lavender ave

And the Winner Is...

2011-11-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

The winner of this lovely nightgown (if I do say so myself) is BRITTANY!

The winner was drawn scientifically out of a bowl by my lovely niece.

Thanks so much for entering! I'll do this again soon...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

--Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn
(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851-1934)

Pecan Pie - and Don't Forget the Giveaway!

2011-11-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

First things first - I personally believe that this pie is all about the crust. If the crust isn't great, the pecan pie won't be - and that would be tragic.

I use the basic pie pastry recipe that came with my Cuisinart. It never fails and it is flaky and buttery and absolutely wonderful.

Basic Pie Pastry (in a Cuisinart)

Makes 3 9-inch pie shells (or 2 pie shells and some pie crust cookies)

2 ⅔ cups flour

2 sticks very cold unsalted butter cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tsp. salt

½ cup ice water

Use metal blade to process flour, butter and salt until mixture is like coarse meal, about 8 seconds. Add ice water and pulse until dough begins to clump together. Do not let it form a ball. Divide dough into 3 equal parts and put each in a plastic food storage bag. Work through each bag to press dough together into a ball, then flatten into a disc. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour.

Roll each disc of dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle about ⅛ inch thick. Press into place in pie pan. Trim dough, leaving 1 inch overlap beyond edge of pan. Fill pie crust and continue as instructed for recipe.

For a pre-baked crust, bake 12 minutes at 400°.

Our favorite pecan pie is one made with no corn syrup. I love the crunch on the surface of the pie from the real sugar.

This is the pie right out of the oven. As it cools, it settles a bit and you can see the pecans.

Pecan Pie

1 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs

1 T flour

1 T milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy and stir in melted butter. Stir in brown sugar, white sugar and flour; mix well. Last, add the milk, vanilla and nuts.

Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400°, then reduce temperature to 350° and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done.

**Don't forget! I am giving away one of my nightgowns. To enter, see this post, and click here to look at my shop!** Giveaway closes at midnight on Thanksgiving Day.

Distracted by a Book

2011-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

I know I promised you a recipe for pecan pie today. I can't help myself, I have to give you this other recipe I found in a book I was reading last week. Can you wait until tomorrow for the pecan pie? I know, like you have a choice, right?

I have been reading a book called A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. Her blog is called Orangette, and I can't believe I have never found it, considering the amount of time I spend looking up recipes on the internet. I loved this book. It's part memoir, part cookbook and it will live on my cookbook shelf.

I only made it to page 33 before I had to go create one of her recipes. Ahem. I've made it twice since Wednesday. I can't keep it in the house! It is not low fat, but don't freak out, just go for a walk later.

Coeur à la Crème with Raspberry Puree

This recipe requires a special mold (or a small colander) and cheesecloth

Coeur à la Crème
3 oz good white chocolate (Valrhona is recommended by the author)
One 8 oz. package cream cheese (not low fat) at room temperature
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Prepare the mold or colander by cutting two sheets of cheesecloth large enough to line the interior and extend beyond the edges enough to enclose the filling completely. Wet the sheets of cheesecloth under the tap, wring them out well, and line them up together so they form a double layer. Lay the cheesecloth over the mold or colander, pressing it smooth along the base and walls. Set aside.
In a microwavable bowl, microwave the white chocolate on high for 20 seconds at a time, stirring well in between, until just smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the cream and the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the white chocolate, and beat until very smooth, about 2 minutes, set aside.
In another mixing bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the finished batter into the prepared mold, smoothing the top with a spatula. Fold the cheesecloth over to enclose it completely. Place the mold on a rimmed sheet pan or another rimmed dish. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Raspberry Puree

One 10 oz. bag frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed.
3 Tbsp. sugar

In a blender, combine the raspberries with their juice and the sugar. Blend until smooth. Press the puree through a sieve into a small bowl to remove the seeds. Cover and chill up to 4 hours.

When you're ready to serve, remove the mold from the refrigerator and discard the liquid, if any, that has collected beneath it. Pull back the cheesecloth and carefully invert onto a serving platter. Gently pull away and discard the cheesecloth.

Serve in generous dollops in shallow bowls, topped with raspberry sauce.

Giveaway!!

2011-11-17T12:09:00.000-08:00

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

I have about 2 minutes and I wanted to tell you something super exciting! One of my listings on Etsy just reached 1000 views. For whatever reason, that just tickles me pink. So, I am giving away the nightgown in that listing. This giveaway is open to everyone!

