny and see all the things about it I want to change. It has pretty wonky ears, and I tried so hard to get its face just so.

Well, now is my chance. I'm going to make one as a gift for one of Violet's friends. I will keep most things the same, I'm just hoping to make it better.

Once I've finished, I will post the pattern for all to use.

Taking A Sewing Break, Just For A Bit...

2008-06-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

I had to take my sewing machine to the doctor. It wasn't feeling as well as usual. I took this opportunity to bring in the serger that had been given to me that I've never used. Yes, you read that right, I've had a serger sitting in my closet. But I've actually taken the step to finally get it going, so that is a good thing.

In the mean time, I'm going to start some yarn projects to keep myself occupied. And since this post needs some pictures, I'm leaving you with these.

Our family laying in the grass watching the clouds.

Violet had too much fun with the green marker!

The Shrinky Dink Experiment

2008-06-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

Over at Unplug your kids, I read about how you can use #6 plastic to make shrinky dinks and wanted to give it a try. We salvaged some take out food containers and I bought some colored sharpies. The kids enjoyed coloring on the plastic, and I gave my hand at one. Wow, I haven't drawn for a while!

I'm not sure if it is the plastic we used or just that it was our first try, but they ended up sticking to themselves and not uncurling. I was able to pry one open and flatten it. It could have been that they were too large because the long skinny ones turned out a bit better.

I tried to make two of them into rings, but they wouldn't hold their shape. Still, this was a very fun project and I love that we can use what we would other wise toss out to make them.

This Week's Market Peek

2008-06-21T17:49:00.000-07:00

The season is really kicking in now. There was a lot more variety from the farm this week.

These are an early variety of cherry that are similar in flavor to Bing.

This ribbed zucchini is a distinctive Italian variety called Romanesco. It is nutty and crisp, delicious raw or cooked.

Heirloom tomatoes nestled in with basil.

Look at that lovely color!

Raspberries season is really picking up. I just love the contrast of the red and golden raspberries. There is a slight difference in flavor between the two, golden tend to be more aromatic.

I just can't help myself with these strawberries. They are just so beautiful and glisten in the sun. Denison grows seascapes that are an ever bearing variety, so we should have them through to the fall.

Forced to Craft

2008-06-20T14:00:00.001-07:00

I came home with this book from the library the other day. It is very cute, set up like a comic book of instructions on how to make all these cute useful things like tissue holders and water bottle covers. The book is narrated by two rabbits named White Rabbit and Brown Bunny.

Wren got a hold of the book and informed me that he wanted me to make everything for him right now. And specifically he wanted me to make him one of the rabbits, right now. Telling him it wasn't actually possible for me to make them all for him, right now, was not getting through. Desperate to stop the demands, I started searching for a way to appease him. I spotted some terry cloth that had been in the closet for quite a few years, it was finally destined to become something. A rabbit, right now!

Here you have it, White Rabbit!

White Rabbit with a shirt made from one of my socks.

I really like how they turned out. Although, the terry cloth was a little hard to sew through, especially at the arms and legs where there were four layers. I was worried for my sewing machine! I made Violet one and used corduroy for the body, which was much better. Luckily, they came together pretty fast and Wren has been appeased. For now, at least!

Simple Summer Dish

2008-06-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

This is Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice from 101 Cookbooks. Instead of brown rice, I used quinoa because it is a quick cooking grain that is high in protein. Although it comes together quickly, it does take more than 10 minutes. More accurately I would say it takes 10 minutes of cooking time, after you have gotten all your mis en place (a French culinary term for having everything all prepared).

I love the freshness of this dish and the tahini dressing, and it's asparagus season! The kids, on the other hand, don't really care for it. Violet mostly ate almond slivers and Wren ate mostly asparagus. But I can't please them all the time!

*recipe found on 101cookbooks.com through link above.

Ah, Summer

2008-06-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

Summer is here. At least school is out, now we are waiting for some hot weather!

Wren graduated from preschool on Friday. The kids made tie-dye shirts in class to wear to the celebration, so there was a sea of color.

My little grad!

