Since my last post it has been so busy busy around here! I've barely stopped (except first thing in the morning for my critical cup of hot chocolate and mail reading) and now, for a brief half hour, a blog post to log some life details captured in pictures of things that have delighted me.
I'm continuing my sewing classes at Pintuck & Purl. I made this canvas tote bag from start to finish in under two hours last week. It has a boxed bottom that you can't perceive here and a nice pocket inside. The interior lining is the same fabric as the bottom contrast piece. This week's class will be a 3 hour one where we bring in a piece of clothing we want to alter and we learn how to - yes!
I made a hot drinking chocolate mix (that you blend in to hot milk, not water) from scratch last week from a recipe Cooks Illustrated published not long ago. And my friend Ginger inspired me to make it when she raved about it on her FB page. I've been drinking it every morning and I like it a lot! Here's the recipe. And there is no sugar in it (my version) - you add your own type of sweetener to taste as you make a serving.
12 oz of unsweetened bar chocolate chopped in large pieces
2 cups dark unsweetened chocolate (dutch processed is best for this)
1 cup non fat powdered milk (optional but it adds extra creaminess)
3 T and 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pulverize all to fine powder in a food processor. That's it!
When you are ready to have some, take 2 heaping tablespoons full in to a cup or more of any kind of milk or milk beverage. Heat in pan or microwave until very hot. Stir well through out - it will be slightly thick and it's so rich and delicious! Add any sweetener you desire.
Look at this pumpkin! These white kinds when properly field cured can last a few years in your house; that's why I like to decorate with them.
Now see how really huge this pumpkin is next to the furniture. Such a cheerful sight every time I round the corner.
Oh my gosh I adore chocolate ganache! I made some to pour over the giant Hostess Cupcake below.
We hosted a surprise party for Dan's daughter Brittany a few days ago. Her hubby and friends brought the food and I made these desserts. All from scratch of course. The cake on the pedestal is an apple walnut caramel cream cheese cake - fabulous! The cut up bars are what I call Leopard Cake. It's a pumpkin chocolate swirl bar with a cinnamon light chocolate frosting. All were yummy! That Hostess cupcake was loaded with a thick vanilla cream within four layers of very moist dark chocolate cake.
Last Saturday we helped someone get the leaves off their very large property along with help from others too. We had our trailer there to put all the leaves in, so afterward, Dan and I took the leaves to our local landfill to dump them and as we shut the gate of our trailer I had the greatest urge to dive in to the piles of leaves so I did! The pile smelled like a Yankee Candle would.
I love my purple toed ballerina flats I bought in Barcelona! I had to show them off here - I wore them to church on Sunday with the outfit below. The scarf around my neck has purple in it as well as the taupe in the sweater.
And why not - my dark purple wool trench coat! It's finally cold enough to wear it.
This chair above is one of a pair of dining room Parson's chairs. We are having them slip covered with a french grain sack type cotton/linen fabric with a blue stripe. Yesterday, our slipcover expert, Patricia of Tricia's Slipcovers was on the dining room floor pinning and cutting. Stayed tuned for the before and after pictures. The dining room is going to get a makeover as well - walls and drapes.
Here's a cheerful sight I see first thing every morning when I exit our bedroom door - the wedding wall! Just need two more kids up there - two sons and their future brides and the wall is complete.
This side table above and the one below are where our twin granddaughters make a bee line to every time they come over. They love to see the nests, play with the eggs and blow on the painted terracotta Costa Rican bird whistles. Then they go to the blue and white pottery, lift the lids to see what's inside. I put different items inside them all the time, sometimes even candy and they love to see what's new.
In one are tiny locks and keys and the other holds shells and beach rocks from Punta Mita, Mexico.
Here's a cheerful stack of books in the living room I love to peruse.
I found this tiny glass globe with glass fish in Venice and bought it just for the twin girlies to play with and look at when they come over.
Locally found sea glass glowing in a dish.
These were roasting today and now the house stinks from the broccoli - that's not going to be a cheery smell for my son and his wife who are coming over shortly! But I do love having lots of roasted veggies always in the refrigerator for snacking - yum!!
Noah's Ark way up high in the living room.
And finally, four shots of glorious squash and pumpkins spreading cheer all over the house!
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