elliemoon

HAPPY HAPPY EASTER!

lots more to bake and make before sunday, but these are done and done::

this time i used unsalted butter, just the 1/4 tsp of salt and the vanilla bean. the small glass holds three with raspberry flavored yokes, the tall glass six with rum flavored yokes and the rest are plain. i was going to wait until easter to taste test. really, i was. then a rum flavored one fell off of it's stick. i couldn't just leave it there, or serve it up looking the way it did. here's the verdict, next year i will make one plain egg for each child. the rest will be rum flavored and hidden in the back of the fridge inside an empty buttermilk carton. so. incredible. they shouldn't be made any other way.

happy easter!

 

 

WOODLAND EASTER EGGS

we did the scavenging for our woodland egg supplies two nights ago, thinking we would wake up yesterday to another 5 inches. luckily, the storm missed us. which was nice, as some of our favorite specimens had shriveled up despite our best efforts.

these easter eggs are the most "wow" inducing eggs we've tried. they even beat out last years. they are also super simple. just poke around the yard, grab some nylons, elastics, yellow onions and vinegar and you're good to go. that sounded more involved than it really is::

wetting the eggs definitely helps with the process. then just stretch the nylons tightly over the greenery and tie them up. for these dozen eggs i used the skins of two small bags of yellow onions and about a 1/2 cup of vinegar. add water until everything is just covered and bring to a simmer. simmer for 15 minutes and let sit for 15 more. worth every minute. so beautiful and all natural, what more could you ask for?

this post was inspired by this post. thanks alicia!

 

CAULDRON CAKES

harry potter is back. it's official. kai has decided to reread the series and is watching each film as he finishes each book. here's hoping, as we progress through the films, that no one will remember the butter beer. probably not a realistic hope though as kai dug this book out about a week ago. he leafed through once and then started gearing up for saturday morning cauldron cakes. if you know a harry potter fan who also likes to help in the kitchen, this book is terrific. big b's mom got it for kai a couple of years ago and it's full of great stuff::

new skills learned: how to zest a lemon/using the microplane and how to juice a lemon/using a reamer. such the aspiring chef. he was so excited. and these cauldron cakes were delicious. all that lemon mellowed out on the griddle and these tasted like an italian cookie flavored pancake. and there is nothing wrong with that! i assure you.

 

 

WORKING IT OUT

i'm just starting a pattern for indy that will have you reminiscing about the 80's. based on the pattern pictures though, i knew i needed to adjust things a bit in the beginning. three attempts and i finally had it::

and so the yellow one earned it's eyes::

these colors alone are enough to remind you of don johnson, banana clips and aqua net::

but they're indy approved and that's all that matters.

happy vernal equinox!!

 

 

SAINT PATTY'S DAY FUN

that was our most festive saint patrick's day to date. i must have been feeling my irish roots. all 25% of them. i'd have to say the morning surprise was the most excitedly received. that mischievous leprechaun::

finger paint footprints and a couple drops of food coloring. a little forethought would have prepared me for the inevitable questions that followed. "where are the footprints leading up to the toilet?" and "did he step in his pee?" to some, this was really perplexing.

the cookie design idea came from bake at 350. please excuse the fact that hers make mine look like they were done by a preschooler. also, it wasn't until the kids were in bed that i realized i had forgotten the little cheeks, and had also left no room for them::

i need sharper food coloring markers. those freckles look like liver spots. these are elderly leprechauns, apparently. i also made my first ever boiled dinner. i spared you a photo of the plating as it was even more unappetizing for your monday morning than that toilet shot. my timing was all wrong, things got a bit mushy. but it tasted good! what more can ye ask for?

 

BACK TO THE HEXIPUFFS

i finally got around to winding up some new inspiration for my beekeepers quilt::

these skeins are from knit picks. they're the stroll hand painted sock yarn::

i need to get serious about these honeycombs. this little patch i smooshed together makes me happy and eager to be stitching them all together in the end, whenever that may be::

i love this pattern!

 

EASTER PREPARATIONS, NOT GOING SO WELL

my first attempt at a batch of homemade peeps came out looking like something a peep might do, if you catch my drift. back to the drawing board. 

 

A DECADE OF HITS

big b and i recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. 10th! i don't know where that time went. it's a little troubling. in those ten years though, we've come a long way and accomplished a lot and i wanted to bake something up in reflection. naturally. this is where the cookies came in. i had been repeating that "decade of hits" bit around the house just for laughs, which it definitely received. (if you're not married, let me explain that that sentiment, applied to ten years of wedded bliss, is just a tad exaggerated). i was set to make some number 10 cookies when it occurred to me that i could make these little 45's instead. please tell me you remember 45's. didn't you have a collection?::

indy made us a strawberry chart topper. these food coloring pens came in so handy. if i had known how well they would work for the cookies i would have picked up a new set, our tips were a little fuzzy, not the best for detail work::

i envy all the cookie bloggers out there. i wish i had steady hands like that. i did the world a huge favor by not becoming a surgeon, a dentist, a person that draws blood, or a tattoo artist. these cookies were a labor of love. no pun intended i guess :)

one decade down! here's to the many decades to come big b! and no, that's not a threat. 

  

 ***HAPPY TENTH***

 

STORM BAKING, AGAIN

if these nor'easters don't let up soon, i may develop some cholesterol issues::

these aren't just to warm the kitchen though. i do have a special plan. may my hands be steady enough to make these picture worthy in the end.

happy weekend! and happy daylight saving time. another hour of light? i'll drink to that!

 

 

THE OWL HATS

done and done. i've been working these up on the side for the past couple of weeks and finished them yesterday. this is a nice double crochet design that comes together pretty quick:: 

the pattern is by sarah at repeat crafter me. find it free right here! i did some extensive owl hat pattern research on ravelry and i can tell you this is the cutest design around. also, sarah's instruction are very clear and come with excellent photos to help you with the slip stitch joining.

i read through the comments for a bit before starting and was glad that i did. these run a bit small. i made the child size for ellie and the teen/adult size for indy. if i had it to do over again i would have made the teen/adult for ellie and the large adult for indy. they fit well enough though, and the girls were stoked::

ellie is a little confused as to whether this is a hat or a new pet. when she's not sporting it, she's wrapping it in blankets, feeding it treats and putting it down for naps. i doubt any other hat has been catered to in this way. the thing is spoiled rotten.

hoot hoot!