Hollyhocks

Wait...I Think That May be Sunshine

 

Streaming in through the dining room window! Hi folks, it was One Degree (Fahrenheit) when I woke up this morning. My school had a "snow day" today because of the cold and the twins are at daycare because  A. I am cleaning and getting ready for next week and B. I would rather the twins see me as a slightly frazzled always-a-little-behind but happy mama than a crazy, screaming lunatic who uses "both sides" of the bibs and diapers. I think it's perfectly reasonable but I do get a bit of heat from a couple of people who think I should have them home...oh well, to those people I say "walk a mile in my boots you mothers of one stinkin' baby at a time." Right Corrie and Emily? Can I get an amen other twin moms and other moms who have one-who-seems-like two who get it?

Well, enough about that...guess what light reading I can't wait to tear into during the twins' naptime this weekend????

 

2 Jam books, one translated from French to English and highly recommended by you-know-who . I haven't even cracked the covers yet. Is it weird to be so excited about jam? The eggnog muffins are from a mix (horrors!) by a company called "Sticky Fingers" and they're really good. I have to admit that I bought the preserves so I could have the jar (See the December British Country Living for a contest with creative uses for the jars). The preserves are sooo good though! I like my preserves and jam to have a cooked-fruit taste and this has it. Nothing but peaches, sugar and pectin. Apparently Ms. Ferber does not use pectin. Do you have an opinion on the subject? Does it change the taste?

 I also spent some time packing up the family christening dress to send to the next baby in the family...

 

I loved having the gown here, but I will feel better knowing that it arrived safely at its next destination.

So, before I bundle up and pick the twins up from their dank, cold day care, no doubt still in their car seats and crying for a bottle since 9am...I'll share some photos of  2 of the 3 best companions a mama could have (remember, Cadbury has been here longer!)

 

 

 

I was darned if Rory wasn't going to wear that adorable dress at least once, even if she had to wear long underwear under it... Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks...Want a muffin?

Give Me a Ring

 

My sewing classes made a fabric craft this week...covered button rings. These are my girly examples, and...

 

These are some of the rings the students made. The rest went home immediately with their respective creators. Note the flame fabric in the background and the skull fabric on the one ring and picture moi standing in line at JoAnn's with 2 bolts of these beauties.

You know how they have to ask "what are you making?" at the cutting table...well, I replied "a dress for my little girl"...I thought skulls for the skirt and a Peter Pan collar from the Flames Fabric...

I may not be allowed back into JoAnns...

We figured it out and each ring cost 37 cents to make. They are selling for $4.25-6.50 on Etsy. I am trying to open up the world of imagination and entrepeneurship to these folks. We had fun. The button kits are from JoAnn's and the ring backs are from My beloved Etsy. 

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks. The twins have colds and I am worrying over them like a mother robin. 

Somebody Stop Me Before I Order the Ginsu Knife!

 

I bought a yogurt maker and I am currently fermenting (?) a batch. I'm also concurrently making steamed butternut squash puree to freeze for the Twinkies...

 

...and I unearthed the breadmaker from the basement and I have made bread twice! Is it because I couldn't nest before the twins were born? What is causing this flurry of culinary domesticity? Is it because I'm reading Jane Brocket's book? Is it the Food Network shows I half watch when I am feeding the babies? (I love you Paula Deen,by the way). Everything Paula makes has a stick of butter or 2 in it and it's always delicious... Oh, and Giada (we're on a first name basis) made a mimosa variation that sounded amazing...Aperol, which is a tangerine-rhubarb liqueur (who knew?) mixed with Prosecco. Well, I bought a bottle and can't wait to try it with my bon-bons some lazy afternoon...

 

I also daringly bought some new earrings...why daring you say? Well, I have super-short hair and have always been a bit of the mind that big earrings are for gals with long hair...however, these were too pretty to say no to. If you live near Buffalo, NY  stay out of Wild Things on Lexington. The women there make the most wonderful jewelry and you won't be able to stop yourselves!!!! Karol from the shop made my wedding tiara and bridesmaids' jewelry and my husband had her make a miniature tiara for a brunette wedding Barbie he got me for our first married Christmas. I'll have to post about it sometime. At the time I went to a fancy-Dan hair stylist and he actually got the guy to cut Barbie's hair like mine!!! Karol is custom-crafting a second pair of earrings for me and I can't wait to see them!!! They have wish-lists at the shop but mine would just be a photo of the whole shop!

 

In other news...I bought these ring blanks from Etsy. My sewing class is learning to hand sew a button, mend a seam and darn a hole tomorrow and I am plying them with doughnuts and the promise of making covered buttons, tearing the shanks off with pliers and attaching them to the ring blanks to make simple rings. Now, you might ask, what would teenage boys want with cute little rings?... And I would answer that they A. Love to rip stuff apart with tools (pliers) and B. Love to make stuff for their moms, sisters and little nieces. So there you have it. Fun with fabric and tools.

Before I go, I am making a pledge here before blog and everybody that I will be using the MLK Day holiday to clean my disaster of a sewing room (it's really bad, don't believe me, I'll show you sometime) and make it a nice place to walk through and gather supplies for the fairy-tale baby quilts that I have in my head.

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks! Need anything steamed and pureed?