creating space for beauty & simplicity
3/52
hannah: you love sweets and tea. not a week goes by where you don’t make us all a tea party. i surprised you with applesauce cake for breakfast. you thanked me at least ten times.
norah: you came down with a dress, stockings and maryjanes on. not your typical attire. i couldn’t stop looking at you all day. i saw who you will be in 5 years over and over.
one of my goals for 2014 is to have friends over more.
and to make gatherings simple, enjoyable and affordable.
yesterday i woke up and said “i’m going to invite a few people over”. it was last minute and i had a workshop to attend that would take half of my day so i decided on desserts and drinks.
i made a huge batch of chocolate covered strawberries and a chocolate almond torte from 3191Q issue 9 that i had been itching to try. there was some cheese and bread, wine and brew and a bouquet of yellow tulips.
we sat around the fire nibbling on sweets until midnight.
recipe for a simple, stress free, last minute dessert party.
:: don’t hesitate to bake something new when having guests over. but choose something with a few simple steps and ingredients to keep the stress level down.
:: serve something a little savory like cheese or spicy nuts to go along with the sweets.
:: serve some fruit like strawberries and clementines. easy, peasy and who doesn’t like fruit?
:: fancy up fruit by dipping in chocolate or break out the fondue pot and make it a fondue party!
:: if you aren’t a baker or have run out of time don’t cancel the party! buy a batch of cookies or cake at your local bakery. i don’t know what i would do without the selection of yummy sweets at trader joes.
:: keep a set of decorative paper napkins and tea lights tucked away to be ready for last minute gatherings.
:: say yes to guests who offer to bring something. a extra bottle of wine or snack can help with your budget and time.
:: offer a fun cocktail, punch or wine that pairs well with dessert. i like to serve drinks that align with the seasons. warm up your guests in the winter months with irish coffee, a hot toddy or mulled wine.
:: a bouquet of flowers and candles is all you need to spruce things up.
hannah is sick with the stomach bug and i write this from the sofa watching pride and prejudice with her.
the weekend was rainy and gloomy, perfect for board games, applesauce making and organizing drawers and closets.
the weather has warmed up a bit which makes my long early morning walks a little more tolerable.
harry our dog has been such a gift in getting me outdoors. since we do not have a fenced in yard i have no choice but to take him out on walks in all sorts of weather. i thank him every day for that.
for those in the area, i am teaching a class on beauty and simplicity in the home.
i am rather excited about it.
back to snuggling with hannah.
in the last few days i have been baking quite a bit. i think it’s my way to stay warm with these extremely cold temps we have been having.
i baked poppyseed cake and gingersnaps on monday and yesterday i baked a lemon bread for craft circle.
this recipe comes from my aunt patty and is very lemony and moist with a lemon/sugary glaze.
this bread has been made for many a shower, party and event and is perfect with tea.
i had not made it in a few years and after being gifted some lemons from a friend’s backyard tree in louisiana i immediately thought of this favorite.
aunt patty’s lemon bread
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 rind lemon
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
preheat oven to 350 degrees
cream butter and sugar together. add eggs, milk and lemon rind.
sift together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
add nuts.
pour in to greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
while bread bakes make a glaze of 1/2 cup sugar and juice of 1 lemon.
while bread is still warm, pop out of pan and spoon glaze over.
enjoy!
so it’s official.
i am councilwoman johnson!
we all came back for cake and champagne to celebrate last night.
onward and upward!
an unexpected ice storm kept us home safe and sound from a day that was planned out and about.
instead we hunkered down and made a huge tray of nachos for lunch and played monopoly for hours.
tonight we headed over to a friends for a birthday celebration and ended the evening with downton abbey.
did you watch? what did you think?
chris and i stumbled in to a new yarn store today while the girls were in sewing class.
he picked up some yarn to crochet himself a hat and i picked up a book of sweater patterns . first up, the basic round-yoke pullover. made with this yarn. not sure which color yet.
i have only knit a few sweaters in my lifetime but never one for myself. with the winter olympics and season four of downton abbey almost here i am looking forward to giving my needles a work out and donning a new sweater before winter ends.
happy new year my friends!
apologies for my absence here. the combination of some computer problems along with soaking in every precious moment of this holiday season kept me away for a bit. and you know what? i have no guilt about it. yes, one of my new years resolutions, no guilt and no pressure! sometimes it’s nice to just put the camera down and unplug a little. although i am glad i did snap a few photos over the last few weeks to capture the winter solstice, christmas morning and the few blissful days following, full of just being together. ah yes another resolution, being together. or just plain being in the moment whether it’s with my family, my friends and even being with just me!
i think i’ll just keep it at that for my goals for 2014. no guilt. no pressure. and to be in the moment as much as possible.
our tree is still up and christmas tunes continue to play. i’m letting it all linger just a little bit longer.
what are your goals for 2014?
the making has begun.
this year we are giving handmade lip balms and hand salves. perfect for this bitter cold weather.
today we will start to make cookie doughs to freeze and then bake at the end of next week. i love this recipe.
we will also make chocolate covered apricots. this week.
hannah coaxed me into giving her the socks i was knitting for her a few weeks early so her toes could be toasty warm with all of the sledding that’s been happening here.
today is hannah’s last nutcracker performance. she has worked so hard and danced so beautifully.
i never tire of watching it over and over.
yet it will be nice to have a bit of a break from it all for the next few weeks.
we spent the day sledding at a friend’s yesterday and then headed out in search of our christmas tree.
the snow and slippery roads didn’t keep us from trekking out and we had the tree farm all to ourselves.
it was bitter cold but we made sure to bundle up and the campfire was a bonus.
we found the perfect little fraser fir, strapped it on the roof and sang christmas carols all the way home.
tonight the girls are out with chris for a hot chocolate/christmas shopping date while i host craft circle.
i hope to finish up a few christmas gifts including a stocking for harry.
the tree is trimmed, the fire is lit, the kettle is on and christmas tunes are on shuffle as i wait for my guests.