this week on tumblr

One last round-up in 2010 of recent favorites from my tumblr page...

(Staying Up With the Moon, So You Didn't Have To via Pacing The Panic Room)

I woke up at 3am but the skies were all cloudy and I had a serious case of dry mouth.  At least someone was able to see the lunar eclipse.

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(via Design*Sponge)

Love it love it love it.  And it's a fairly wee kitchen too.

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Yes to making a decision and doing it. Yes to action over emotion. Yes to solo travel. Yes to music in the desert, to exploration and doing things that are a little scary. Yes, yes, yes.

 (No sleep ‘til Timbuktu via What Possessed Me)

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 (ice skating party via {frolic!})

Such a pretty winter party, but I imagine all of the guests getting frostbitten and cranky and heading indoors.  

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(Catcher in the Rye book cover fleece via Out of Print Clothing)

Awesome shirts and sweatshirts with out of print, iconic book covers on them.  Plus, for each shirt sold a book is donated to a community in need through Books for Africa.

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 (Casserole Carriers from Vonny via Apartment Therapy The Kitchn)

Genius.

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(Montenegro via Mr and Mrs Globe Trot)

Check out this blog, written by newlyweds traveling the world.  It helps that they are both photographers, because their photos are amazing.

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We are both convinced that our military can do this, even during this time of war,” Mr. Johnson and General Ham wrote. “We do not underestimate the challenges in implementing a change in the law, but neither should we underestimate the ability of our extraordinarily dedicated service men and women to adapt to such change and continue to provide our nation with the military capability to accomplish any mission.

(Pentagon Finds Little Risk in ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal via NYTimes.com) 

We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot and believes all are created equal. Those are the ideals we upheld today.

(via Barack Obama)

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(The Little House Cookbook via Apartment Therapy The Kitchn)

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(via The Sartorialist)

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And as always, you can head over to my tumblr page for more finds and inspiration from around the web.  Those of you on Twitter, well, please tell me what that thing is all about and then follow me here.  Happy New Year to all!  Pour a glass of something bubbly, crank up the fondue pot and celebrate!  What are your plans?  Tell me, tell me.  A bunch of us are heading to the beautiful Burlington, Vermont tonight to ring in 1.1.11!

wholeliving.com featured blogger

I'm excited to announce that I've been chosen as one of the featured bloggers for the 2011 Whole Living Action Plan: 28-Day Challenge!  You might remember that around this time last year, I did a little detox as part of the Action Plan from Whole Living.  The 28-Day Challenge is designed to help you make healthy, lasting lifestyle changes by breaking bad habits and gradually introducing new ones.  I'll be blogging about my experience with the plan right over here, so if you'd like, please join me there and follow along.

• Sign up for the plan 
• Join the community
• Read my introduction post

The plan officially starts on January 3, but there are materials and guidance up online for doing some prep this weekend.  Beginning next Monday, I'll be blogging over there 3-5 times a week about my progress with the plan, sharing tips or strategies I've learned and connecting with others around the country.  Every once and awhile I'll give an update here, but if you want in on all of the action you'll have to head over to my blog at Whole Living.

(Photos via Whole Living.)

darling holiday cards

I ordered this year's holiday cards from Rifle Paper Company.  I already have a set of thank-you cards and a small print illustration from this shop and just couldn't resist these.  Aren't they darling?  I ordered a mix of traditional cards and postcards.  It turns out that I didn't order enough, so once again please consider this post as a wish for the happiest holiday season to all of you readers.  I hope you are all surrounded by friends, family & peace and are making a full recovery from your Christmas cookie hangovers. I'm excited to share a little blog announcement later in the week, so check back for some news about a project I'll be starting soon.

PS- See our cards from last year here.

the snow queen

My cousins, sister and I were really lucky growing up.  We were visited each Christmas not only by ol' St. Nick but also by someone a bit more fit and who didn't steal cookies or drag dirty, flea-ridden reindeer across the globe.  Every year on Christmas Day, the Snow Queen visited us at our Nan & Grampy's house and brought us tiny Christmas gifts.  We opened presents and played downstairs in the living room and anxiously awaited that gentle knock at the front door.  A nearby adult would nudge one of us to go open it and let our visitor inside.  It's safe to say that we were all a bit terrified of the Snow Queen.  If I ever was made to answer the door, I was undoubtedly trying my best not to wet myself and disgrace the family name.  The door opened and we would scramble back to someone's lap and watch her effortlessly glide in towards us.  I'd alternate between burying my head into a parent's shoulder and sneaking a glimpse of the most beautiful and magical creature I'd ever seen.

