One Talented Girl + One Piece of Fabric = Delightful Baby Gifts

My nephew Caleb married a very talented girl...Laura has an eye for the making pretty things...these items are simple and lovely...not overdone and busy...soft, sweet, and comforting. Laura has the ability to take an item and add just a solitary touch and it turns a boring something into an unique delight.

Laura sent an email explaining to me how she took one piece of fabric and created baby gifts for a friend. By simply buying some burp clothes and a piece of very busy fabric...she decomposed the pattern and added a simple image and made these burps clothes look so pretty. The simple image sewed onto the burp cloth took this much needed baby item to a new level...it looks very rich and personalized.

This is the piece of fabric Laura bought. She felt it was a little "too much"...so she cut out a single image and sewed it to the bottom edge of the burp cloth...WOW...what a great look...I actually can imagine how that cloth will look over a the new Mom's shoulder...

By individualizing the images...don't you think Laura made a great change...each image alone is so much nicer than all together...

Laura's eye for the simple really pays off with these gorgeous burp clothes...if I saw these in a baby shop I would need one for myself as I would be drooling to buy these!!!!!


Cute...Cute...Cute

Laura also embroidered "bambino" onto a plain piece of fabric and sewed it onto a onesie...what a great way to personalize a little "baby body suit"....

To finish off the package Laura is going to make little sachets filled with dried lavender...a simple touch to a wonderful handmade gift basket...this will be a very one of a kind baby gift....

Laura plans to open a shop at www.etsy.com to offer her handmade baby items one day soon...I believe they will a hit!

Elizabeth

Lemon Icebox Cookies - SOOOO SIMPLE and OH SOOOO GOOD!!!!!

I love a big bowl of citrus on the counter...it looks so pretty, is an affordable "kitchen bouquet" and you can make a cake, cookies or add some zest to a stir fry or use the juice to make a salad dressing...


Today I decided to use some lemons and make Lemon Icebox Cookies...absolutely a snap to make...all done in the food processor...how simple is that?!

Flour (2 cups), confectioners sugar (1 cup), salt(1 tsp) and lemon zest 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) go in first for a spin in the processor...

The unsalted butter ( 1 cup or 2 sticks) in in small chunks is added and processed to a sand like texture...add the egg yolks (2) and a little lemon juice (1 tsp) and DONE...How easy...

Dough is divided in half and rolled in parchment and placed in the frig for a couple of hours...

Once out of the frig...just roll in sugar (1/4 cup)

Slice in 1/4 inch discs and place on parchment lined baking sheets


Fifteen minutes later and cookies are baked (350 degrees)...the fragrance was lovely...buttery and lemony...and that is exactly what they taste like.

Once cooled I packaged them up in glassine bags, added a yellow bow and a metal framed tag with the name of the cookies on it...makes a nice presentation for gift giving. Of course I saved out two for both my husband and myself...

You always needs two cookies...one for each hand of course!!!!!

Elizabeth

Roasted Oyster Mushrooms - Taste like Bacon!!!!!

How can you not like oyster mushrooms?! When roasted they taste like bacon...really!!!!! These big beauties are simple to work with...and oh so good.

These are two nice oyster mushrooms I picked up at Dave's Market...a locally owned grocery store here in Rhode Island....they have a great selection of fruits and vegetables...they always try to have locally grown produce which is wonderful...

Isn't this a pretty mushroom...the gills on this mushroom are so nice...

To roast is a cinch...just remove the mushrooms from the stem...sort of tear off easily...tear into small pieces and place on a baking sheet...these two mushrooms made a lot so two sheets were needed. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes...roast in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes...roasting time really depends on the size of mushrooms pieces so just roast till the pieces have cooked to a deep brown, shriveled up and look like bacon...

Here they are done...you have to remove them from the baking sheet with a bench scraper which is not hard to do...and drain on paper towels...they are delicious alone but can be used in so many ways...top a soup, add to a sandwich, toss with egg or potato salad, mix with scrambled eggs or a frittata...get the idea...endless ways to use these mushrooms...

We had them on a tossed salad with a basil vinaigrette I made...absolutely delightful...

Elizabeth

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

It really is hard to pass up a good sounding recipe with lemon as the star ingredient. I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and it read really well...it baked up even better!!!!! The cake is dense, the Meyer lemons add a nice sweet lemony flavor and the strudel topping is buttery and crunchy...I plan to take the topping and try it on another dessert just to see how it does...it really is wonderful.

As you can see it has wonderful eye appeal...looks like a coffee cake just waiting for a steaming mug of joe...

The recipe calls for about 10 Meyer lemons...5 lemons must be sliced paper thin...so I used my mandolin..a gift from my father many years ago...the mandolin is intimidating and I have a great deal of respect for it...it gives me shivers just thinking about the prospects of running into the blade at a high rate of speed...but you can't beat it for making wonderful paper thin slices...

A half of the batter is placed into a greased tube pan then half the lemon slices are piled on... you must simmer the sliced lemons in water twice and they must be cooled before using...a bit of time required but little skill is needed to do this...

