Stitchy Saturday: Embroidered Pendant

Summer is giving us subtle cues. Days are getting shorter, veggies are piling up on every flat surface in our kitchen, nights are getting crisper, and I am prepping for the fall play. 

With cooler days ahead, I find myself thinking of new outfits for autumn, new accessories to make in the studio and new embroidery projects to unwind with a cup of tea before bed.

Inspiration struck in a fun way--I got a great shadow box pendant as a gift and I bought some beautiful patterns from So September (visit her blog...her work is AMAZING). Perfect. I decided to combine the two to create a fabulous necklace for fall.

I am in love with this necklace. For real.

I started with a 1 1/2 shadow box pendant. 

The well behind the glass is fairly deep, 

which proved to be a hug benefit.

Using the circle template made this SO much easier.

I simply traced the size that I needed on muslin.

I wanted the piece to look finished with a tiny

rustic touch. Hence...muslin.

I utilized a portion of Corrine's gorgeous pattern

and chose some colors that would transition nicely

into the autumn.

I cut around the circle with my pinking shears 

and cut a circle a teensy bit smaller than the shadow box 

from foam core.I stretched the embroidery around the 

foam core and tacked it with hot glue. 

I tacked the entire piece into the shadow box

with a drop of hot glue.

Ready to accessorize me all through the

autumn...so happy when my worlds collide!

Foodie Friday: Maple Sugar Scones

There is something about baking. It is a magical mixture of chemistry and art--exact measurements married to finesse. It takes time, a commodity that so many of us are lacking these days. Vacation days and rainy weekends are the perfect time to indulge in both the pleasure of making something from scratch and the delicious results.

Last summer, my sweetie and I took a wonderful vacation in and around Burlington, VT. It rained have the time we were there, but that didn't stop us from having a wonderful time relaxing, lazing, exploring. 

Popping into my pantry this morning after my run to grab some mix-ins for my oatmeal I spied a bag of maple sugar from Dakin Farms that we got last summer. I knew it was time to use it.

One of my favorite cookbooks of all time is 

The Weekend Baker by Abby Dodge. 

The recipe for these scones is in this book.

Maple sugar is really the star of these scones, 

but brown sugar could be substituted.

Ingredients:

3 cups AP Flour

2/3 cup maple sugar

8 TBS. very cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 TBS. pure maple syrup

1 large egg

for the topping:

2 TBS. pure maple syrup

2 tsp. maple sugar

Method:

1. Put oven rack on middle rung. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line baking sheet with parchment or Silpat.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, maple sugar, baking powder,

baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add butter pieces and using a 

pastry blender (or 2 knives), cut the butter into the flour mixture until the

butter pieces are no larger than peas. Add the nuts and mix briefly.

Mix together the buttermilk, syrup, and egg until just blended.

Drizzle liquid over flour mixture and toss with a rubber

spatula just until the dough comes together in moist clumps.

3. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Briefly knead the

dough to combine and shape into a 7-8 inch round.

Using a lightly floured knife, cut the dough into equal wedges.

4. Arrange wedges on a prepared cookie sheet (not touching).

Brush tops with maple syrup and sprinkle with maple sugar.

5. Bake until puffed and a toothpick comes out clean--about 18 minutes.

Transfer the sheet to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes.

Using a spatula, lift the scones from the sheet to a rack to cool.

Storage: Layer bakes and cooled scones between parchment or

waxed paper in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature

for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A delightful breakfast with a cup of tea!

Reboot

I am ecstatic. I have started again.

I have had a ton of stress lately. I know that everyone does, but it seemed like so many things were just piling up at once. I let it get me out of myself and out of my routine.

Things, mentally, came to a head yesterday afternoon. I recognized that I needed some time to actually reboot...restart...MAKE THINGS! So, I took two days off to do whatever I want.

This morning, I could have slept as late as I wanted, but I was naturally up at 7am. So, five mile run it is...then I decided to bake something and the day became a whirlwind from there: scones, stuffed mushrooms, zucchini and tomato casserole, banana ice cream, two bracelets, two tote bags...I AM BACK.

I now have projects and photos for several blog posts--regular posts starting tomorrow :)

Here's what I got up to today:

For tomorrow's Foodie Friday post: Maple Sugar Pecan Scones!

Picked veggies in the garden for dinner.

Made two grocery/gym bags from old t-shirts for
the Stitchy Saturday post.

Made a super fun owl bracelet for Metalwork Monday.

Lastly, made an awesome vegetarian dinner of onion/olive stuffed mushrooms,
zucchini/tomato casserole, and quinoa pilaf. YUM!

Regrouping

Three steps forward, four steps back.

 Just as I was starting to re-focus and re-align my priorities, life has thrown me another curve ball. Everyone deals with hardship, it is true, it just seems like I have gotten more than my fair share recently. I have to have surgery...nothing life-threatening or even huge, but still costly and a more than a little stressful. That being said, my sweetie and friends are super-supportive and caring and they bolster me everyday.

