Crazy Confetti Compost Cookies!

Hellooo 🙂

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the flu season..I mean FALL season hahaha/cough cough.

Yes, along with probably a few thousand others out there, I suffered from the flu this week 😦  For some reason, whenever there is a change in the seasons, there is always a change in my health…but after plenty of rest and litres upon litres of fluids and vitamin C, I am on the mend!  And what better way to celebrate your health than a sunny afternoon baking cookies with your best friend!? (possibly not the healthiest way to celebrate but we only had two!)

I first saw these cookies on my friend Noemie’s blog, asinkremains.com and had to try them myself!!  The recipe is originally from yet another blog called howsweeteats.com and you can find the recipe there.  Let me tell you, if you like cookies in general you HAVE to try these.

The recipe name itself had me intrigued at first but also slightly concerned because as a gardener, I know what compost is made up of and I couldn’t imagine a cookie in that way!!  Basically this is an everything-but-the-kitchen sink recipe, which has a mix of traditional cookie ingredients with a few twists like salt n’ vinegar chips and coffee!

These cookies were very easy to make and would be a great activity to involve any little ones you may have in your life…plenty of smashing to be done and they’re fun and colourful and who doesn’t love that?!

We used a gluten free flour and they came out great, but I’m sure they’d be just as delicious using a regular all purpose flour.  I’m anxious to try this recipe again but try out a few substitutions with the fun ingredients.

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!

Below is a photo gallery of our cookie making extravaganza!!!

Hope you all had a great weekend 🙂

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one last hurrah for summer…

okayyy so as much as i love that we’re slinking into Autumn weather…I have to say that I’ve really been enjoying how long my Glads have been lasting in my garden!  Even though we get down to chilly temps over night, these beauties still hold strong!!!  i am in love with the pastel coral and white ones…which are new this year and i wish i had tagged them before I snipped them..and idea my mother so lovingly pointed out after the fact haha…

(sidenote, the second batch of salsa took about 10 hrs this time thanks to super juicy toms 🙂 BUT i was successful in finding the right amount of spicy!!! *spicy dance*)

Summers End and Salsa

oh hi…so i’ve been kind of m.i.a. the whole summer pretty much and have finally decided to make a better effort at posting on this lovely blog!

ive got lots going on between working from home trying to keep busy with design and sewing projects and also its full-swing harvest time on the farm and my garden is suffering from neglect!

last weekend was the first round of salsa making and tomorrow will be round two…sigh

as much as i love love LOVE home made salsa and canned anything, i am beginning to be quite impatient with the amount of prep work and time it takes…thankfully, i have parents and hubby to help me out and make things a wee bit less hectic and overwhelming…and believe me thats what our kitchen becomes as soon as there’s over 40lbs of tomatoes all over your counters and table…not to mention all the other ingredients that go into salsa!

basically, anyone out there who also makes your own salsa…hats off to you because im sure you understand what im talking about!  thank god i have a food processor to do all the chopping for the peppers and onions and garlic..but if anyone has any other tips please share!

also i’m finding that when the salsa is cooking away on the stove, i always taste test to see how spicy it is and for some reason it always mellows out once its canned and cooled down 😦 major sad face because i love a salsa with a kick!

this batch we’re making tomorrow i am increasing the amount of jalapenos and seeds and i’m possibly going to add some chiles as well…my logic is that if its crazy-insane-blowing out your ears-spicy while its hot on the stove, maybe it will mellow out to a nice poco picante once its canned and cool…hahaha i will let you all know how that turns out …im laughing at myself already so feel free haha

ok enough about salsa!  our garden, even tho neglected and short of moisture this summer, still turned out a nice harvest so far!  we still have potatoes to dig up, leeks are still growing and i can’t wait to use them in soups for the freezer, and we’ve already done a picking of 204 cobs of corn which were cooked up and frozen to enjoy throughout the winter.  as much as i complain about the work and responsibility of a garden, i really do love having fresh produce through the cooler months that we can enjoy and take pride in, knowing that we grew them organically here on our farm 🙂

as summer comes to an end i can’t help but look forward to cooler afternoons and evenings that beg for a cozy sweater or your favourite blanket to curl up with .  And something that i absolutely love about summer turning to fall, is the way the light changes…or at least it changes in my eyes, everything becomes more crisp and clear on a warm sunny fall afternoon.

hope you’re all embracing the next season with open arms like i am 🙂

here are some photos from last weekends salsa project (oh and also some canned tomatoes with some basil thrown in)

…i will be sure to post more pics of other things soon…including some fun home decor projects i took on for a new client!! 🙂

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something new…

ok so I’ve been preoccupied with a few things and haven’t been as dedicated to this new blog as I probably should be….but hopefully this post will make up for my absence and hopefully spark your interest! 🙂 🙂

Probably a year ago, I was lucky enough to receive a lovely guide book for hatmaking, when I was doing a bit of work in the millinery department of the theatre I work at, and I finally have a reason to pull it out and give it a go!

