I’d always rather knit than crochet. Or so I thought. And then I found a group on Ravelry (if you’re not a member, you really need to join!) called “We love Lucy”, which totally inspired me to pick up that crochet hook and revisit my granny square days of the 70’s. Lucy, as it turns […]
Author Archives: Ann
06
Oct
Oct
No doubt about it. Of all the treats I love to bake, cookies are my #1 favorite! So, when I volunteer to bring along a tray of cookies, I think about whether I’ll bake the tried-and-true standards (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, giant ginger cookies, white chip macadamia, etc.), or the pretty little butter cookies that […]
Scott and Khalil welcomed dear little Norah into their lives in July, and her sweet face and tiny newborn body inspired me to knit this little cardigan sweater. I found the pattern in Knitting Just for Baby (Precious baby set) and the yarn is called Baby Alpaca D.K. Paint from Plymouth yarn. Variegated yarns are […]
The nip of fall in the air today brought to mind these delectable cookies! A quick scan of the pantry to check for some canned pumpkin (yep!) and, before long…… These cookies are soft, fluffy and cake-like, with a mild “pumpkin pie” flavor. FROSTED PUMPKIN COOKIES 1 cup sugar 1 egg (room temp.) 2 cups […]
A very special sister-in-law had a milestone birthday, and her dear and thoughtful children threw her a surprise celebration. I offered to help with dessert, and here was their request: Betty Crocker white and chocolate fudge cake mixes yielded 36 cupcakes. I followed the back-of-the-box instructions and watched them very carefully while baking to ensure […]
With the assurance of my “bodyguard” Lisa, little a and I joined her and Carol for a morning of blueberry picking. When we did this last year, it was Lisa who protected us from the boa constrictor (known to some as a garter snake) that darted across our path as we were leaving the field, […]
My dear friend, Beth, is a delightful lady who is very creative, and very Martha Stewart. She loves to entertain and woo her guests with seasonal feasts and beautiful table settings. Each guest always receives a small take-home “favor” at each place setting, such as mini-pumpkins in the fall that have been hollowed-out and filled […]
04
Aug
Aug
I’m fully aware that it was a little too hot outside today to crank up the oven, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to make some delicious mandelbrot. The literal translation of mandelbrot is “almond bread”. It is similar to biscotti in that it is twice-baked, but it is made using oil instead of butter. […]
I had the extremely good fortune of vacationing in the capital region of Halifax, Nova Scotia, last week. This city is incredibly charming, beautifully pristine, and offers a vast array of activities and festivities. Shortly after we settled into our room, I hit the local directory in search of yarn shops. There were several listed […]
When little a and I attended the Stitch N’ Pitch event at Citifield last month, I couldn’t take my eyes off of a beautiful, tall, willowy woman, with long, slender fingers, sitting a few seats away, who was very attentive to a small project that dangled from her knitting needles. I carefully observed the way […]
When my niece celebrated a milestone birthday, I happily volunteered to bake the cake! I wanted it to be as truly special as she is, so I decided to give rolled fondant a try. Fondant-coated cakes are always so impressive! I was seriously nervous about attempting this for the first time, but I found a […]
It’s that time of year when daycare closes for the summer and we party with a year-end celebration! This year’s theme was Scooby Doo, one of the kids’ all-time favorite cartoon characters. I was a bit surprised that the cowardly dog, who would rather have a snack than solve a mystery, would remain so wildly […]
I was recently invited by a dear friend to spend the weekend at her summer cottage in the shoreline town of Old Saybrook, CT. There were four of us there to share the sunny private beach, local outlet shopping, a great girl’s night DVD (It’s Complicated), and way too many laughs! I brought along Ina Garten’s […]
Little A and I are now, officially, in the Guiness Book of World Records. Thank you, thank you. We were thrilled to participate in an event called Stitch N’ Pitch held at the home of our favorite NY Mets. The goal was to set a new world’s record by having the Most People Crochet Simultaneously, […]
Our happy houseguest, Corey, turned 22 the other day! Of course I would bake him his favorite cake, but Corey had a different idea. What’s his favorite cake?? Uh…uh…uh….Do you like cake??…uh…uh…uh….. Okay, then. After a brief, but productive, interrogation, Corey confessed that pecan pie is one of his two all-time favorite desserts (the other […]