I have been taking baby steps towards normalcy as I prepare for my "work"--I have cooked more seasonal dinners, reconnected with more friends, resumed my half-marathon training (though barely), begun work on my script for the fall play and have walked back into my studios.

Projects lay unfinished. Fresh supplies lay heaped on my cutting table and bundled on my work bench. New tools cry to be used and patterns beg to be begun.

So I have started to organize...chose what projects I want to complete first...brainstormed themes for upcoming posts...planned more yummy dinners...and move forward.

I want to finished my bird embroidery, complete my TARDIS plushie,
make a tote for school, and make some metal pieces with
my new embossing die...I need another Craftcation!!

I took the time to smell and arrange the flowers. And my
favorite retro cookbook has inspired a theme week!

Can't wait to make a retro inspired apron as
an awesome holiday gift!

As I deal with it all, I will run my
way to serenity...I hope.

Sunday Funday: Back in the Saddle...again...

Life sometimes just takes you away from what you would like to be doing. Granted, so many aspects of my life are astounding. I haven't been able to make many things lately (or at least record many)--I have run a huge race and am training for another, I have had a really great summer jewelry show (and VERY stupidly got NO photos of the work that I made and sold), and have been loading up on quality time with my sweetie before the busy autumn overtakes us.


That being said though, I feel a little hollow not producing things and sharing them on this blog. It is not that my readership is huge. Some posts, I am the only one. But in times of uncertainty, it has lent so stability and predictably to my life.


So, here I go again...dusting of the Weasinart and giving her priority again. Baby steps, but any steps are better than standing still. 


Tonight, my sweetie and I made a lovely vegetarian feast, full of produce that we grew or got just 'round the corner. And I finally took photos of it...enjoy.

Salad that we grew, squash and tomato tian and pesto rice...yum!

To make the tian, I sliced up two yellow squash, two zucchini,
and two heirloom tomatoes. 

I layered them in a casserole dish and topped with thyme.
It baked in a 400 degree oven (covered with foil) for 30 minutes.
I then sprinkled a light layer and shredded Parmesan and
baked, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.

We had a load of basil in the garden,
so we whipped up a couple batches--one with walnuts
and one with pine nuts.

We mixed one scoop with some basmati rice and sprinkled on some cheese.
The rest we scooped onto a parchment lined sheet and popped them into the freezer.
Once they are solid, we will individually bag them to use thus fall.

After dinner, I walked by the studio and noted that I wouldn't be likely
to make anything when the bench was still cluttered from my
last session.

Ten minutes later, and I am ready to work again soon.

So, here I am again. Feeling a teeny bit more focused and ready to zip into autumn with scissors in one hand and my lap top in the other--ready to share it all with you.

Holiday Week: Mr. Adams Takes A Holiday

Is it just me, or is the summer flying by? Projects sit unfinished while training is high gear. I am running my biggest race of the summer tomorrow. 


Luckily my favorite guy and I took the time to take a break on the 4th of July. Neither of us had ever been to Keuka Lake, the Y-shaped Finger Lake about an hour and a half from home. 


I have a confession to make though (don't worry, my favorite guy already knows): I have a crush. A colonial crush. Many people adore the tall redheaded author in Thomas Jefferson or the stoic grace of George Washington. Not me. I am a fan of obnoxious, pushy, short John Adams. I have a soft spot for a guy who wrote his wife everyday with such love and devotion. And I feel bad for the guy. He worked tirelessly to help this country to declare its independence and on the anniversary of that famous date, he died. As did Thomas Jefferson. On the freakin' 4th of July. Ironic. Adams' final words are purported to be, " Thomas Jefferson lives.", not knowing that Jefferson had died a few hours prior.


I decided that Mr. Adams needed to enjoy a 4th again, so we took him on an adventure. 

I hope that he enjoyed the relaxing fun-filled day as much as we did. Time now though to lace up the running shoes again...

Holiday Week: Bananas Ice Cream

Like every other blogger and crafter on the planet, I am in love with Pinterest. While the Weasinart was unplugged, I took a pinning break too. But now that I am trying to get back to posting regularly, I have pinning with abandon.


This week, I am preparing for the first of my big races of the year. To a really awesome athlete, 15K (9.3 miles) of hills in the summer heat is no biggie. I, however, am a recovering couch potato. I really try to train appropriately and really watch what I eat before a big race. That means NO JUNK this week and very limited dairy or gluten (I am sensitive to both.) Of course, it have been between 80 and 90 for the last week. 


Here is where Pinterest comes in...


A super popular pin lately has been for 1 ingredient "ice cream". I was almost obligated to make it...and I am very happy that I did!

Two bananas-cut into coins and frozen on a sheet pan.

3 tablespoons of peanut butter and a scant tablespoon of honey.
You could skip the honey if you wanted even less sugar.

All ingredients are blitzed in the food processor and
placed in the freezer until solid(ish).

SO YUMMY! You could, of course, just use bananas but
I am a peanut butter lover from way back.