A dear friend of mine is getting hitched this summer and I have been trying to think of a creative, custom gift that could compliment her attire on her big day.  Well, I have noticed through her pinterest and her own blog (asinkremains.com <– check it out, its amazing! ) that she has a thing for headpieces right now and I’d more than be tickled pink to create something soft and feminine for her!

As with any new project, I just start working with muslin and a form and just go at it.  I used to be big into sketching everything out first but have found over time, that I generally change almost everything once I start actually working with fabrics and draping on the form.

I knew based on an illustration and quarter scale pattern from my guidebook that I wanted to do something anchored on a set of bands similar to that of a classical Greek woman…not only do I think that this is more functional and wearable but it is cute!

Naturally, the design will be modified and multiple mockups will be created before the final piece is created but I love the beginning process where your brain is firing out ideas rapidly and you just keep cutting and pinning and everything looks good and you can’t decide which is your favourite!

Below are images of what I came up with just listening to some tunes and having some fun.

I will continue with this post and show you the process of fabric selections etc and eventually a final design and photo 🙂

Let me know what you think! I welcome all suggestions!

 

This “Bad Girl” does it well indeed…

 

We all know that a music video is a great way to express an artists/musicians persona and the message of the song but more and more, music videos are a representation of the current or to come lifestyles and fashions.  I am loving MIA’s new video for the “Bad Girl’s” track and for more than one reason!  Overall I love the hazy, sandy light of the whole video but the fashion notes are all right on key as far as trends are going for SS2012.

I love the mix of colour and layering she has going on with each look.  This is one chick who obviously isn’t afraid of colour or mixing up pieces that some might think wouldn’t go together.  I am all for experimenting with an oufit and trying new ways of changing it up for a fresh look.  What I am obsessed with right now and in this video is prints and mixing prints.  A lot of my girlfriends are very safe when it comes to pairing up colours and prints but I love the unsafe and almost stupid…it usually results in something that looks chic and brave and so dead on.

My fave look in this vid is the green leggings with a belted green blouse…I am SOO pumped that belts are back yet again!!  There is nothing I love more than a cinched belted waist with a loose billowy blouse or dress. 🙂  the green is then complimented by a layered anorak with such a beauiful rose coloured print that is both feminine and strong.  I love mixing masculine and feminine stylings together, and this look is a winner for me.  She has a very strong edge but she still holds true to a girly aesthetic with her choices and accessories – I am loving the stacked bracelets at the top of the video.

Lastly, I am in LOVE with the neon on the car!  Neon yellow and that “cool as cucumber” baby mint green are to die for.  Even though I can’t pull it off, I love the high neck, buttoned up shirt!  Also, I love the repetition of the neon yellow on the guys shoes 🙂 look for it!

What do you guys think?

x

 

 

 

 

Bring on Spring!!!

Hey folks!

Just a quick post today 🙂

Today was absolutely gorgeous and as stated earlier this week, Spring is on its way according to the groundhog!

I don’t actually think that the whole groundhog shadow thing is accurate but I’m definitely taking the bait 🙂

It was sunny today and the birds were happy and chirping and it even SMELLED like it was warming up…

What I’m most looking forward to is of course Spring/Summer fashions.  And this dress from Vionnet’s 2012 Summer collection makes me just want to wander through a wildflower field and play amongst the butterflies 🙂

Happy weekend lovelies,

L

Red Fruit Salad

Happy Weekend everyone!

Hopefully you have had a lovely rest and possibly some productivity as well on the homefront.

If you’re like me, you let things build up a little bit sometimes and all of a sudden you have about 8 loads of laundry to do and an unbelievable amount of clutter in your work-space (or sewing studio like me) and you finally suck it up and get your clean on!  That is exactly what I did on Saturday morning/afternoon (sidenote, I love how something as simple as laundry and cleaning become an all-day event).

Our weather this weekend wasn’t particularly nice and so I did not get out for my usual jaunt through the country roads and paths however I wanted to make sure I posted some pics from the last time I went out.  I went on this new path that led me to a new part of our river and it was absolutely beautiful!  The air was crisp, the birds were chirping and the snow had such a great crunch underfoot that I walked for 2 hours!  This path is stunning right now in the snowy-scape, but I can’t help but be excited to see it during the other seasons as well!  I may have found my new spot folks!  You know, the spot you go to when you need to clear your head and just be.  😀

Now, onto the goods!  After my last post about the OATS!, I re-read it and lingered on the vanilla bean suggestion which reminded me of an outstanding fruit salad recipe I used awhile ago that is a must-share!  It comes from the Food Network Kitchens Cookbook, which is a great mix of just about everything and super simple to follow!  I had used this recipe for a brunch I held for my mother but I was thinking this would be a sweet treat for a Valentine’s breakfast in bed!