The winner will get this white with tiny white flowers nightgown in the size of their choice (sizes 2-8). *caveat - I may not be able to deliver this nightgown by Christmas* so maybe don't plan on it for a Christmas gift.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1. Follow my blog

2. "Like" my fan page on facebook

3. Leave me a comment letting me know you've done 1 and 2 and telling me one of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions.

ETA: The giveaway will close at midnight on Thursday, November 24.

Signs of the Season

2011-11-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

It's mid November, and suddenly, people are realizing that they need nightgowns for their daughters for Christmas. I have sold 10 gowns in the last 2 days. I'm not complaining, mind you, but I have a feeling about the next two weeks...

Check in now and then, I'll be around. Probably not every day though. Look for a pie recipe on Monday, and maybe a fun idea or two for Thanksgiving, but that will be about it. If you're wondering where I am, picture me here:

Owls on Etsy

2011-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

'Owl Be Home for Christmas' by lavenderave

Does someone you know love owls? Etsymoms have owls.

Yellow Owl on Dark Brow... FELTITNYC $20.00	Owl Earrings -Out on a ... AdelleRose $15.00	Stuffed Owl- Cloud 9 Gn... guzanito $12.00	Crochet Boutique Owl an... sillygeesedesi... $24.00
newborn owl earflap hat... buggysbeanies $18.00	Baby Clothes Onesie Bod... babysaywhat $9.99	Hoo Are You, Hoot Hoot,... DaisyChains $7.00	The Boy Who Lived Knitt... starknits $6.00
Neskat's Embroidere... Neskat $6.00	ON SALE Chic Posh Blue ... ScrabbleBabble $5.00	Hearts and Owls - Decor... Kindershop $22.50	Wisdom Charm Necklace AllYouNeedDesi... $13.99
Girly Owl Ornament melaniescrafts $8.50	Falling Leaves Owl Tree... IcingOnTheCupc... $12.00	PRETTY IN PINK Little H... BabyChicCreati... $12.00	ACEO Original Watercolo... AnythingForMyK... $10.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Thank you

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Love it When My Son Makes Dinner

2011-11-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

I've been a little under the weather lately. A lengthy experience involving sinuses, root canals and bronchitis. Needless to say, making dinner is not at the top of my list of things I am excited to do right now. Lying in bed reading or sleeping is pretty much at the top of my list...but things are looking up. Love it When My Son Makes Dinner!

Perfect Pizza Dough - family size

2 cups hand-hot water

2 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1/4 cup vegetable oil (olive oil is great too)

2 tsp. salt

5-6 cups flour

Put hot water in your mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. You can sprinkle a bit of sugar in to speed up the process. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, until it bubbles up nicely. Add the vegetable oil and salt, mix a little and then add about 4 cups flour. Mix well and then add the rest of the flour about 1/2 cup at a time until dough is not sticky. If you're using a mixer, let the machine knead it for a few minutes. If you're kneading by hand, knead dough until smooth and satiny.

Makes 2 large pizzas, medium crust or a bunch of individual pizzas, or 2-3 large strombolis, depending on how think you want the crust.

For our stromboli tonight, my son did a pepperoni and a Hawaiian. Both were absolutely delicious.
To make the stromboli, roll out the dough in a rectangular shape, about 10" wide by 17" long. It's a good idea to do it in the pan you want to cook it in. Just grease the pan and then roll or press out the dough to the shape you need.
Spread sauce down the center 4", and then top with desired toppings. Cut 1" wide strips all down either side of the sauce. Fold the strips braid-like over the toppings. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until dough is thoroughly cooked.

Superhero Cape Tutorial

2011-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy pattern and instructions for making a reversible superhero cape. I used this pattern to make the capes for my son's superhero birthday party.

To make one cape, you will need two yards of fabric, a small amount of contrasting fabric, fusible material such as Wonder-Under and velcro. If you choose to do a reversible cape like the one pictured below you will need one yard of each color. You will also need a piece of contrasting fabric large enough for the emblem or design on the back of the cape.

Pattern:

Length of cape on fold side - 22"

Length of cape on curved outer edge- 28"

Bottom width of cape - 12"

Cut out 2 - one of each color if you're doing more than one color - on the fold. You can cut out two at a time if you line up the folds of the fabric carefully.

Decide which side of the cape you want the emblem on. I chose the red. Trace your emblem onto the paper side of a fusible material such as Wonder-Under.