After the last layer of lemons are placed the top of the cake it is covered in that delicious butter, brown sugar, flour strudel...


Once baked the cake is allowed to cool for 10 minutes you take the outer pan off...then the instructions for removing the cake from the tube reads like something I have never done before...place two large spatulas under the cake and lift it off and place it on the rack to cool...well easy said then done...due to the heaviness of the cake...this procedure was very very very tricky!!!!! I had to use one cake mover spatula (really big one that looks like a pizza peel) and then I doubled up on my spatulas for the other side and lifted...ohhh...the cake sagged at the seams and I was sure it was going to split in half...I lowered her back down...counted to three and tried again...once in the air...busting at the seams...no hands to spare...the tube would not drop off...sooooo with my chin I pushed down on it and it dropped onto the cooling rack just where the cake was suppose to go...not good...with an elbow I knocked the tube away...I believe all these shenanigans were called for, so as not to drop a single crumb of strudel...in the end it worked but this truly was on the trickiest cake from pan removals I have ever encountered.

Once cooled and the coffee was brewed...I totally forgot how hard it was to get this cake put the pan...one bite took all my "bad" memories away...simply delicious...

Excuse me while I have one more "little" slice...like the skinny girls say..."ohh just a little slice for me...no no even thinner than that please"

...uh huh...right...signing off with a mouth full...

Elizabeth

First Attempt Making Kaiser Rolls

I decided to try a go at King Arthur Flour's Kaiser Rolls...making the dough was cinch...really nothing do but put everything into the bowl and let the dough hook do the work...during the 10 minute rest period for the dough I was able to fold a load of laundry...love my Kitchen Aid mixer.




The cutter is a what gives the rolls that distinctive Kaiser look...KAF (King Arthur Flour) has some great recipes and tools...


Dough getting ready to rise...go baby go!!!!!

So once the first rise is complete the dough is cut into six pieces and rolled into balls...you have to place the cutter on the roll and press hard almost to the bottom but not through...this is a little tricky...as KAF says practice makes perfect...I am a long way from perfect...husband is going to love this experiment process as he loves Kaiser rolls. Another rise, brush the tops with milk and into the oven

The finished product...not too bad

The inside is very tender and they were tasty...I toasted one the next day and it was delightful

You can go onto the KAF website for this recipe...you don't need the cutter to make these delicious sandwich rolls...give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

Elizabeth

Figural Solid Perfumes

For a while I have collected Estee Lauder solid perfumes. These beautiful little metal perfume compacts hold a solid form of fragrance. Each figural case is a goldtone or silvertone hinged box. They come in a wide array of subject matters...carnival, circus, gardening, animals, fruit, musical instruments and the list goes on.

The cases are enameled and bejeweled. So much sparkle and color makes these compacts a real real joy to look at. I could just look at them for a long time...and the Estee Lauder scents are divine.

I display them in an antique vitrine with glass shelves. I think they look so nice in there. I placed a couple of old southern belle figures with them...

This is view of the vitrine in what my niece calls the "fancy room"...as you can see the perfumes sit on the top shelf. On the second shelf are some of my antique and vintage snowmen. On the bottom shelf is my antique German kugel collection. At sometime I will share these collections.

Some of the perfumes a violin, apple, treasure chest, acorn, Cinderellas coach, picture frame, book, bird....

Another angle...you can see a cactus, dragonfly, crown, sand castle...

Hat on a stand, circus tent with a girl on the flying trapeze and a ferris wheel..had a lot of trouble getting a good angle...


This is what they look like when they are open...you can see the solid perfume...

The top perfume is a jeweled mermaid holding a pearl, Cinderella's jeweled pumpkin coach and a birdbath...



Here they are open...so pretty

This is one of my favorites...a circus tent


Here it is open...can you see the lady on the trapeze...she actually swings and to the left is a little black bear on a stand...the compact opens at the bottom to access the perfume...

So there you have it...lovely Estee Lauder solid perfumes...you can actually find these at yard sales as they are often given as gifts and people just keep them in the boxes and not use them...after a while out they go...we have found a lot of older ones this way. There is a great book about these little darlings...

Thanks for letting me share...be sure to visit our hosts blog...just click on the link to Romantic Home on the right side of my blog...

Elizabeth

Old Flower Prints and more

It is Show and Tell Friday so I thought I would take an opportunity to share...
I adore anything related to gardening...so I like to surround myself with these things. Why not?! In one of our bathrooms I have hung old framed floral prints which we have found at yard sales, flea markets or in lots at estate sales. They are always very affordable which makes collecting them very nice. I hang them wherever I have a spot. My photos really do not do justice to these prints...they are hung on peach painted walls which make a nice backdrop. I don't care what color or shape the frames are...I like the eclectic look. My sister Catherine goes a little crazy of they are not straight...even hanging cockeyed doesn't bother me...I just like them!

Here is a gathering of some of the prints...I am partial to flower bouquets displayed in vases...I have a couple that are just a bunch of flowers but the rest are cut flowers in a container.