Without making a sound, the Snow Queen carefully placed a tiny treat for each of us near the Christmas tree.  Then, just as quietly as she came in, the Snow Queen left.  As soon as I slowed my breathing and heart rate down (I was a nervous kid), I'm sure I dove right into the pile of presents in search of some chocolate or a Polly Pocket.

We were so disappointed every year when my Aunt Elaine missed the entire visit, coming downstairs just a few moments after the Snow Queen disappeared.  She would have been upstairs doing the dishes... or in the bathroom.. or fixing dessert.  Some years we could have sworn my aunt wasn't in the room but she would kindly remind one of my cousins that, in fact she was there the whole time and that one of us was even sitting on her lap!  "Oh right... yeah, now I remember..."

We learned from our classmates that the Snow Queen apparently had a very small delivery radius, limited exclusively to our grandparents' address, actually.  It increased your chances of a sighting, though, if you had an aunt that was a dancer, an actress, a talented seamstress and very beautiful.  And if you also were a part of a creative, persuasive and at times downright dishonest family that would easily put to rest any doubts or questions you had about the feasibility of a delicate lady floating around the neighborhood in the middle of winter.  Having those things in place was key to Snow Queen visitation rights.

My aunt won't be with us this Christmas.  She passed away last spring.

As we grew older, the Snow Queen stopped appearing in person but continued to leave little treats on Christmas Day. The memories of her, graceful and beautiful and generous, keeps her very much alive and present for us.  And when the next generation of little terrors starts running around the Christmas tree, I have a hunch that the Snow Queen will come around again.  And then we will continue the family tradition of duping our kids into believing in magical beings far past the point that middle school social codes allow.

What are your family holiday traditions?  Did your grandparents' house have any special visitors, strangely unique to their block or zip code?  Share them in the comments :)

weekday soup, fresh pea with parmesan cheese squares

This was intended to be a legit Sunday Soup.  Two Sundays ago we ended up having a late lunch of gigantic burritos while we tackled our office/computer/sewing/junk room, which is the bane of my existence.  It's been a black hole of all the crap we don't want to look at on a daily basis and frankly, it had gotten out of hand.  Considering our space here is fairly limited, we decided to lock ourselves in the room and do some serious weeding through, recycling, donating, throwing out and cleaning so that we can reclaim the precious few square feet.  End result being an emergency burrito run that kept us full well past Sunday Soup hour.  So it was Tuesday Soup instead.  And then yesterday, we actually did make another soup but it was just a variation on this one and didn't warrant an entire post.  But for the record, we added mushrooms and bell pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes.  And here is the soup that we intended to make on a Sunday but made on a Tuesday instead.  And the world keeps goin' round.

Fresh Pea Soup with Parmesan Cheese Squares
(Soup recipe comes from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup and the Parmesan Cheese Square recipe comes from Mom)

Ingredients
Soup

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 leek (white part only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 16 oz bag of fresh frozen peas
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tsp sugar
• salt and pepper

Parmesan Cream

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Parmesan Cheese Squares

• 2 slices of bread, any kind
• spoonful of mayonnaise
• a few tbsp of grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp finely chopped onions (optional)

Directions

1. For the soup... heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add the celery, onion, leek and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in vegetable stock and peas; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or until veggies are very tender.  Meanwhile, steam or microwave the carrots until tender.
3. Puree the pea mixture with the milk in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Return soup to pot and stir in carrots, sugar and salt and pepper.  Heat through.  Stir together sour cream, Parmesan and pepper in a small bowl and scoop a dollop on top of each serving.
4. For the Parmesan cheese squares... Cut each slice of bread into quarters.  In a small bowl, combine the mayo, Parmesan and onions.  Spread mixture evenly on the quartered bread and broil or toast for just a few minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.  

This only made about 4 servings, so double it if you are having guests over.  I haven't had split pea soup in a very long while, so I can't testify as to how different a fresh pea soup is.  It certainly has a more radioactive color to it.  And it was very good.  Flavorful but not overwhelming and on the quicker end of soup recipes. Sister got me the book for my birthday and it has the most gorgeous pictures in it.

