Kept in the freezer, a pair of these little guys and a few Advil are perfect for soothing that headache, lightening those dark circles you get after staying up all night with a box-of-chocolates-induced stomachache, or reducing the swelling from that good cry you’ll have watching the Valentine’s episode of The Bachelor. Warmed up in the microwave, they can be used to alleviate sinus pressure, dry or itchy eyes, and the pressure and stress associated with being generally awesome all the time.

These are quick and easy to whip up.

First, download and print this template (click on the image):

Cut out four from any piece of black, 100% cotton fabric. Sew around two of them, with right-sides together, leaving a hole for turning and filling.

Turn the heart right-side out, and using a funnel, fill with a mixture of grains and aromatics. I’ve used flax seed as my grain (the shape and size is just perfect for how small these are), and a combination of lavender (for relaxation) and lemongrass (for a little pick-me-up), but you can use whatever you thinks smells nice. I used about 2 tablespoons of flax seed and 1 teaspoon each aromatic to fill one sachet. They should be about half-full so they are pliable enough to contour to the eye-well.

Stitch up the hole with a blind stitch, and you’re done!

Give them alone, or with a Sade CD and your friend’s favorite Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine entree for a special evening of relaxation and peaceful solitude.

Happy Day-After-Valentine’s Day, everybody!

hearts.

.a

As was true with his big sister, he was a little “fiddly” to knit, but he was worth every stitch.  Julie’s instructions are clear and comprehensive, and there are plenty of useful photos to help you along.  The pattern directs you tie french knots for the eyes, but I read a suggestion by a Ravelry member to use glass eyes, which can be purchased at glasseyesonline.com.  Although I secured them tightly and reinforced them to withstand gale-force winds, I think I’d hesitate to use them if this was a gift for a child.

Another minor change that I made this time was to add a fluffy, homemade pompom tail, instead of following the pattern.

Sweet.

The clothes are included in the pattern, and are a great way to use up scraps of sport or fingering yarn.  This was a Rowan 4-ply that I bought on closeout at WEBS.

He’s a little bit smaller than his big sister, measuring 11″ from the tips of his pointed ears to the tips of his chubby toes.

Boys will be boys.

“A”

Baking cakes from scratch is not usually a process I embrace, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve baked some pretty tasty cakes by “doctoring” a Duncan Hines mix.  So why did I decide to give this recipe a try?  Pinterest (where I spend waaay too much time).  I saw it there and, since my mom is a chocoholic…and it was for her birthday…I reached for the flour and the cocoa and followed the super-easy directions.

The recipe is HERSHEY’S “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” Chocolate Cake and it is soooooooo chocolatey and moist.  After all the ingredients are mixed (in a single bowl) you add 1 cup of boiling water, which makes the batter really really thin (like REALLY thin).  No worries, though, because it magically bakes into two super delicious layers of chocolate cake goodness.  The “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” Chocolate Frosting is, yes, perfect, and super easy.  Since I filled the cake with Chocolate Bavarian Cream, the two-cup yield was just enough to frost the two 9-inch layers.

I think what I loved best about this recipe is that it’s made with basic ingredients and requires minimal preparation.  And though I have no plans to give up my Duncan Hines habit, it’s good to know that I can bake a decadent chocolate cake without a mix…and I know you can too!!

“A”

I wish I could explain exactly what possessed me when I hit the “buy it now” button for this Ravelry pattern.  Knitting toys is just not my thing…or so I thought.  And then I discovered “Bunny girl in a dotty dress” by Julie Williams.  Love at first sight.  Was it her face?  Her dress?  Those cute little Mary Jane’s?  Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  I hit the button, paid with paypal, and printed the file.  That was the easy part.

The word that best describes turning left-over balls of yarn into a sweet little bunny is, in the designer’s own words, “fiddly”.  Had I looked up the true meaning of the word, I might have balked.  “Complicated or detailed and awkward to do or use”.  Fiddly.