Our emblem pattern - you can do anything you want. Lightning bolts, first letter of name, etc.

One important detail: flip the emblem over before tracing on the fusible material - mirror image! Not that I'm speaking from personal experience, of course.

Emblem pattern - trace it in reverse

Next, follow the manufacturer's instructions to iron the contrasting fabric onto the tacky (non-paper) side of the Wonder-Under. Cut out the emblem along the tracing lines.

Peel the paper backing off the emblem and center it on the cape piece you have chosen to be the back. Iron it on. Zigzag stitch around the emblem to secure it.

Now, place the two cape pieces, right sides together (the emblem is on the inside) and stitch around the outside with a 1/2" seam, leaving a 4" opening at the bottom for turning. Clip the curves, turn the cape right side out and press the edges.

Top-stitch along the bottom edge to close the opening left for turning. Sew on the Velcro at the neck and you're all done.


You'll have one happy superhero!

I Want to "Fall Back" into Bed

2011-11-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

How do you feel about Daylight Savings? I have mixed feelings.

I agree that it's nice to have more light in the evenings during the summer - except that I put my kids to bed at 7 pm no matter what the season.

I agree that it was nice this morning to drive my 7th grader to school in daylight - except that my 5 year old got up at 4 am and has been talking ever since.

This last weekend was the first weekend in a while without a soccer game or some other activity. I jumped right on that and signed up for a knitting class. It's a three week class for learning to knit socks from the toes up. There are four of us in the class, and I am the youngest by 20 years at least. I think that is so cool! In 20-30 years, I want to be just like the ladies in my class - out on a Saturday morning learning something new.
It was so much fun. We knitted together, struggling over our cast-on, got it figured out, and I am pretty sure we're going to be friends for life. We were joking and laughing by the time we had an inch of toe knitted up. Our assignment - knit to within three inches of your heel by next Saturday. I'm nearly there. I have a busy week, so there might be some mad Friday night knitting to get the last 1.5 inches done, but there's always the carpool line.

We also canned some more applesauce. This batch is a combination of Winesap and Jonagold apples. It turned out really good.

That's what's been going on at our house. What's happening at yours?

Not Ready for Winter Just Yet

2011-11-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

'Etsymoms in Turquoise' by lavenderave

Thinking of the bluest ocean and warm beaches - not ready for winter.

Waldorf 15 inch Doll Sw... handmaidencana... $20.00	Boutique Toddler Girl T... SOUTHERNBABYBO... $14.95	Women's hat, turquo... AngelLeighDesi... $40.00	Crochet Scarf Wrap in A... sarahndipities $20.00
Crawler Covers Baby Tod... fategoddess $8.00	Girls Hawaiian Halter D... HotLavaClothin... $32.00	Turquoise "H"... FELTITNYC $15.00	Ruffled MaryJane Shoe T... podsshoes $25.00
Cameras Wallet sreneedesigns $40.00	Turtle Art Card CardsandMooreb... $4.75	Bookmark original paint... NewCreatioNZ $9.00	Baby Memory Book Custom... CustomMemoryBo... $55.00
Long Turquoise Beaded N... orangedaisydes... $25.00	Kanzashi Turquoise Broo... PetalMix $28.00	Cocktail Ring Teal Blue... hotpinkchick $9.50	Sterling Silver Wire Wr... LarissaWowk $65.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Superhero Birthday Party!

2011-11-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

My baby just turned 5. Suddenly he seems so big. For his party, he requested a Superhero theme. We decided to make it a Superhero Training Camp.

the invitation

I got my decorating inspiration from the Hostess With the Mostess blog. I loved the idea of a sort of retro city look. I wanted to use stuff we already had in the recycling bin, so Grandpa helped make the city out of boxes and paper and duct tape. I love how they turned out.

I was out of town a few days before the party, so in the interest of time I picked up this great Marvel Heroes cupcake decorating kit from Williams Sonoma.

photo credit

I made each boy a super hero cape (tutorial is posted here) and provided a mask.

When the boys arrived, we gave them their capes and masks and took their pictures in front of the city. We made a set of dumbbells out of PVC pipe and Styrofoam balls covered in duct tape. Then, it was time for training camp, led by our super-aunt.

Balance training - walking up and then down some railroad ties

Aim training - throw a ball through the hoop and knock over the Rescue Hero

Then, a super villain came and dumped a bunch of bombs.

