MMmmm Brownies!

I thought I'd share a Brownie recipe that's quick and easy. You don't need to grab a box of mix to enjoy a quick dessert. (Just don't forget the ice cream!)

Easy Brownies from Scratch

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9" square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
In a saucepan, melt 1 stick of unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of sugar, mix well. Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix in 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, if desired.
Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 25 or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center. Allow to cool in the pan and cut as desired. Serve with ice cream and whipped cream.

Family Cookie Recipe

I thought I'd share with you my family's favorite cookie recipe. This was my great-grandmother Eleanor's recipe for sugar cookies. They've since come to be called "Nonie Cookies" since she was "Grandma Nonie." It is a classic cookie recipe, enjoyed all year long. I like them a little thick, while my Mom likes them thin and crispy. See what you think. Sorry I don't have a picture of these yet. I promised I'd wait for my daughter to make these!


NONIE COOKIES

Mix together 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and a dash of freshly ground nutmeg. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup shortening, 1 egg, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

Roll half the dough on a floured cloth or board. Sprinkle with sugar and roll it in gently. Cut with your favorite cookie cutters. Bake at 350° until lightly brown. Roll and cut remaining dough. You can use colored sugars if desired.

Oooh Angora!!

Angora is one of my Favorite Fibers! So luxuriously soft and cruelty-free, what could be better? Snow White Headband/Ear Warmers/Neck Cowl now available in my Etsy shop!

Do the Peppermint Twist

I made this pillow a few years ago and it never sold at local shows. I want to make another one now that I'm a little better at what I do. I'll be able to change colors and not have the colors show through. I'll also try to design it so that I can remove the cover to wash it. It was pretty for a first try design and it's now adorning my futon : )

I made the news!!

Oh my goodness! I just found my interview with Fran Henry from the "Cleveland Plain Dealer" on Cleveland.com's website. It's going to be in the Style issue of tomorrow's newspaper! She interviewed me, along with three other Cleveland-area Etsy artists for a fabulous article on Etsy.
Here's the link to the Etsy article. And here's my interview. I'm so thrilled. It couldn't come at a better time with my husband's accident and his job on-the-line. Congrats to HiAnnie, stonz, and Monaco too!

Baking Day

I decided to bake bread today. Since I don't have a car and I have all the ingredients for a pasta dinner....except for some crispy bread.

I found a wonderful-sounding recipe in "The Italian Country Table" for a Sage and Mushroom Focaccia. The sage is still bountiful in my garden, but the dough takes a day or two to rise. I may start that for tomorrow, we'll see.

Today I found this Simple Crusty Bread recipe that was published in "The New York Times." I'll have to rescue my baking stone from the gas grill. We had a wind storm after hurricane Ike that cause a power-outage just when I was about to bake off a bunch of pizzas for guests. My husband did a wonderful job of rescuing the situation and helped me bake them in the gas grill. They were delicious, but the baking stone is a bit charred.

I also came upon this recipe for Pane Rustica (Italian Peasant Bread) which is a modified version of the recipe above. It looks easy and delicious.

In any event, I'll try the crusty bread and see how it goes. After that, I'll be finishing up some scarves, hats and fingerless gloves keeping busy busy busy!

Fun with Felting

As if I don't have enough to keep me busy this time of year, I decided to gather some supplies and try my hand at felting. So many people have asked why I don't spin my own yarn. I'm sure it is fun, but I wouldn't have time to knit and crochet the designs that I love to make. So, for me to buy carded wool and roving, was a bit shocking. There it was all gathered together and me without a clue as to what exactly to do. I've read several blogs and watched a few videos on feltmaking, specifically on how to make a scarf.
Tip #1 don't try it outside on a breezy day. I started laying out my fibers on the batting and the wind blew them all over the place. So, I went to the basement. This is a messy wet project and it didn't matter if I got the basement wet.
Tip #2 use a sturdy work surface. I used a fold-up craft table and it was rocking all over the place!
It ended up being a little too thick and wide for a scarf, but a wonderful fabric nonetheless. The picture doesn't pick up the gold sparkle throughout. I am thinking that, with a sturdy lining and shoulder strap, it could be made into a fabulous bag.
Tip #3 keep trying. It was fun and I'll definitely try again. I also have a silk scarf that I want to try felting the fibers onto. I want to dye it first. I also have some yarn to dye...but I've never dyed before. Yet another thing to try.
So, that's what I've been working on, along with more shrugs, sweaters, hats, and fingerless gloves for upcoming shows. Busy time of year!