Monthly Archives: November 2009

Today is my dad's b'day, so I made him the best chocolate cake in the world. I think I've said it here before, but I'll say it again, Ina's, Beatty's Chocolate Cake is hands down the tastiest chocolate cake I've ever made. Moist, dark, chocolatey perfection.

After I took this picture, I remembered that I had my sugared violets  in the freezer that I made this Spring! They have been neglected and forgotten in there, crushed under peas and chicken nuggets. Only 3 survived in their entirety; the rest are merely petals, but I think they'll look nice on some cupcakes eventually.

Also, I've been sneaking in moments of productivity the past few days. I've been working on a few Christmas presents. I picked up the book Fleecie Pets by Fiona Goble quite a while ago, thinking that they would be the perfect thing to make for the girls. I can recycle a bunch of fleece clothing I have in my attic, and Lillian can chomp on them with reckless abandon. Clara loves to flip through the book, and has informed me that she wants an entire family of bears, bunnies and kitties. Preferably pink. So, I'll be making a few of these, with a variety of clothing, to put under the tree this year. The perfect project to whip up during the course of two naptimes.  I was thinking, you could probably make them out of lightweight felted sweaters also. hmmm…I'll try that next. 

Oh, also, I wanted to share two inspiring things. Check out Anna Maria Horner's new fabric. This is so, so lovely! Perfect colors, perfect vintagey floral. I love the block idea-I see curtains, a quilt, maybe. Check out the dress she made with it. I can't wait to get some of this. 
AND, as a late b'day present to myself, I purchased this print by Amanda Blake. Is it not the loveliest thing? I love it so much, my heart flutters a bit when I look at it! I adore her work.  

okay! off to finish dinner for my papa!
   

This notebook belonged to my great-grandmother, Clara Louise. I really love to flip through it's pages and imagine her, at 11 years old, at work on the essays, little stories and fanciful drawings that fill its pages. The last image of the house (which I believe must be the cottage she lived in, where she went flying through the basement window and landing in the coal shoot on her sled one winters day…she always used to tell that story!) was drawn exactly 94 years ago today!
I love these family treasures!

This time change has everyone up so early! I'm sure I'm not the only parent going through this. At around 5:30 everyone starts to peep, and that's that. Rise and shine! Not even going to bed later at night will get them to sleep in.  So, what do you do with all of that extra time in the morning? (Well, after I grumble and feel sorry for myself), make pumpkin pancakes! This recipe is delicious. The past couple of years I've tried other recipes that were kind of lackluster, but this one comes out great. And if you're ridiculous like me, you'll put a big dollop of whipped cream on them and it's just like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast! (What was that I said about purging all sugar from my body after all of that Halloween candy? oh well)

 
The recipe is from Joy the Baker

With the holidays approaching, I've been thinking about snuggly winter clothes, and what the girls will wear as we gather for glittery festivities and also gather around the fireplace at home on cold, snowy days.
I really like these cozy baby clothes designed byStella McCartney for Gap. I love the muted colors and the cashmere factor. Nothing says "snuggle with me!" like a baby dressed in cashmere. I personally would like some cashmere leggings to lounge around in. Wouldn't that be great? Head to toe cashmere, pants and sweater, wrapped up in a cashmere blanket and a cashmere hat and scarf and socks too. yes! Until a baby slings sweet potato or peas at you. oh well, a girl can dream. BUT these clothes for the wee littles, are pretty reasonably priced, so it might be ok if a little pea gets flung on them.

 
Now, I couldn't get Clara to wear these clothes, since she likes bright, bright colors, and she would think these are "boring"  But little Lillian has no choice! I also love the Jcrew girls clothes, which I never paid the slightest bit of attention to until last week. And then I couldn't stop obsessing over them. Some really cute things…like mini versions of what I would want to wear. And at about the same price as adult clothes, so that probably won't be happening around here. Oh, and I also always love Olive Juice.  Again, Clara would say "boring!" but I love them.  So oldfashioned and slightly Frenchie.  Cute, cute.

Miss sassy-pants fairy and tigerlily Lil. Lil looked so cute in this picture, I figured that it overshadowed the fact that my eyes were closed and it looks like I have no legs!

A fun day was had by all. Candy consumption  reached an all time high. I'm feeling the need to make a nice, nourishing soup. I have to get this book from the library, but it's constantly checked out!  Must purge all sugar from my body!!

I'm sorry about my rant in that last post. It really made me feel better, though, to just make a sort of announcement, to put it out there, that I was feeling creatively challenged and overhwhelmed. Just writing it here suddenly made me feel more positive and I managed to crank out a cute kitty for a b'day present for a special little guy AND to make a Halloween costume for Lil in the same day.
So maybe I can work under pressure after all. Deadline pressure, just not pressure from wailing wee ones.