Our super heroes had to stomp out the bombs.

They completed that task and then spontaneously decided to

Capture the super villain

and put him in jail.

You rock, superheroes!

We had pizza and apples for lunch and then everyone took home their cape, mask, candy from the pinata and a superhero ring (ring pop).

Home Economics

2011-11-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

My son is taking a class called "Consumer and Family Studies (CFS)". In my middle school days, we called it Home Economics. I have mixed feelings about this class. I am less than thrilled when he comes home and tells me that they are watching Super Size Me in class.

I won't get into a rant about that here, OK, maybe a tiny one.

McDonald's food isn't the best dietary choice. Eating McDonald's in the quantities supposedly eaten in that film is a terrible dietary choice. That said, my home cooking is healthier, but I guarantee negative results from eating vast quantities of my healthy, from scratch home cooking. Bottom line - the operative word here is choice. I want a choice. Even if sometimes, some the options aren't safe or healthy.

Anyway.

Naturally, I am totally thrilled when my son comes home and tells me he "has to" make a cheesecake, from scratch, for a class assignment. As far as economics go, this wasn't an economical cheesecake. It's more like a $30 cheesecake. Here's the recipe as posted to the teacher's website.

Black and White Chocolate Cheesecake

10 ounces chocolate wafers (or vanilla wafers)
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), melted
24 ounces (3 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened
4 ounces good white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped into small pieces
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup (6 ounces) dark chocolate chips or 6 ounce bar, chopped into chip-sized pieces
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and butter the inside of a 10-inch springform pan.
2. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil so that the foil completely covers the bottom and sides and is pressed firmly against the pan.

Wafer Crust:

1. First crush the wafers in a food processor or with a rolling pin.
2. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the melted butter with a fork.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan until you make an even layer.
4. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Remove pan and set aside.

Make the filling:
1. Melt the white chocolate by placing a bowl over simmering water or using a double boiler.
2. Stir the chocolate until smooth and set aside.
3. Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer) to beat the cream cheese with the sugar and salt.
4. Continue to beat until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time.
5. After each egg, beat the mixture well and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
6. Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat well. Add the sour cream and beat well at slow speed.
7. Give the white chocolate a final stir to make sure it's mixed well and add to the cream cheese.
8. Beat well at slow speed.
9. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Make a water bath
1. Place the springform pan into a high-sided pan such as a lasagna pan or large baking dish.
2. Place onto middle rack of oven. Add hot water to pan. The water should come up the side of the springform pan at least half way.
3. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
4. When done, the cheesecake should be mostly solid around the edges but still jiggle a little in the center when you shake the pan.
5. Remove from oven and let the cake stand at room temperature for about an hour.
6. Remove cheesecake from water bath and place in fridge (leave the cake in the springform pan).
7. Cool in fridge, uncovered, for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
8. When completely cooled you may wrap the cake in plastic wrap.
9. To remove cake from springform pan, run a knife under hot water then wipe dry.
10. Run the knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Unbuckle the springform and remove the ring.
11. Run the knife under the cheesecake to remove the bottom of the pan. Carefully transfer to a large platter.
12. To cut the cheesecake, run a knife under hot water, wipe dry, and make your cut.
13. Repeat for each slice. Alternatively, use a new 2-foot piece of monofilament (fishing line).
14. Holding the monofilament tightly between your hands, press the line down through the center of the cake to divide it in half.
15. Let go of one end and pull it through the cake.
16. Turn the cake 90 degrees and repeat (you now have 4 pieces).
17. Continue to slice down midway between the cuts until you have the desired number of servings.

I admit freely to being a purist when it comes to cheesecake. That said, this one was pretty good. Probably the fact that my son cooked it completely on his own made it even better.

Etsy finds

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

'Let it Snow!' by lavenderave

To make note of our first real snow storm of the winter - all the shades of a snowy day from Etsymom Team members.

Let it Snow...Scrabble ... ScrabbleBabble $6.95	SOFIA - Grey Pearl Taff... RowanDesigns $12.00	Snowscape in Kentucky ... SCPerkinsPhoto... $25.00	Silver Star Polymer Cla... RockefellerJew... $5.50
SNOW QUEEN - Beaded Fri... ResidentGypsy $93.00	White Wedding Lace Para... FashionPattern... $7.50	Suspenders Mens or Boys... MeandMatilda $45.99	THREE Fine Silver Beach... SimplyLeilani $36.00
Jackie O Wrap Sweater i... PinkPolishDesi... $130.00	Crowd - 8x10 Black and ... FlandersField $25.00	Winter Maids, Matryoshk... juneatnoon $5.00	Winter Tree- Original A... jensartshop $25.00
Funky Blister Pearl Nec... LHJewelryBouti... $144.00	Pet Pawprint Plaque handprintlady $40.00	Skate - 11x14 signed ph... jenniferdennis... $35.00	Patch - Pebble adjustab... LAccentNou $24.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Another T-shirt!