Thank goodness, you start knitting the head and designing the face first, which gives your bunny a bit of a personality from the start.  I completed the head on day one.  On day two, she looked up at me as if to say “you’re gonna finish me, right?”.  (I guess she well knew the meaning of fiddly).  Okay little bunny…I hear you.  Day five:

Day 6:

Done.  Her eyes were supposed to be embroidered french knots, but I decided to use these teensy black buttons that I had in my stash.  Since the doll is (ahem) for me, I have no worries about the eyes becoming a choking hazard

After all that fiddlin’ around, I was totally thrilled with my sweet bunny.  She stands about 12″ tall from the tip of her ears to the tips of her toes, and I think she’s adorable!

Julie’s website is Little Cotton Rabbits, and she offers free patterns, as well as patterns to buy.  My next purchase will be “Boy bunny with a piebald patch”.  He could be Bunny girl’s brother…significant other…or just a friendly playmate.  In any case, he’s got my attention.

Don’t let a seemingly whimsical word like “fiddly” stop you from making a bunny of your own.  I really did enjoy the process, and I plan on making several more…in the future…but not like next week.

“A”

I’ve been trying for a long long time to perfect the sugar cookie baking and decorating process, and I’ve spent way too much time collecting recipes, buying books and reading blog after blog for all the “secret” tips that might contribute to my ultimate success.  Although I pride myself on having achieved the goal of “good enough” in my quest, there is still so much more to learn and practice.

For these cookies, I tried out two new recipes which I am totally thrilled about.  The vanilla cookie comes from Glorious Treats, and it is a keeper for sure.  The dough is easy to work with, maintains its shape and, above all, bakes up a soft and delicious cookie.  The chocolate cookie is from Lila Loa and is referred to as “The End-All for Chocolate Cookies Recipe”.  For the time being (I haven’t tried other chocolate sugar cookie recipes), I have to agree.  The dough comes together and rolls out easily, keeps it shape and tastes delicious.  The only change I would make to the recipe is to reduce the salt from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon.  I used salted butter but I think I’d go ahead and reduce the salt even I was using unsalted butter.

I like CK Royal Icing for the convenience of just adding 5 tablespoons of water and mixing it up.  I sometimes reduce the water by 1 teaspoon and substitute 1 teaspoon of almond extract.  I used the icing in a stiff consistency to pipe the roses…these took a bit of practice as I’m not a great little rose-maker.

Wishing you a loving and happy February 14!

“A”

Frozen-mania continues to create excitement with children, and themed merchandise appears just about everywhere we shop (including the Dollar stores!).  And there were more little Elsa trick-or-treaters this past Halloween than I could even count.  So when I came across this adorable pattern on Ravelry a few months back, I took a deep breath, made the purchase, and ordered enough yarn to make one for each of the 12 little Elsa’s in my life.

It is called “Queen Elsa Hat with Braid” by Ann J. Bacon (cost: $4).  Since I loved the sweet combination of the soft blue and glistening white, I went with the recommended yarns, Caron Simply Soft Party and Caron Simply Soft Solids.  And although I’m not a big fan of acrylic yarn, I thought is was a great choice for its softness and washability.

(can you see it glisten??)

Took me a while, but as I gazed at 12 Queen Elsa hats, my heart did a happy dance.  So what about the three little Olaf’s in my life?

Couldn’t leave them out.  Back to Ravelry, where I located a free pattern called “Frozen Olaf inspired Hat” by Olivia Kent.  After a quick review, I decided to blend the two patterns.  I used the Elsa pattern as the base hat, added the tooth below the grin, and then used the instructions for the eyes (including brows), nose, mouth and twigs at the top from the Olaf-inspired hat.  So cute.

There is still plenty of cold weather ahead, and more than enough time to make one for the kiddies in your life.  (note: 15 hats might take you a bit of time

Wishing you warm hugs and very Happy New Year!

“A”

Christmas cookie-baking is in full swing at my house, and this is a new recipe that everyone is just lovin’.  You’ll need one can of Solo Almond filling:

and one can of Solo Raspberry Cake & Pastry Filling:

Both of these items should be available in the cake-mix aisle at your grocery store.

The texture of the cookie is slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and a bit chewy on the inside.  Really, really yummy!

Happy holiday baking!