This print had lots of golds and metallics in it...unfortunately I just could not photograph it well...it hangs over an old mission three shelf stand with one drawer...

I keep catalogs in an old painted flower pot for guests to look at when the need comes...I continue the flower theme even here.


Flowers again take precedent in the old three legged rose bowl I use for disposable cups...the soap is floral as well as the candle holder.

Cotton balls are kept in an antique hair receiver painted with roses....

Q tips are stored in an old covered candy jar painted with all sorts of flowers and creams, lotions and potions are sitting atop an antique Limoges pin tray painted with yellow roses.

More prints on a wall....

Still more prints...I really didn't realize how "obsessed" I was with anything floral in this bathroom...it blends so nicely the use is is subtle not overpowering...I wish I could have taken more photos of all the prints but the glare was a bit obstructive...They are everywhere...and I just love it...Floral prints are a great collectible as they are very affordable, easy to display, relaxing to look at...gee the positive list goes on...I always get lots of ohhs and ahhs when anyone enters this room for the first time....

Thanks for taking a peek...Elizabeth

Fish Soup and Rouille

Living in New England gives us such a great opportunity to get delicious fresh seafood. I have been watching old TV cooking shows with Jacques Pepin and Julia Child. When they made this fish soup I knew I had to try it...ohh la la...so good.

I went to our local fish shop "Gardner's Wharf" in Wickford right on the water. No better place than here to buy fish. Pete is the owner and a very knowledgeable fish monger. I learn a lot from him in regards to types of fish, cuts and how to prepare. There is a wide variety of fish, shellfish, and prepared foods. The lobster and crab tanks are always full and fresh.

The ice packed shellfish area where you can pick out your own items is super. Don a plastic glove and go for it. The bins are always brimming with local little necks, cherry stone clams, quahogs, mussels, steamers and oysters. One variety of oyster is their own...Rome Point oysters that they farm themselves.

So I picked up little necks, mussels, scallops, salmon and swordfish...nice variety and oh so fresh.

Went home and immediately made the soup using scallions, onions, garlic (still have my own from last year), tomatoes (Maine greenhouse), saffron. thyme, fish stock, and a little salt and pepper...let that simmer for a while then added the fish and topped with tarragon...

Also toasted some french baguette slices and topped these croutons with a rouille (garlic, red pepper, bread to bind, s&p, olive oil) all made in the food processor...and VOILA!!!!! A most delicious and satisfying dinner...all we needed was a spoon and bowl...

A big bowl of goodness...

Elizabeth

Old Garden Cloches

I adore all things related to gardening. There is such a pleasure to going through seed catalogs when they start arriving in January. Watching local garden centers start to get ready for spring is delightful. Walking into a greenhouse when they are being seeded and seedlings transplanted into fresh soil has an odor that is equally as heady as that of fully bloomed oriental lilies, peonies or roses. A few years ago I sold my greenhouse business to a husband and wife team that always wanted to run this type of business. I had two 100 foot greenhouses I wholesaled from. I also had a 50 foot retail greenhouse attached to retail store. So early January into spring was always busy. When a greenhouse door was opened with fresh seedlings sitting on benches that sight was magical to me.

After selling the property I missed it but did not give up my love for gardening. My new husband built me a greenhouse and turned his backyard over to me. With the help of my nephew Caleb the bones were created for a spot for me to garden.

Gardening is not just reserved for plant stock. There is a whole world of tools, pottery, glass, crockery, baskets, sundials, cement items, rock and stone, books and of course the list goes on. I love this whole aspect of gardening...especially the antique and vintage items. They are lovely to look and also fun to just ponder and think about. So today I share with you a few of my garden cloches....also referred to as garden bell jars. There are many forms for all sorts of uses as well as materials used to form them.


This is an antique french glass cloche. These have great form and color. Cloches were placed over seedlings in the early spring that would protect them from chills and winds. They allowed a farmer to plant a bit earlier to get a jump on the season. The old glass has a green tint and is just beautiful. Very often you will see these without glass knobs on the top. I have learned that french farmers would have long rows of these in their fields. The hot sun would often burn the young seedlings and the knob being in the center was where the heat concentrated....so the farmer would take a stick of some sort and walk up and down the rows knocking the tops of. This cloche still has its top but it is rough to touch.

This antique glass bell jar has a different form as the other one pictured...it is wider and lower to the ground...I have stored some old canoes and Indian dolls under it (I also collect old souvenir mailers from the Adirondacks).

In the background is a square cloche which I believe is English. This is much smaller than the other two pictured. It is sitting amongst some of the examples I have of old metal flower frogs...I guess by this time you have realized I collect many things. I have come to find most collectors are not limited to one thing...most collectors are actually collectors of collections!

This cloche is an early 1990's Wolff pottery rhubarb forcer, one or two I display in my garden. This piece is actually signed and dated by Guy Wolff. While not vintage or antique it is a wonderful piece...I love it...The photo above is of my tomato bed last year.

I hope my entry has explained a little bit about the history of cloches. Aren't they wonderful...so great to look at and think about...

Spring is just around the corner...Yippee!!!!!

Elizabeth