We double-teamed this meal:  I chopped up the veggies in the morning before I went to work and my co-chef did the rest when he got home from work.  I made the Parmesan Cheese Squares because they are not universally appreciated in this household due to one of the primary ingredients being mayo.  Which yes, I get the reluctance, but they are really very delicious and a super easy snack to whip up for an evening of tv- or movie-watching.  Plan for at least one slice of bread per person.

golden winter

Etsy's Treasury tool is "an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery comprised of lists of items."  It's an easy way to highlight your favorite goods and share the awesome talent that's out there.

I love the gift guides that all the bloggers put out this time of year... gifts for her, for him, for mom, for foodies, for techies, and so on.  But I hate making them.  I love me some online shopping, but I actually really dislike sifting through the overwhelming number of sites and shops to find the perfect gift.  Plus, I read so many blogs that I'm afraid I would get lazy and just copy the same things that someone else has already put together.  That's no good, so I don't publish my own gift guides.

However, I am constantly adding things to my Favorites on Etsy and it's easy enough for me to find a common theme and create a Treasury around it.  Here is my Golden Winter Etsy Treasury.

So pretty, so yellow & golden & cozy.  Give Treasury a try sometime, it's a lovely way to shine the spotlight on some of your Etsy faves. And also to organize your own personal wish list :)

holiday party idea: parmesan-scallion pinwheels

In case you are charged with bringing an appetizer to any upcoming holiday parties, check out this recipe from Real Simple magazine.  It was inexpensive, easy to prepare and can be made in advance and served at room temperature.  Bam.  I doubled the original recipe in order to serve 16 people.

Parmesan-Scallion Pastry Pinwheels
(from Real Simple)

Ingredients

• 2 packages of frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unfold the pastries and brush with beaten egg.  On each sheet, sprinkle on the scallions, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and a dash of salt and pepper.  Roll tightly into a log.  Seal together by brushing a tiny bit of water along the rolled up edge to help it stick.  Freeze until firm but sliceable, about 20 minutes.
3. Slice the logs into 1/4"-1/2" thick rounds and place on prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top of each and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  They can be baked up to half a day in advance and stored at room temperature, perfect for after-work holiday parties!  (Real Simple says they can also be frozen for up to a week.)

I also tried the magazine's Goat Cheese With Pistachios and Cranberries recipe and while it tasted good, it looked like... well, it didn't look good at all.  It wasn't like the picture, which shows an appetizing bright green and red cheese spread.  I think it was my fault for throwing the cranberries and pistachios in the food processor together, probably it would have gone better if they were chopped separately.  Either way, it looked a bit too much like solid waste to attract many tasters.

winter wonderRECAP

Winter Wonderlark was a success!  We had mild weather, a great location (around the corner from our apartment!) and plenty of visitors and shoppers.  This year I stayed with a warm & cozy theme and brought with me a selection of winter hats, neck cozies & of course beverage cozies.

Hats, hats, hats.

Lots of neck cozies.  Two of my new patterns sold out!

One shopper renamed the beverage cozies as "beer sweaters".  Obviously I will be changing their official name soon, because that is too awesome to pass up.

And Sinterklaas stopped by the booth, giving what I view as an official endorsement of my shop by St. Nick himself.

The Albany Trolley brought visitors up and around Lark Street.

Sister came by to keep us company and my production assistant (ha! no not really) kindly ran back to the apartment to heat up some lunch for me. Fiona was a real champ and stuck it out all day long.

Our friends even brought us some spicy hot cocoa.

And then the chaos began.  I promised you there would be Speedo-clad merrymakers.  This is the disturbing evidence.

Yep.  That happened.

Thanks to all who stopped in and said hello and shopped.  And another thanks to everyone who has been stopping by the virtual shop for holiday gifts.  I hope to have all of the new goods on Etsy by tomorrow, in time for my December 18 holiday shipping deadline (expedited shipping is available after that date, email me for rates).

holiday market this saturday

Winter Wonderlark

Saturday, December 11

12-5pm

Lark Street

Albany, NY

Stop by my winter shop at Winter Wonderlark this Saturday!  We are bundling up and taking it to the streets for an outdoor holiday market.  There will be hot drinks, fresh wreaths and garland, gifts and toys, roasted nuts and cozy winter accessories handmade by yours truly.  My table will be piled high with brand-new neck cozies, knit and crocheted winter hats, and other seasonal goodies.

