Spring is blooming...

It's still early for flowers, so Emily and I "planted
 homemade pinwheels instead! They really brighten up our little porch.

Two favorites...

In other news, Selby's ear is finally standing up!

Amazing Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 cups of flour

1 Tbsp of baking powder

1 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

(combine)

Add

1/4 cup of butter

3 Tbsp butter-flavored shortening

Use fingers or a pastry cutter to combine. Mix should resemble cornmeal. Should, but won't. Who do these pastry chefs think they're fooling?

6 Tbsp buttermilk

1 cup of well-mashed sweet potatoes (I boiled them with 2 tsp of salt)

Stir until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Roll out to a thickness of 1/2". 

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

Butterfly Hat

I made another hat! I found this pattern at
http://vallieskids.blogspot.com/2009/06/olivias-butterfly.html

I think next time I might add two more double crochet rows.

"Really, another picture?"

Hats off!

I'm so excited! I've learned how to crochet these adorable beanie-style hats! My previous hats were okay for babies, but not so great for older kiddos.
 The flower is removable, which makes the hat a little more versatile.

Holy Warm Weather!

 It's the middle-end on March and the temperature reached 77 degrees! In New England!

Apparently tomorrow's full moon is going to be spectacular, as the moon will be the closest it's been to the earth in eighteen years. While I don't think that has anything to do with this wonderful warm day, I do think it has something to do with the dramatic tides we've seen today.

The tide has been pretty high earlier in the day, the highest I've seen with exception to what leftover hurricanes have done. But by the time we got there ...

... the tide was the lowest I have ever seen it. EVER!

 Selby didn't really care.

Emily had fun!

Introducing...

Selby!

She's a 12 week old German Shepherd pup. We're so excited to welcome her into our home! She's just a big, cuddly mush who is as in love with us (and everyone else!) as we are with her!

Incredible Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies!

(This is adapted from a recipe I found on Epicurious.com)

10 Tbsp of butter

1 1/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup + 2 tsp. of cocoa

1/4 tsp. of salt

Combine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (Or, combine in a glass bowl over the medium sauce pan of boiling water) Stir until butter is melted and ingredients all well incorporated. Allow to cool until warm, then stir in

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cold eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each

One or two "glugs" of Bailey's Irish Cream (optional)

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

(They're so much better if you bake them in a smaller baking pan)

Early Spring Crafts

My first attempts at hair pieces! Simple, but I'm just getting started.

Pinwheels! They're super easy to make. I just took some sturdy scrapbook paper, some hot glue, a 3D flower sticker, a thumbtack, scotch tape and a wooden dowel and went at it!

 Step 1) Cut a 12"x12" piece of paper into quarters.
Step 2) Cut 3" lines for each corner toward the center.
Step 3)Use a small square of clear tape to reinforce where you will put the thumbtack.
Step 4) Push Thumbtack through the paper. Push (or hammer) the thumbtack into the dowel, but not all the way it. You need this pinwheel to spin, after all.
Step 5) Take the thumbtack out. Counter-productive, I know. Just do it. Now put a tiny dollop of hot glue on the point, and put the tack back into the dowel.
Step 6) Starting at the top, fold left point toward middle and dot with glue (Do NOT glue to the center of the paper!) Once you have all the points stuck together, you should have a pinwheel!

I found wooden shamrocks at A.C. Moore and couldn't resist. I just painted them, glued them to dowels, then sprayed them with gold spray glitter, for a cheery golden sheen.

New blankie! I used the popcorn stitch for the border.

Close-up of the border.

End of Winter

The snow has finally melted and despite the 25 degree weather today, spring is in the air. Of course this means, within the next month or so, it's time to start yard work and such. This year we're painting the house and fixing up the gardens. Also on my list is redoing Emily's bathroom, but that may just mean a new shower curtain. ;-)

I've been learning new crochet techniques, including this method, called Broomstick Lace. While centuries ago this was made with actual broomsticks, I used a size 50 knitting needle and a size J crochet hook.

With Spring comes new puppies! Friends of the family breed Malamutes, which means we get to cuddle little puppies before they're big enough to go to their new homes.