Cupcake Caddy

*Check this out! Someone else loves her cupcake carrier too!

I'm always excited to use my cupcake caddy, since it means I'm making cupcakes and I heart cupcakes.



This caddy holds 24 cupcakes and is made by ChefMate. The bottom is actually a cupcake pan, so it is dual purpose.



I found out that you need to be careful about how high you frost.



This thing is pretty handy. I imagine that I might need two of them when Wren starts kindergarten next year though, do they still have you make cupcakes for birthday's?

These cupcakes were my go to chocolate cupcake recipe with an extra little surprise of homemade caramel in the center. YUM!

What's At The Market?

It was a great day at the market! It was hard for me to imagine what could possibly grow during the cold weather we have been getting. I was pleasantly surprised at all the wonderful looking produce!



Up front is cabbage raab. Raab is the name used for the part of the plant that grows after the head of cabbage is picked. It is the leaves with the seed stalks before blooming and is very sweet.
Behind the cabbage raab are some new potatoes called red golds, some green garlic which is the garlic stalks before the bulb is formed that can be cut and used the same as a clove of garlic. Then there are some lovely bunches of carrots. On the far table and below you can see potatoes that have been wintered over from last seasons harvest.



Leeks and potatoes, a classic pair. The potato varieties are butter ball on the left and the red are desiree.



And look at these! Can you believe it? I knew that Denison Farms grew ever bearing strawberries, but I was still surprised to see them. Of course, these were gone in the first 30 minutes!



There were 7 or 8 varieties of lettuce and some spring onions.



On the left are bunches of spinach, red chard, yellow chard and some red spinach.

The first thing in my bag was a couple pints of strawberries. I had to try some cabbage raab, I'm going to sauté it with a bit of green garlic. I've never made potato leek soup (believe it or not!) so I got some butter ball potatoes and leeks that I'm going to roast for soup. I also brought home some red and yellow chard that are going to be sautéd with green garlic, then simmered in chicken stock and served up with pasta, fontina cheese and bacon. I grabbed a couple heads of lettuce for Cobb salad. Now I just need to finish up the weekly menu and write a grocery list.

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm having a wonderful day and I wish the same for all of you!

It's Market Time! (and almost party time!)

Last summer I worked at the Farmer's Market in Beaverton for an organic farmer from Corvallis, OR named Denison Farms. I loved working with such great produce and I got to bring my work home! Now it's market time again and I'm working bright and early tomorrow morning. I'll be working nearly every Saturday. I plan to bring my camera and write about what is at the market each Sunday, ideally with some recipes or food ideas.

Also in the works are some bean bags for Wren's Silly Monster Party! I'm excited about his theme pick. His birthday is in the beginning of June, so I need to get working! Below are some sketches Denny and I drew to get some ideas. I really just need to sit down and sew some to see how much detail is realistic for a bean bag.







I'd better get going with dinner (mac and cheese made w/pepper jack) and get myself to bed early tonight!

Styrobots Are Our Friends

After seeing the very large, very cool Styrobots made by Michael A. Salter using packaging styrofoam, I was inspired to save the packaging material from our new ceiling fan. It sat in a closet until just the right moment.

One afternoon, while Violet was napping and Wren was tired of all the usual things we have to do around the house, I pulled out the styrofoam, a bunch of nails, tacks, u-nails, screws and some tools. Using a serrated knife, I hacked the styrofoam in to different sizes and let Wren get to work. He decided that he was going to make himself some new friends. (he did actually say that)


Here he is with his trusty red hammer. Styrofoam is great for hammering into, it's just like butter.


He also got some practice with the screw driver.


My favorite is the cute little one up front with the smile.



After Violet woke up, we made more toddler friendly versions with pipe cleaners, foam stickers, pom poms and I helped with the glue gun.



This project is mostly about the fun in making rather than something to keep and play with. The nails and things do eventually fall out, which can be a bit of a hazard, but it was well worth it to see the creative juices flowing.

Present Time!

While we were at the coast, my friend and I did a little present exchange, catching up on birthdays and even Christmas! I gave her one of my favorite knit hats, the amigurumi cupcake, and a little doll made from a pattern by (Inside A Black Apple) that she gave out on the Martha Stewart Show.

In turn, I received the greatest gifts!

Inside this ball of colorful wool is a bar of soap. Such a great idea!



And check out this pop up book! It is called Botticelli's Bed & Breakfast.


Fancy bed room.


Here is Mona Lisa in the attic.


Venus and David in the bathroom. I want to be a guest here!

Then I was presented with this, I have been eying this book since my last visit to Powell's Books.


Look at that tree!


I love the antennae on this robot, so clever.


This lonely dollop is very appealing to my almost 5 year old boy! (Yes, it is poo!)


There are instructions for sewn softies, plus a couple for needle felting and some crochet too.


Not only are there cute softies, but there are great instructions with many details that would be useful knowledge for any sewing project.


Look! You can make a pompom with a toilet paper roll!

One of the greatest things about this book is that the patterns can be found in a pocket in the back of the book. So that means no trips to the library to enlarge pattern pages! I am so looking forward to starting a project from this book!

The Beach Is...

Like a big sand box.







A great place to explore,



and fill buckets.



To splash and get your feet wet.



To sit and reflect.



And to catch up with friends.

I don't know what happened to the forecast for rain, but we are definitely enjoying the sun. We finally made it out to the coast to visit with friends and to fill the soul.