Make sure to be there to watch (or run) the 5th Annual Santa Speedo Sprint!  You really don't want to miss this one... unless the sight of a tipsy crowd running towards you wearing only their underwear and Santa hats gives you heart palpitations.  In that case, just donate a few bucks to the important cause and then stop by my booth and say hello. There will also be a Gingerbread Funshop, Ornament Making, a Winter Window Display Contest, a performance Ice Sculptor, Sinterklaas and a particularly rad-sounding traditional Mexican event wherein you drink hot chocolate and eat buñuelos (a fried dough type of dessert) and then smash the ceramic serving dish.  Sounds fun.  Click here for more info.  Lark Street shops and vendors will have everything you need to finish up your local, thoughtful holiday shopping. Instead of sorting through angry crowds at the mall, you can make your way through a crowd of Speedo-clad merrymakers.  What's not to love?

I'll be somewhere between Lancaster St & Hudson Ave, bundled up in a thousand layers and chugging hot cocoa.  This is the last market update for the season and then I'm taking a time-out to listen to Christmas tunes until I get sick of them one hour later, trim our wee tree and finish up my gift making and shopping.  Also, cookies.  Lots of cookies.

"all over albany" etsy feature

Big thanks to All Over Albany for including me in their Capital Region Etsy round-up!  The Neck Cozy in Burrrr Berry Plaid and the Snuggly Winter Hat in Lilac Shells made the list :)  They are featuring local Etsy finds all week so swing over there and check it out.

Shop my featured items here.

sunday soup, leek and potato

I've tried many potato and leek soup recipes and they've all been very good.  I'm not sure you make a bad-tasting potato and leek soup.  In fact, The Kitchn has a recipe that just calls for two ingredients:  potatoes and leeks plus salt, pepper and olive oil.  Simple, cozy comfort food.

There was a marketing genius working at the farmers market this weekend.  She ladled out samples of a delicious potato and leek soup and then as you licked your lips wanting more, she gave you the recipe and pointed you towards all of the necessary ingredients at their farm stand.  Brilliant.  Here is Cornell Farm's Heirloom Leek and Fingerling Potato Soup, from a farm based out of Hoosick Falls, NY.  We doubled the original recipe so we'd have plenty of leftovers and I've included our quantities below, because this soup is too good to have only once.

Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients

• 5-6 cups of chopped fingerling and Yukon gold potatoes (we used a pint of fingerlings with 5 small Yukon golds)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, quartered and chopped into small pieces
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4-5 leeks, washed well and chopped into thin cross sections (use the green parts too for a stronger flavor)
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cup milk (we forgot until after we ate to double this, so we only used 1 cup and it still worked)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat butter in a large stock pot and cook garlic and onion over medium-low heat until softened.  Add the potatoes, carrots and leeks and cook for about two minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes or until potato is tender. 
2. Puree the soup in batches using a blender or food processor, being careful not to scorch yourself or overload the machine so that it spills over.  Return soup to the stock pot.
3. Stir in milk, salt and pepper and heat through.

 

Serve it with a loaf of French bread, because that doesn't require any eggs  and you used up the last of the eggs yesterday and haven't gone to the grocery store yet.  Pair with a nice seasonal brew, like Saranac's Lake Effect Lager or a cold glass of apple cider.  The recipe serves at least six.

terrarium love

I had to buy this terrarium.  I intend on making one of my own soon enough, but I really had to have this.  If you can believe it, I'm actually not one for impulse buys.  I usually hem and haw over something so long that I convince myself to put it back on the shelf.  In fact, many a shopping trip has ended with me retracing my steps and returning everything in my basket and walking out conflicted and empty handed.  Last night I was at CVS and it took me almost fifteen minutes to decide whether or not to buy new eyeliner.  In the same color I always wear.  Same brand.  $7.99.  I mean, come on. Well here is proof that I'm capable of a little impulsiveness now and again.  Faced with an entire table of terrariums, who wouldn't get a little spendy?  Am I right? This terrarium is from The Botanic Studio and it was just one of many supremely beautiful miniature gardens.

1.  Cute little mushrooms by weeshop.

2.  A terrarium ornament by onegiftoneworld.

3.  Rude gnome by PhenomeGNOME.

4.  Terrarium necklace by WarmCountryMeadows.
5.  Sleeping gnome by PhenomeGNOME.

My Survival Manual for Young People Living in Town has a whole section on making terrariums, and I do believe my mom and a buddy of mine have offered to make some with me so I'll keep you posted.  I would really love to put a little garden gnome in one.  And maybe a few mushrooms.  As usual, Etsy is a treasure chest of inspiration for even the strangest throw-back obsession...

What say you, readers?  Any good ideas for a terrarium?