2011-10-25T23:51:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of a crazy couple of weeks. I have a tutorial to post, and a post about my son's superhero birthday party, but I'm going to do those after my trip to Dallas this weekend. I'll tell you all about that too... we're going to visit some friends and we will be taking in the TCU/BYU football game as well.

I just finished another upcycled tee made for the 5 year old out of the 13 year old's outgrown shirts. Again, a very big thank you to Patterns by Figgy's and their Tee for Two pattern.

I think this one is my favorite. I really, really do. The collar still needs a little work.

The boy is pretty darn cute too. Just saying.

Yarn is Good. It Keeps People Warm

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is a re-post from March 2010 - I think it's worth watching again. And again...

"The idea of the film is simple. How to visualize the warmth of natural gas? By the use of the stop motion technic, we see how warmth spreads through the house as knitted wool. A film of TBWA Brussels,directed by Olivier Babinet produced by Lovo Films. Don't forget to check out the making of how we did it"

2011-10-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

'Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ' by lavenderave

Beautiful colors of fall, brought to you by Etsymoms and other Etsy artists.

Crochet pin brooch Fall... meekssandygirl $20.00	Hand Dyed Silk Window P... CreativeArtbyM... $25.00	Autumn Leaves, Fall in ... LoudWaterfallP... $18.00	Fall girls skirt. . . 1... twirlaway $16.00
Fall 'Leaves' K... FlutterbyCreat... $8.95	Rock-Tober Sale AUTUMN ... GemmaBeads $128.70	Autumn Contrast - Origi... jenoconnell $65.00	Autumn Greeting Card 4 ... cinnamonspice $4.00
Fine Art print "Bo... SCPerkins $20.00	Girls Tiered Maxi Dress... halfpintboling $26.95	stars and flower orname... baruchslullaby $10.00	Elora, Natural Waldorf ... handmaidencana... $85.00
Pleated Messenger Style... mylittlereveri... $39.00	Decorative Push Pins - ... beachcottagest... $8.95	Restoration Collection ... Mmim $14.00	Fire Orange Earrings mompotter $7.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Apple Bread

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

The thing about fall is that I have to make quick breads. I don't know why. I just do. Here's a new favorite I discovered while figuring out what to do with the huge bag of apples my CSA delivered this week. OK, and last week's bag too.

Fresh Apple Bread

1 cup butter (yes, truly)

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour

4 cups sliced apples (sliced thin like you would for apple pie)

1 cup chopped pecans

Topping

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Blend butter, eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add soda, salt and vanilla; beat. Add flour and mix well, then add apples and nuts. Grease three bread pans and divide batter evenly among them. Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of batter in bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, then foil.

Makes 3 loaves. Eat one and freeze two!

Apple-pear Sauce

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, I went to the store and bought a big bag of Honeycrisp apples. Then, my CSA delivered a nice bag of pears and a nice bag of apples. I was busy. They sat on the counter and the pears got really ripe.

My kids are kind of over the pears since we've been getting them the last month or so with the CSA. Then, I bought a 40 lb. box of Jonagold apples at 60 cents/lb. For those of you who don't live in a place where food does not grow, that may not seem like a big deal. Well, it is a big deal.

Then this week ... you got it. The CSA delivered a huge bag of apples. We really had been working our way through the apples, but we were getting way behind.

Today, there was no avoiding it any longer. I could smell the pears. The apples seemed to be multiplying.

The Apple-pear sauce turned out great. I also made some Apple Pie Filling for the freezer because who doesn't like instant apple pie?

Batty for Batman - on Etsy

2011-10-14T20:46:00.001-07:00

'Batty for Batman' by lavenderave

Who knew there was so much whimsical Batman stuff on Etsy?