“A”

Before anyone gets too excited…. Yes.  My son married a wonderful woman this past May, but this set was not crocheted with them in mind.  Instead, there is another happy couple expecting their second daughter next month, who I am hoping will wear this sweet little hat and sweater when she heads home with her family.

The pattern, found on Ravelry, is called Aunt Jen’s Sweater and is a super-quick and easy project.  I followed one of the modifications and added a picot edge to the bottom.  The yarn was Paton’s Grace, 100% mercerized cotton, in Blush.  Since the pattern creates a rather tiny sweater, I went up a size to fit a newborn.  The size can easily be adjusted with heavier yarn and/or a larger hook.  The folks at Ravelry offer many suggestions and lots of good advice.

If you need a gift in a hurry, Aunt Jen’s Sweater is a great choice!

“A”

The recipe I use comes from Allrecipes, where  lots of folks have LOTS to say, so the reviews are many.  I prepare the batter exactly as instructed, and I’m happy with the results.  I baked the cupcakes in two batches, and found that the first batch did sink a little on top (you can see it in this photo), but the second batch didn’t sink a bit.  It may be because either a)  The batter sat for 30 minutes or b) I filled the papers with more batter the second time around.  In any case, they were equally delicious.

Now, let’s talk about the frosting.  I had heard about a buttercream made from a cooked paste of flour and milk and thought, “nuh uh, no way”.  In my world, buttercream frosting is made of confectioners sugar, butter (maybe a little white shortening too), vanilla, milk or cream, and a touch of salt.  Flour??? Nope.  Granulated sugar???  Wrong.  And then….my period of enlightenment.  I found a flour/milk recipe (along with a great tutorial) at The Pioneer Woman and, when she declared it “positively unbelievable”, I thought “we’ll see”.

And “see” we did.  How could cooked flour and milk, mixed with granulated sugar, butter and vanilla produce the most divine frosting I have EVER eaten?  Wow.  I had just enough to cover 24 cupcakes, but I’m certain it would have gone a lot farther if I hadn’t eaten half of it for dinner.  It is similar in consistency to the center of a Drakes’s Yankee Doodle cupcake, but tastes a million times better (okay, maybe a half million).

I read a suggestion to cover the cooked paste with plastic wrap as it is cooling, which will help eliminate the slight crust that forms on top (sort of the same thing you get when you’re cooling cooked chocolate pudding).  I’ll try that tip next time, but I did not mind, nor really notice, the tiny firm bits that were dispersed throughout.

This cupcake/frosting combo is one that I vow to make again, and again.  And again.  Next time, I’ll dump the frosting into a piping bag to see if I can make them a wee bit more attractive.  If it doesn’t work out, they will remain simple…and totally delicious!

“A”

I found this beautifully handcrafted copper cutter at ecrandal, a home-based business which features an extensive collection of copper cutters in endless sizes and shapes.  This dress is “Cindy’s Confection Collection, Style A” and measures approximately 6 1/4″ high by 2 1/2 inches wide.  I was so enamored with the folks at ecrandal and their superior workmanship, that I have vowed to order a new cutter each month…that’s if I can keep it to just one!  They are truly that beautiful.

The lip and tape cello bags measure 4 1/8 x 9 1/2.  I cut some card stock 4″ x 8″ to back the cookie and provide support.  The card stock at the top was cut 4″ x 4″, folded in half, and stapled over the cello bag.  Since I couldn’t decide which color backing looked best, I went with this:

Now for the “cookie talk”.  I am still loving the basic sugar cookie recipe over at sweet Sugarbelle’s.  It’s so easy to work with and has great texture and taste.  My next favorite is Satin Ice White rolled fondant.  It rolls out easily and embosses beautifully.  I found the small textured rolling pin on ebay several months ago.  After the fondant was in place on the cookie, I piped five small dots of royal icing along the neckline and placed small sugar pearls on top of each dot.  Brush on a little pearl dust, and the look is complete!

Rehearsal dinner and wedding are coming up soon and, with little a‘s creativity, there will be lots of fun to share.  Stay tuned

“A”

*starvation does not work.  the spanx website does.