When Life Hands You Cupcakes

You really need to make some.

These are my applesauce gingerbread cupcakes with lemon icing.

"Making these can turn a day around." Fussbudget Journal

"Life is too short. Make joon's cupcakes." Optimist Review

Is it time for me to start listing recipes? Yes or No?

ox joon

Springing Forward in Many Ways

I am participating in my Etsy BBEST Team ACEO challenge.
The theme is SpRiNg.
I LOVE lilacs and I was going to paint a small watercolor of them on my tiny canvas.
Then I remembered this knitting sample I'd made when I was practicing stitches and gauge. Every time I looked at this over the years, through so many moves, I'd think I must be nuts to think it was worth saving and keeping safe, yet, accessibly stored. And every once in a while, I did get an idea. But it was always just not right.
Until now.

I thought I could stitch it onto the paper with my sewing machine set on basting stitch.
But I was dreaming.
I hand sewed the knitted sweetie onto the ACEO paper. Then I started the button search.
I intended to use some creamy off white or perhaps florals or clear. Sparkly? Hmmmm....
Nothing was looking like what I envisioned. I thought perhaps my button idea was too grand and I should consider french knots out of thick embroidery floss. Well, I wasn't even going to try the purples. I mean they'd never show up. All of a sudden, I found these buttons with the cloth bits and I think they represent little lilac buds perfectly. I am so happy. Especially because in all my collection, buttons that haven't been cleaned up of threads or scraps are rare. I can't believe my luck. I hope my friend loves it as much as I loved creating and making it.
For more photos, including the groovy batik back, visit my flickr stream.

We did SpRiNg forward and it has not been delightful. But our new recipes of the week certainly were. Above is our Thai Soup from mid-week and below, our Italian Clam and Bean from tonight. We made fennel bread to go with it. Now, that's delightful.

Last weekend, we watched the film Bottle Shock, recommended by a dear friend. Loved it and now Evan wants to try affordable California wines. My trusty scissor/saving habits came through once more. I found my top wines list from an old Gourmet or ??? magazine. We managed to find two of the wines by going to different shops. It was a fun hunt and this first wine is wonderful indeed.

Until next time, friends.
Bon Appetite.
ox joon

one small step behind :)

Scout's lovely 3rd treasury.

The search term for IV was: empty
The search term for V was: waves
We did not get a photo of V :(
If anyone else did please send it along and I will add it.
I'd love to have it.

The search term for VI was: art
Until next time...

ox joon

Fannie Farmer Rejuvenation

Anyone who knows me even a smidgen knows I love thrift shops. Here's a perfect example of a find that keeps me going back for more. It seems impossible that I, a 30+ year cookbook collector, have never run across a perfect~for~me copy of this classic. Well, on second thought, when you consider my criteria, it's not quite as impossible to believe.
There's always more to my stories, isn't there?

Vintage, classic, well loved cookbooks in good condition for a reasonable price are rare. This one was $3.50. The price was right. The cover is sad, but disposable. I use my cookbooks. I don't need the cover. Besides, the book is nice looking on its own. Although I do love that font, and the design, and all the groovy blurbs. sigh....
Wait a minute...

...My trusty paper cutter & scissors and I get to work. Before too long, I have salvaged 10 pieces of the book jacket and prepared them for the next step ~ my laminating machine.

Once laminated and trimmed, they are beautiful, preserved & useful recycled bookmarks for my wonderful new find. And wonderful it is. Check out this page: Watermelon Cocktail. Marmalade Souffle. And my favorite ~ Banana Whip. I don't even have to make any of these to enjoy this treasure.

Look at these graphics. By the way, this is a 1964 copy of the 1959 TENTH EDITION. I couldn't find an available copy on Amazon to compare values. But, as you can see, there is not going to be another one just like mine anyway.

Here they are. Aren't they too wonderful for words? I love it even more now.

I'll let you know how our recipes turn out. If you own this cookbook and have favorites, please share them with me. I'd love to know your Fannie Farmer Cookbook traditions.

ox joon

one small step ~ original

This is such fun. The answer: original
To play again see my current treasury: one small step IV

Scout's FIRST Treasury. Isn't it lovely?
Here's her current one: Who's Scruffy Lookin'?

ox joon

Scout ART News

Besos, our first cat. Scout drew this when she was 9.

Chip, our beagle. By Scout. Age 9.

Ezekiel, an Esper {mind reader} by Scout, age 14 and one of her first items in her newly opened Etsy shop.
Please have a look: EsperEzekiel.etsy.com

The search term was: dictionary

ox joon

one small step ~ eclectic

I LoVeD finding these new~to~me shops.

The first in a series of joonwalk treasuries. Each one will employ a guessing game ~ can you find the tag search word I used that led me to these beauties? Each item may not have the tag since I arrived at these via my search word, but also sought out a lovely composition, so an item may be another one from a shop I found using the term. Answers for each treasury in the series will be revealed here and in the following treasury. The answer is: eclectic

My sister, ghouliegirl, is the only one who has sent me the correct term. Congratulations!!!

ox joon