Finally finished!!!!!!!

It is not 100% perfect, but it is definitely cute and I learned a lot while I was making it.

Front view

Inside view.

All that is left to be done is ironing it so that the shape stays intact and applying two coats of scotch guard.

The Craft Lounge is Open

The Craft Lounge has finally had the spring cleaning it needed. I was worried that I would be a bit rusty after so much time away, but after I unearthed all of my projects, I set right back to work finishing Calliope's never-ending clutch purse.

I finally completed the inside piece, and it came out very well and looks like it will fit. So, next up is final assembly and finishing touches, like attaching the wrist strap, cleaning all the chalk marks and scotch guarding the whole thing.

Speaking of scotch guard, I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to scotch guard the place mats I made way back in January.

I also did the pre-sewing work for Polyhymnia's sarong pants. I purchased and washed the fabric, read the instructions again and cut out the pattern. After Calliope's clutch, this project really looks like a piece of cake. And yes, I do realize that saying so may come back to haunt me. C'est la vie!

My one true weakness: Brownies

I recently bought the King Arthur Flour Cookbook on the recommendation of MarMar, an accomplished baker. This weekend, for a Memorial Day BBQ at Clan Headquarters, Orpheus and I used it for the first time. I had promised him a cooking project and we decided on a recipe that played to his strengths and palate - i.e. lots of eggs to crack, help from a stand mixer and a tasty batter to lick off of the spoons in the end. Five-year-old chefs have their own criteria for judging recipes.

The result: hands-down, the uncontested best brownies I have ever made. Ehh-verr. I would have to use an unconscionable number of superlatives to do these gooey chocolate bombs justice.

The drawback: the 1/3 cup of corn syrup that the recipe called for. This is a real problem. My objections to corn syrup outweigh my love of pecan pie. But my love of brownies? I don't think so. If trapped on a desert island with only one dessert, it would have to be brownies. Thankfully, Trish sent me a link to making a corn syrup substitute with sugar, which I will try asap!

Here is the recipe:
12 Tbsp (6 oz) butter
6 oz bakers (unsweetened) chocolate
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (I used amaretto instead)
17.5 oz (2.5 c) sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c corn syrup (optional - I usually skip it)
5.6oz (1 and 1/3 c) flour
1 1/2 c walnuts (6-7 oz) optional

Melt chocolate and butter together and set aside. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, (corn syrup if using) and salt together for several minutes until pale colored and fluffy. Mix flour into chocolate mixture. Fold into egg mixture. Add nuts. Put in greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35 minutes at 350 until top is cracked and dry but a toothpick in the center comes out gooey. Let cool. Indulge.

Pecan Pie Paradox

I am on a quest to find a pecan pie recipe that does not have corn syrup in it. This is no easy task. But I am reaching a point where my love for pecan pie is outmatched by my objections to corn syrup. And come Thanksgiving, things are gonna turn ugly if I don't have this problem solved.

If you have a recipe or a helpful suggestion, please send it my way!

Snips and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails

Common Garden Snail

On Sunday Orpheus, who at 5 is a budding gardener, was playing in Pop's yard. He came running into the house to show us that he had found a snail in the garden. When he was starting to get bored of looking at it, he offered it to Phineas. Naturally, Phineas declined and told Orpheus to put it back where he found it. So, imagine Phineas' surprise when he went to open the trunk of our car yesterday and there was the snail crawling across the trunk. Apparently, it stowed away and hitched a ride from Brooklyn to NJ.

When I called Orpheus to tell him about our stow away, he:
1 - pretended not to know how the snail got on our car (*gasp* did I do that Aunt Clio?)
2 - said we should keep it like a pet (and name him Gary, like SpongeBob's pet snail but he won't meow like Gary, Aunt Clio, cause snails don't really do that, just SpongeBob's)
3 - suggested that we put it in a fish tank (but not with water, Aunt Clio. No water.)
4 - buy all the lettuce we can so that we have something to feed him

Anyway, Phineas had already set Gary free.

Gary, SpongeBob's pet snail

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

oregano, thyme, cilantro and mint

I am proud to report that my baby herb and tomato plants seem to have survived their first week of being owned by me. I've never had much luck with herbs, mostly because I've never had a sunny place for them to live.

parsley and basil

But here we are. A whole week and not one has wilted, browned or hurled itself to an unfortunate death in a blaze of smashed pottery. In fact, there are even signs that they are growing. Thriving. But I shouldn't get ahead of myself. There is a long way to go (65 days or so) until the tomato plants are mature and start to make, well, tomatoes. And there is no telling about the herbs. I view their existence as day-to-day.

Tomatoes to be

Fingers are crossed for week two...

Spring Cleaning Revised

I did not get to do my planned spring cleaning in the Craft Lounge or finish the purse for Calliope on Saturday. Oh, and Polyhymnia had to cancel plans to go shopping for fabric on Monday.

But I am not feeling too bad about it since I accomplished quite a lot of other things. In no particular order, I:
- planted an herb garden (basil, parsley, mint, cilantro, thyme and oregano) and two tomato plants (San Marzanos and an heirloom breed)
- baked blueberry muffins with Miss Julia
- baked sour cream coffee cake muffins for Mother's Day Brunch
- cooked lasagna with sauce from scratch for Mother's Day Dinner
- spent time with my mom, sisters and nephews
- bought myself a book on making really fun aprons
- took a yoga class and then washed my yoga mat

OH, and I also made pizza for Friday night dinner with Phin and attended a fun 30th Birthday party on Saturday night.

Spring cleaning has been rescheduled for this upcoming weekend after I get home from a business trip to Toronto.