We have a few things planned for the summer, but mostly we will be spending our days around town and at home. So, I need to get organized! I decided that every night I will write a list of things that I want to accomplish the next day, then when I wake up I will have some guidance. Otherwise I'm afraid we will end up spending too much time in our pj's wondering what there is to do. Of course, some days like that are OK!

Going Local

2008-06-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day at the Beaverton Farmer's Market, we have finally gotten some sun here in the Pacific NW. Produce is about a month behind, but there are still wonderful things to buy grown by Denison's Farm.

There were more varieties of cherry tomatoes this week and a few Oregon spring tomatoes. Heirlooms are coming soon.

I made a wonderful jam with golden raspberries last year.

Fresh bulbs of garlic.

Fava beans, there is always a lot of talk about how to cook fava beans. Usually the beans are taken out of the pod, blanched and then shelled again. Many steps! Apparently they can be just as good chopped up whole and sautéed with olive oil, salt, pepper and some lemon juice. Not only does this make the job a lot easier, it means that you have more food for your money. I brought home more fava beans this week and I'm going to try cooking the whole bean.

Fennel has a subtle anise flavor that is used in many Italian dishes.

And lastly, someone found this crazy strawberry and we all had to marvel over it a bit.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

To a wonderful husband and Father. We couldn't ask for better.

Whew!

2008-06-08T19:16:00.001-07:00

Wren turned 5 on Saturday! The party was such a whirlwind, I barely got pictures.

Denny and Wren made the bean bag toss using one of Wren's drawings and the huge box our gas grill came in. The kids thought climbing into it was more fun than anything else. Here is Wren and his cousin peeking out. So, the bean bags I made hardly got played with at the party. That's OK though, the kids each picked one out to take home.

We also made pop-up monsters with paper cups, craft sticks, construction paper and googly eyes.

I made the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake from Baking Bites and went with a fancy look rather than a monster cake.

Our little house was just about bursting at the seams, Wren had the best time of all. At school on Monday, he ran up to his friend and asked excitedly "Do I look like I'm 5?!"

Market Tidbits

2008-06-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

Cherry tomatoes!

Edible art.

Table of sweets: strawberries, raspberries and cherry tomatoes.

We liked the garlic tops from last week, so I grabbed more of those. And this week, I'm trying the fava beans!

My Kids Ate This!

2008-06-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

I had no idea what was going to be for dinner. Wednesday had been left blank on the weekly menu, thinking I'd fill it in after I finished grocery shopping. We had food, just what to do with it?

Riffling through the fridge I found chard, ricotta, spring onions. I knew I had some pasta and garlic. Oh, and those cherry tomatoes that needed to be used up!

I sautéd the garlic and onions. Threw in chopped chard. OK, that's good, but my kids wont eat it like that! What if I blended it up with the ricotta? Now we're talking. I thinned it a little with cream, seasoned with salt and pepper and tossed it with whole wheat spaghetti. Still needs a little something. Cherry tomatoes halved, with olive oil, salt and pepper. Perfect!

And look! They are eating it! Minus the tomatoes, but I'm still happy.

I know that there are some kids who wont touch anything green, so I know I'm lucky. My kid's issues have more to do with texture and appearance, so I get fairly good results when it works to blend up the vegetables. For tonight, I'm a happy mom knowing my kids ate their greens!

Totally In Need Of A New Pincushion!

2008-06-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

This pincushion has sentimental value, it was my mom's. I really have no idea how or when I ended up with it. I probably took it with out her knowing! I have many fond memories playing with it when I was a kid.

It has one major flaw, it is entirely too skinny! The pins poke out of the bottom. Part of the memories I have deal with this very issue. I was fascinated with pushing them down and seeing them poke out the bottom. Alas, I have been poked one too many times and I'm ready for something new.

It finally occurred to me that I can make a new one myself! Now I just need to decide on something and make it.

I love Betz White's felted cupcake pincushions. The instructions are in her book Warm Fuzzies.

Molly Chicken has this cute little house tutorial that would make a great pincushion.

I could always crochet a cupcake and use that for a pincushion.

There is a book called Pretty Little Pincushions.

I really like these mason jar pincushions and they are multi purpose.

