G is for GroW!!!!!

You may remember last years garden, and that even though I had all the basil anyone could ask for I couldn't get a damn tomato to grow???? Yeah, that garden.
Instead of getting discouraged and throwing in the towel, I've decided to give this whole "growing food" thing another shot. Inspired by Jana's recession garden, I lurked a few gardening messageboards, I found what could be a perfect plant fot my tiny shady deck.
Tom Thumb Peas!!!!! (even their name is cute!) Apparently, it is a quite rare heirloom variety dating back to the 1800's. I had quite a hard time actually getting the seeds, though. I ordered from one website and they had sold out, others were in the UK and Canada and the shipping wasn't worth the cost of the seeds. I finally found some @ Trade Winds Fruit. They sprung up pretty quickly considering I didn't use an inoculant or even bother to freeze the seeds first. The lil' seedlings need to make it a few more days on the kitchen table before I'm comfortable putting them outside in their pots.

I still haven't made my mom a gift, it's obviously to late to knit anything fancy and I couldn't think of anyhing to sew :-( If anyone has any good ideas, lemme know? I have 10 days left and she really likes handmade gifts. If it gets down to the wire, I'm sure I could find something on Etsy.

I finished something for the shop!!!!! I know it's been empty for a while, but I have a plan and hopefully this time I can fill it up and keep it full. You all will be the first to know when it's ready :-)

---KatenaShcOre---

Kate Nash - Mouthwash



<3
knitxcore.

C is for Cupcakes!

I like to make a special treat every Valentine's Day. I usually bake sugar cookies and toss some royal icing on them, but this year I wanted to go just a step further. I bought this Martha Stewart cupcake kit at Macy's, and then searched all of my cookbooks for the perfect recipe. After looking through all of them and the creepy box of recipes from the seventies my mom gave me, I decided Martha could once again save the day. I went to MarthaStewart.com and there on the first page was exactly what I needed, not only was there a recipe but a video for those of us with little kitchen confidence.

---recipe---

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes (Makes about 30 cupcakes)

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Billy's Vanilla Buttercream
Colored Sprinkles, for decorating, optional
Alternate frosting: Billy's Chocolate Buttercream

Directions
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

-In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

-Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full (I used about 2 tablespoons). Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

-Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake (I used the buttercream icing recipe above, and Wilton's Color Gel in Pink). Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.



I know my pictures suck tonight, but it happens. It's been rainy and dark.

BTW... I finally have my crown!!!!!!! I forgot to let you all know. It's weird chewing on both sides now. I keep biting my cheek. lol.

<3

knitxcore.

How does your garden grow?

My fabric from PurlSoho came in!!!! I've already pre-washed it and I'm ready to start chopping it up. I never realized the importance of pre-washing until I read Simple Sewing and found out how much it could mess up an FO if you skip it.

I actually finished another sewing project and dyed some yarn, but you'll have to visit my Flickr page to see them. They're both for a swap that I'm not ready to send out yet.

The fabric all the way to the right is the Kokka print that I was drooling over last week. The other two are for something in my kitchen, but I'm not sure what :-)

Mr. Stripey is getting bigger. I should start measuring him, eh? Everything else is taking it's time growing. I planted a bunch of bulbs and some basil this week and I bought a hibiscus tree at Loew's. It has a bunch of buds so I'll get a good pic when it blooms.

<3

knitxcore.

in the sculpture garden.

i finally finished noni bags "in the sculpture garden", and just in time for my mom's birthday. i'm going to give it to her tonight. i hope she doesn't hate it. it's not like she would say anything even if she did. you know how moms are...

Pattern Particulars
Needles: Clover Takumi Circulars sz. 11, Clover Takumi Straight needles sz. 8
Materials: MC- Cascade 220 col. no. 8886, CC- Cascade Quatro col. no. 5012, Pink Acrylic Handles from LYS, Purple wool felt (for lining), 1" pinback buttons fron CubistLiterature's etsy shop and a sew in snap.

Loved: The yarn, the ease of the pattern, the flowers!!!

Hated: Sewing in the lining, and the bazillion tries it took to get is felted just right.

i'm really proud of it, and really beats the crap out the bag i made her last year. OHHHHHHHHH!!! P.S. i went with one pocket, you can't really see it in the pictures.