a rare occurance

I don't really bake cookies. I love to cook. I love to bake- pies, cakes, muffins, bread. But cookies just aren't really my thing. Too finicky. Too much in and out of the oven, batch after batch. Why can't cookies be more like cakes? Pour everything in one pan, stick it in the oven for an hour, and you're done.

But at Christmas, I bake cookies. I make bar cookies and peanut butter balls and lemon cookies. I love to make all the cookies that mom and I used to make when I was growing up. I give them as gifts, I put them in the freezer for later, I set them out when friends come over.

And I will admit that somewhere, in the back of my mind, I always thought "Wow, Steve must feel so lucky. He has his pick of all these cookies, right here in his house." So one year, after probably four married Christmases, I asked him, "What's your favorite kind of cookie?" And he said, "Oh, probably something plain, like chocolate chip."

I rarely make chocolate chip cookies. And by rarely, I mean it's probably happened once in the last seven years. Rare. So you can imagine my dismay when my sweet husband, whom I've been thinking has it so great because of all these fancy cookies, tells me (in a very nice way) that I'm never making his favorite kind.

So this morning, as I was at home and feeling especially grateful for the wonderful man I get to live with, I decided that he should get a treat today. A treat like four dozen chocolate chip cookies. And you know what? They were even kind of fun to make. But mainly because I could imagine someone coming home from work and discovering them and asking if he could please just have one before dinner.




My other project for the day is finishing a little welcoming gift for a certain someone who is occupying my thoughts these days.



Not too bad, for a Wednesday.

still learning

I made this super cute and handy zippered pouch last week. The fabric is Amy Butler's Sandalwood, which I think is a gorgeous print. I made up the pattern myself, which led to a few technical difficulties, which led to me deciding yesterday not to sell the pouch but to keep it. Which is totally okay with me, because I can already think of ten things I would use it for.



This could be a slow week, shop-wise, because I have so many non-shop projects to finish. Gifts and orders from friends and a skirt just for me.

I think that this is more of a gathering week. I am gathering ideas from people about projects they want. Gathering fabric, both online and at Mary Jo's. Gathering experience with zippers (see above) for the great diaper bag project.

And, at the moment, gathering all the wrinkly clothing and linens in the house (why are there so many? are they multiplying? did they talk to each other and cook this up?) for a good long ironing session. It's a glamorous life, but somebody's got to lead it.

Meet Rose

Isn't she amazing? How is it possible to love a baby so much that you've never officially met? I don't know, but I'm hooked. Head over heels for this little girl, who is sure to bring as much joy into my life as her parents


and her big sister.

You are one lucky, lucky girl, Rose. And I plan to enjoy you as much as I can now, while you're still a baby. Because before long, before we even know what has happened, you'll be growing up. I bet it will seem like no time at all before you're as old as your mom and I were when we started this lifetime adventure of our friendship. We'll tell you stories about "when we were your age" and you probably won't be able to believe some of them. About how silly we were, how much fun we had, how we've had less than three fights in our 20+ years of friendship and one of them involved a hamster.

The fabric for your diaper bag is sitting on my ironing board and I can't wait to get started on it. The only activities that sound appealing right now are ones that involve making things for you and dreaming about what you are like and passing the time until I get to hold you and really know you.

But for now I'll just sit here and hold you in my heart, just like I've been doing every day since December when I heard you were coming. And you just stay right there and be a baby. Don't grow up before I get there.

Using up the buttermilk

One of my favorite things is to find creative ways to use up a food item that I previously bought for another purpose. In this case, one quart of buttermilk. I used part of the buttermilk last week to make this barbeque ranch dressing that turned out amazing. We are still eating salads just as an excuse to have more of that dressing.

So my job for today was to use the rest of the buttermilk before it turned even more sour than buttermilk already is. First, the obvious- buttermilk biscuits.

I have only used this particular recipe once, on Easter, and they turned out great. I feel that biscuits can be rather finicky, so I am hoping that this batch cooperates as well. I think I will test one of these at lunch today, just to make sure they are fit for consumption at dinner. And because they smell so good.

Next up- the less predictable, buttermilk chicken marinade. I loosely based this marinade on two receipes I found online and made up some of it myself. We're grilling tonight, despite the heat. Maybe the grill doesn't have to work as hard if it's already hot outside?

And, lest you think I have just been cooking all day and neglecting my real duties, I have finished another project for the shop as well! I am very pleased with how it turned out and will aim to post it by tomorrow morning at the latest. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Love

I love to stitch. I think it is a combination of the lovely thread colors, the relaxing repetitive-ness, and the portability. I really value portable pastimes. All I really need to survive a long wait at the DMV is a library book and something to stitch. I can stitch anywhere. I can stitch at someone else's house. I can stitch outside. I can stitch while watching a movie, talking on the phone, or riding in the car.

I also love plants that can survive a month of 100 degree weather, no problem. Like my lantana. The grass is dead. The vegetables are dead. All the other flowers are wilted beyond belief. But the lantana? Cool as a cucumber, brightening up the front yard, standing tall like it's just been watered (which is not the case because it's usually just the wilted plants that get watered). Next year I think I will save myself the trouble and only buy lantana. We can't eat it, but it sure looks good.

Know what I do not love? Caterpillars. Caterpillars that aren't satisfied with eating the entire oak tree in the front yard- oh no, they want more. They want to come in the house. They crawl along the front door, hoping to sneak in. Well, sorry caterpillars. I'm onto your game and I'm not opening the door. And don't even try the handle, because it's locked.

We're open for business, so come on in!

I have been very busy this week. My darling computer whiz of a sister, Cameron, came to visit and we spent three straight days getting my Etsy shop up and running. This involved lots of photography, sketching, photo editing, and lots of me saying "maybe you can just figure out how to do that..." All that to say, I am super thankful she was here and have found myself wishing several times over the past two days that she would come back.

So yesterday was my first official "open for business" day and it was amazing! I even got my first order, which I mailed out this morning. I am so lucky to have friends and family who are willing to spread the word and help turn my plan into a reality.

On the agenda for today: start a new shop project. My goal (for now, at least) is to post one new item each week. I welcome requests, so leave me a comment if there's something you'd like to see. Currently I'm thinking either a small zippered pouch, for toiletries, pencils, candy, or whatever else you fancy, OR something involving a monogram. I'll keep you posted.

On the agenda for this weekend: pool day. You know how we do.

Using my gifts

For my birthday this year, Natalie gave me the most wonderful fabrics and I have been dying to use them. One is a flannel by Amy Butler, and it is the softest, loveliest feeling fabric. I thought that it would make the perfect receiving blanket. The colors are so bright and cheerful and I think they would actually be great for a boy or a girl. After rummaging through my fabric shelves, I found some fuzzy yellow fleece for the backing and used another birthday fabric for the trim.

The finished blanket is small, but intentionally so. I wanted not so much a swaddling blanket or a wrap around the baby blanket, but a baby-sized blanket that you could throw over your baby without losing them under it. The perfect size to roll up in a diaper bag. Just right to lay your baby on when there is a questionably clean floor and you have nowhere else to change them.

I am making progress towards opening my shop. Every completed project is one step closer. I think I only have about four more steps to go.