Just a quick note today – I am still sick. Very soon, when I feel normal again, I’m making K a little tee pee/hideout. I hope I can get it done before Christmas. I’m inspired by these above and want one for myself. I especially love the very plain white one with the sheepskin (of course). Who doesn’t love a nifty enclosure where you can gather all your petite treasures and prized books for a super secret siesta?
Month: November 2012
Dolls
I am still very much under the weather, but am pushing through and making active plans for a handmade holiday season. I have a couple of advent calendar ideas in the works, and I’m drawing up a list of things to make for Christmas.
As I sniffled and contemplated, I remembered that I used to make dolls. See her above? Her name is Colette. Here’s a close-up:
I created her about four years ago, and she was my first foray into doll-making. I didn’t use a pattern or anything and just winged the whole shabang. She measures about 12 inches in height, and she is still around, nestled in one of K’s toy baskets. I was so thrilled when she was done! I made many dolls and stuffed animals back then, and I had forgotten how creatively satisfying they are to stitch together. I even whipped up a K-inspired doll around the same time, complete with dress-up clothes.
There are a lot of purple outfits because it was a gift for a sweet little friend obsessed with the color purple at the time. And the little friend still has the doll, though the pigtails are worse for wear…
Hmmmm – I think I’ll have to rekindle the doll-maker in me and add at least one dress-up doll on the Christmas to-do list.
Mini Biscotti with Chocolate Bits and Marcona Almonds
Happy Veteran’s Day! I have been sick all weekend, but am slowly recovering. K has the day off today, so I wanted to share these darling little treats before we head out the door for the aquarium.
I have Mark Bittman’s original How to Cook Everything, and used the basic biscotti recipe, then threw in 1/2 a cup of chopped marcona almonds and 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips (left over from this). The online version of the recipe is a little different from the book in that it omits the step to add flour and baking powder (big whoops) and you don’t need double-acting baking powder. Regular old baking powder will do. Also, 30 minutes is way too long for the initial baking. Start checking at 20 minutes and all will be well.
These were very, very good, and wonderfully dunk-able in coffee. I like marcona almonds because they taste sweeter to me, almost like macadamia nuts. I always get a bag at Trader Joe’s, and they make a great snack.
I had been under the impression that biscottis are hard to make, but they are so easy! It’s actually fun slicing up the warm, par-baked dough into the recognizable biscotti shape. I’m looking forward to trying other variations!
Happy Friday + Hooded Capelet + Grey Almost Skinnies
Happy Friday!
First, the hooded capelet. Guess which book the pattern is from? My fave, of course. I have miles and miles of this wool plaid fabric and will probably make a jacket with this as well. I actually modified bits of this pattern. Instead of snaps, I used buttons because buttons are always cuter. I also did away with the tab at the neck. I made it, but it looked odd to me so off it went. Did you know that these capelets/ponchos are all the rage in the first grade right now? Alright, it might be just at K’s school, but a very timely sewing creation indeed!
Next, what I’m calling “almost skinnies”. I used this pattern book and these pants required infinite amounts of top stitching. I love the yellow/dark grey contrast, of course, and I’m secretly delighted by the slightly wobbly stitching job. Somehow it makes the pants seem more charming.
I was hoping these would look more like skinny jeans, but on my thin little girl, the silhouette is more bootcut. They are comfy and winter appropriate, so no complaints here. The fabric is a thin corduroy, and I loved sewing both the wool and the cords.
The capelet is swingy and flirty, the almost skinnies are stylin’.
Have a lovely weekend, friends!
Advent Calendar Roundup
Around this time last year, I was puttering around a fabric store making plans for the holidays when I got a phone call from one of my clients. While I stood surrounded by mid-weight cotton, my very very part-time job suddenly transformed into a very very full-time job. Sadly, I had no idea how to balance 80-hour work weeks with family commitments and we had the most neglected holiday season ever…thankfully the job ended after 6 months.
Now that I have returned to a somewhat more balanced life, I am determined to celebrate yuletide cheer to the fullest. And first on the list is creating an advent calendar. My last attempt at an advent calendar was in 2008 when K was 2-and-a-half – a valiant yet misguided effort using this tutorial. My matchboxes fell apart, and I painted an ugly tree the wrong way on the back so the puzzle element didn’t work out quite right.
I was, however, proud of the mini ornaments I made to fit in the little matchbox drawers. I sewed miniature felt ornaments that you see way above (there were more but have been lost over the years), and painted holiday motifs onto tiny wooden squares that are about 1.5 x 1.5 inches. These were then meant to be hung on a miniature tree that I bought at a craft store. Labor intensive, I know. I must have had a lot of time because I made three sets, two to give to friends with kids. These were the painted ornaments:
I’m looking for something much more minimal and simple this year. What do you think of these inspirational and modern advent calendars? OK, that last knitted one would require some serious effort, but it’s so darn cute…