The possibilities are endless, which is making this seeming easy project hard for me! I also feel like I should be able to come up with an idea on my own. Oh the pressure! One of these days I will just force myself to sit down and make something and the dilemma will be over. Until then, must not let kids get poked with pincushion!

That's Some Mighty Fine Veg.

2008-06-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of lovely color at the market. Here are some pictures of the set up. Tom, the farmer (in the denim jacket) arrives at 5:30 am. Everything has to be unloaded from the truck and set up by 8:00 am.

There were 175 flats of strawberries, that's 2,100 pints! And we sold out!

Eye catching display of carrots and beets.

Look at the colors, not very common at the grocery store. From the front: yukon golds, french fingerling, purple viking, and red golds.

Fava beans, leek tops and fennel were popular. We also had 3 kinds of garlic; bulbs, green garlic, and garlic tops. The leek and garlic tops can be chopped and sautéed, roasted or grilled. I brought home some garlic tops and plan on throwing them on the grill.

Soon to arrive: tomatoes!

The Skirts That Never Will Be...

2008-05-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

I got very excited about sewing Violet a slew of skirts after my friend Nicki sent me this easy skirt tutorial. I pulled out some material that I had lovingly picked out at the fabric store with my little girl in mind. She adores kitty cats, and these kitty cats are adorable!

I love how care free and fun this fabric is with the little kids playing, and there is a kitty. Not to mention, it's the perfect color.

Well, Violet will have nothing to do with them. I really tried. "But look, kitties!"

No.

The only material she would agree to was the combination that she had picked out when I made her a Wee Wonderful doll. When I presented her with the finished skirt, she seemed astounded "Look mama, it's the same as little Violet!"

I will just have to put the other material back in the drawer and try again next year. Luckily we have been given an enormous amount of hand-me-downs that should last us through summer and then some.

Tuesday Night Already?

2008-05-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

We had a great long weekend together.

The kids helped shovel dirt out of the truck for the garden box.

Wren personalized his party invitations and drew silly monsters on every one, front and back! He told a story about each one as he drew. I really enjoyed listening to his little mind go! These are a few of my favorites.

Wren spent much of his time playing in styrofoam inside the enormous box that our gas grill came in.

Here is a shot from the top to give you an idea how big this box is. Wren has always enjoyed playing in boxes. Violet will get in and play for a bit, but its not really her cup of tea. This box is going to be transformed into a bean bag toss for his birthday party.

The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning and tidying; talking and relaxing. We did have a BBQ on Monday, of course.

Wren's birthday is in less than two weeks and I've still got quite a bit of sewing and things to do. That's what I will be doing with all my extra time for now. I've got quite a few things on the back burner that I'm eager to get to, but must finish making silly monsters! AH!

La la la la Lemon

2008-05-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have been craving lemony things lately. So when I saw a recipe for Creamy Lemon Squares in this months issue of EveryDay Food, I was all over it.

I love lemon squares, but I can be pretty critical about them. Too sweet? Not lemony enough? Crust too soggy or too hard?

Not only was this recipe simple, they were delicious. The crust was wonderful, a perfect texture and so tasty that it could stand up on its own. The filling calls for sweetened condensed milk (hence the name creamy lemon squares) and lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Perfectly rich and lemony.

Creamy Lemon Squares

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1 c all-purpose flour
4 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)

Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom of 8-inch square pan with parchment paper (I did this, but will try w/o next time).

Make crust: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix on low just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2" up sides of prepared pan; prick all over with fork. Bake until lightly golden, 15-20 min.

Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust; return to oven and bake until filling is set, 25-30 min. Cool completely in pan. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days. Cut into 16 squares and dust with powdered sugar.

Waiting Until The Last Minute!

2008-05-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

There is a birthday party for a couple of Wren's school friends tomorrow afternoon and I waited until the last minute to decide on gifts!

After spending large amounts of money at the gas station and grocery store today, my decision was made. I must make something.

These are based on the pattern Simple Tote from Bend-the-Rules Sewing.

I used grosgrain ribbon for the handles to speed things a long, which I think works for kids bags. It's always a gamble giving homemade gifts to kids you don't know very well, but every kid could use a tote. Right?