Green Day

At work we had a green food potluck and this was my contribution - Fudge Cake with green icing. The recipe is from the Winter 1986 issue of Country Living Country Cooking. I have made this particular cake many times and one taster called it the 'best chocolate cake he had ever had.'

Before and after

It's not completely done yet but it is much better then it was before. We have removed the glass doors on the tub - back to a shower curtain that is easily washed. The new toilet is a dual flush model. All I have to do now is stock up on some good bubble bath powder - lavender scented of course.

You're so vanity

In search of a vanity for the powder room we went across the bridge to check out a thrift store in a new and bigger location. This is a great thrift store. The front section is all glass cases filled with jewelry of all kinds, to the right is all the kitchen stuff neatly displayed on wire shelves. A few steps up and it's all womens clothes. Down a ramp and it's all about the guys. At the very back I found the furniture section but nothing that could be used for a vanity. Just as I was leaving this little scooter caught my eye. In really good condition and only sixty dollars. It's still there if you are interested.

Lucky find

I know I should stay away from all the thrift stores and fleamarkets and antiques sales and secondhand shops and yard and estate sales but the thrill of finding something spectacular keeps me going back because you just never know when you will come across a great find to add to a collection or to start a new one. Such was the case yesterday - I was so lucky to get these three platters made by the Newport Pottery , Burslem, England. My collection, which now numbers 14, includes platters of all different sizes, bowls, mugs, and my most prized piece is a very large pitcher which makes people turn green with envy when they see it.

Especially for my Korean daughters

This was supposed to be a post filled with panoramic photos of the city. I went out specifically yesterday and got some great shots at the Lookout. My favourite was of the Northshore - the mountains coloured a hazy blue in the late afternoon light and more sandbars then water in the river that it looked like you could just walk across. Looking east, the Red Bridge stood out against a backdrop of dusty, leafless trees.
I will try this again and I will think twice before I hit the erase button on my camera.

Inspiration scrapbooks

Muffin quilting

My sewing machine is sitting right there on the kitchen table so this morning after feasting on these wonderfully rich and healthy blueberry bran muffins from the June 2007 issue of Bon Appetit I managed to finish quilt #2 for Daughter #1. This has been a fun and environmentally conscious project. I used quite a few of Maura's old t-shirts to make this warm and memory-laden blanket.
The hardest part of this project was finding the blankets. The only size I could find were twins so I bought two and of course they are 100% cotton. To finish the edges I used different coloured twill tape in all different sizes and then quilted some of the squares to stabilize the fabric. Have already started on TG's quilt and it is huge.

This is in answer to a question about the kitchen mitts that I made. Every year I make a new cover. I am still using the original mitts which are store bought, and the new cover goes over the old one. So these mitts have eight years worth of covers on them - they are getting bulky but I sure don't feel the heat when I'm using them.