RED FRUIT SALAD

2 red plums, pitted and quartered

2 c strawberries, hulled and halved

8 oz red cherries, pitted and halved

1/2 c cranberry juice cocktail

1/3 c honey

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

3 coin-size pieces fresh ginger

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise (optional) <– I did not use

1 c raspberries

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Gently toss plums, strawberries and cherries together in a bowl.  Stir together the cranberry juice, honey, vanilla bean pod and seeds, ginger, cinnamon and star anise in a small sauce pan.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, then stir into the fruit mixture.  Set aside to cool.

Remove the vanilla bean pod, ginger and cinnamon before serving.  Gently fold in the raspberries and fresh mint.

Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche.

COOKS NOTE:  Choose whole spices for poaching liquids or making syrups. They’re more potent than ground spices and don’t leave a dusty looking residue behind.    ** a great thing about this book is every recipe has a “COOKS NOTE” with a little tip or explanation

Enjoy!

OATS!

Goodmorning!

I woke up to a beautiful sunny day and instantly thought, I want to be outside!

BUT then reality sets in and I remember its Winter and not warm outside (not even close) even though the sun may be warming my bedroom.

So naturally the mind starts thinking out  “ok what should I eat so that I stay warm and full of energy while I’m outside playing in the cold!?”

The answer my friends, is and will always be, OATS!  (or oatmeal, porridge whatever…)

Now, as a child I was not very fond of this breakfast item but over the years I have found new ways of changing it up so that its delicious AND even more nutritious! (sorry for the rhyme)

I am a big fan of using fresh fruit and nuts and spices in my oats to give them that extra little kick they need to be outstanding.  I try to use what’s in season and local as much as I can to help support Ontario agriculture.   So the Summer and Autumn usually present the best oatmeal varieties but now that it’s cold and miserable I often have to use produce from the South …. bad I know, but I always always use local apples and add a view different things in with it.

If you’re having a breaky-rut and want to try something new, give this a try!  It is my favourite for a cold Winter morning and I always make way more than what I’m going to eat so that I have leftovers for at least two more meals so I have a quick, healthy breaky during the week.  Our mothers were right along, just admit it, “breakfast really is the most important meal of the day”!

OATS!  Use whatever kind you like, I used quick-oats this time

Try to use fresh fruit, but also try dried and frozen if you like 🙂

Throw the fruit in when the oats are almost cooked, I like the apples to be a bit crisp still and the blueberries to burst when you bite into them.

Spice it up!  I primarily use cinnamon and nutmeg but you could try throwing in a vanilla bean with summer berries and it would be heavenly!

I like to top with chopped walnuts or almonds and a sprinkle of brown sugar…

but, if you want to be really naughty you could drizzle some maple syrup!!!

Welcome!

Well hello!

Thanks for popping by my little blog 🙂

This is something new I’m trying after many requests/suggestions from friends…to document my life on the farm.  This may seem like a normal thing to do if one lived on a farm, but the twist is that I was not born and raised on a farm oh no!  I was born and raised in a city and went to university in an even bigger city…and then got married to a farmer and moved to the country 😮 (gasp..oh I know)

You might be asking yourself at this point, what was a city girl thinking marrying a farmer?!  Well ya, I get asked that a lot and I even ask myself that very question every once in a while.  My life sometimes feels like the song “green acres”, which my hubby no word of a lie, put on a mix CD for me when we were first dating hahahahaa…but truthfully, I have come to really enjoy our life here on the farm!

I have always enjoyed the outdoors and gardening, being raised by parents who kept us busy outside pretty much as soon as we could lift a shovel and watering can.  So on our farm we have a section of the field that we use for our own produce garden, which is entirely organic and yields so much food our freezer is usually busting by the end of harvest season!  Stay tuned for pics from this past summer 🙂

Now, not only am I a city gal and my hubby a country bumpkin, but our occupations are polar opposites as well.  He is a farmer and I’m a fashion designer.  So I am slowly trying to work my way up to creating an online store as I continue to do custom design work for clients and broaden my experience with theatre and costumes.  I have a cute sewing room in our farmhouse and will post anything and everything that inspires me.

Oh and most importantly, our farm has kitties…lots and lots of kitties!!!  So hopefully you’re a cat person 🙂

Thanks for dropping by my blog, I hope you stop by again soon!