The Batman Scrabble Til... ASnailsPace $7.00	Call Batman 8x10 Print MumsTheWordPri... $12.00	9mm Black Dome Tungsten... CustomTungsten $49.00	8GB Batman flash drive ... Polyester10 $65.00
India Ink Batman, 11x14 jonathanlove $36.00	Batman mug, Super Hero,... NelsonStudio $23.00	Batman Joker Nolan Dark... turkeydog $13.50	Holy Authentic 1966 Rob... stitchingembro... $995.00
batman belt buckle, vin... reganflegan $19.00	Batman Harvey Dent Poli... mikarts $2.25	B is for Batman Print 1... matyldabiedron $36.00	Batman Begins - Retro P... joneallen $18.00
Unicorn dressed as Batm... linedraw $15.00	BATMAN Super Dump - fle... SKRIMSHANK $17.00	Batman and Robin Baseba... landofsparkle $15.00	Batman and Robin Bat Si... hempco $3.20

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

2011-10-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Banana Bread

4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1-1/2 cups (14 oz can) mashed pumpkin puree
1-1/2 cups (3 to 4 large) ripe mashed bananas
1-1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch loaf pans.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and allspice until combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, bananas, yogurt, oil, eggs, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the flour mixture, half at a time, and beat on medium until combined. Fold in walnuts.

Divide batter between the 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake for about 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let loaves cool for 15 minutes in the pan then remove from the pans and let cool completely to room temperature before slicing to serve.

Yield: 2 loaves

Glaze:
Whisk 2 to 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream or milk into 1 cup powdered sugar to a drizzling consistency. Spoon into a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Snip off one small corner of the bag and use as a pastry bag to drizzle the cooled pumpkin banana bread with the glaze.

Knitting Update

2011-10-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

Do you know how many weeks there are until Christmas? Well, my timeline is short. I have family coming to visit in 10 days, and being the thrifty soul that I am, I want to send their Christmas gifts home with them. Suddenly, I am feeling a little short of breath...

Here's what I've been knitting. I'm not telling you who these things are for because that wouldn't be fair.

Knit in stockinette until it was the length I wanted

I can't remember the name of this lovely, soft yarn, but I could knit with it all day long

in fact, I made one for my daughter...

A cabled and fringed scarf made from a sweater I frogged

This one is made with superwash in straight garter stitch with a crocheted border

A most fabulous pair of socks. I fell in love with the colorway.

It's Heart & Sole by Red Heart, berry bliss (I think).

and last, but not least, two hats I made for a friend who just started chemo - lots of hope and love and prayers are knitted into these hats. The top one is a lace edged hat knitted in Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette, a gorgeous, soft yarn. The bottom one is a tam knitted in Sublime which is a lovely aran in cashmere and merino, the pattern is Faolan.

How are your Christmas preparations going?

Etsy Finds - Happy Birthday to my Husband

2011-10-07T09:10:00.001-07:00

'Birthday Wishes' by lavenderave

In celebration of my husband's birthday - a collection of gifts for him by Etsymoms.

Hand Stamped Personaliz... sugarsalt $19.00	SALE - Men's Knitte... sheepsclothing $29.00	Extra Dark Stout Soap -... AquarianBath $5.00	Rock-Tober Sale TOTAL B... GemmaBeads $22.50
Dude Artisan Soap Anhoki $5.25	Fine Art print "Oh... SCPerkins $5.00	Engraved Pocket Knife -... TheTaffyBox $19.95	Vines - 10 x 10 fiber b... jenniferdennis... $35.00
Detail, Lantern, Japane... LoudWaterfallP... $20.00	Hand Stamped Personaliz... sugarsalt $12.00	Forest Mist Scarf bubblegirlknit... $22.00	Vintage Golf Personaliz... bnute $25.00
Father and son cooking ... MariaSarmiento $69.90	Fiesta - 8x10 Black and... flandersfield $25.00	SUMMER SALE Small Alw... MommyofTy $12.99	Mens Neckties Boys Neck... MeandMatilda $22.95

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Pajamas

2011-10-05T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today was all about pajamas. That big boy I told you about in the last post needed some new PJ pants. He chose his own fabric, and I got those made today. I don't really want to talk about how I underestimated the fabric I needed by 1/4 yard. It's like I don't even know how tall he is. I made it work. Cool fabric isn't it? I would love to show you how they fit - but he's in bed.

I also finished a Christmas PJ set for a friend who is going to photograph her kiddos for my Etsy shop.

Next project? I have to make a LOT of super hero capes for my 5 year old son's birthday party. I'll put up a tutorial for the capes too.

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