Ginger Spice Cookies

1 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup molasses 1 egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/3 cup white sugar for decoration

	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
	In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; stir into the molasses mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll each ball in white sugar before placing 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
.	Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until center is firm. Cool on wire racks.

Two New Hats and Inside Crochet

Little Bear Hat

Harvest Bloom Hat

Got an email today from Isabel at Inside Crochet magazine saying that she wants to feature the Pink Chocolate Flap Cap. I'm super excited! I'll keep you updated!

Ellie posing; Noelle insisting on sitting with her "baby"; Hello Kitty and Ellie (Noelle insisted that "baby Kitty" sit with "Elwie")

Little Red Sweater

My project for Ellie for the week was this sweater and I love the way it turned out. The pattern by Julie Holetz is a great quick pattern (it took me three hours) that I know I will be using again.

I used Bernat Softee Chunky (acrylic) yarn and vintage buttons.

Ellie is already getting used to her photo being taken, but N is still the ham supreme!

The End of theTunnel

The wretched cold that seems to be attacking everyone is finally on its way out of my body. The children recovered much faster than I did, making being sick much less miserable than it could have been (always look on the bright side).

My goal for the week is to make something for Ellie. Progress pics to come.

Cinnamon is in the Air

Like many of my perfectionist friends, when adopting a new craft I tend to get slightly, or if we're being honest, totally obsessed with it until I'm happy with the end results. For me this means sewing. During the last month Celebrate Yellow at made has provided plenty of inspiration although I only had time to whip up a few things.

The shop is getting busier so I don't know how much I'll be able to make for myself and the girls, but I have a feeling that the Comfy Sews vs. Cozy Knits battle at luvinthemommyhood is going to be a fun source of ideas! Shannon's post perfectly sums up the battle in my own brain. Grab your own button and don your mittens because IT'S ON!

Autumn also means our house smells like cinnamon. What's better than coming home on a blustery day to a plateful of cinnamon scented cookies or a nutmeggy pie? Not much I tell you, except maybe a screamingly joyful hug and sloppy bo-bo (kiss) from a spiky-headed, gap-toothed toddler. Sigh. Life is good.

Noelle's Ed Grimley Hair, Ray-Bans, and Celebrate Yellow peasanty blouse

My angel.

Autumn Treasures

Info on the individual iems can be found HERE

Still Raining....

Some pics from sunnier days:


Sweet Ellie.

Yellow floral dress, pattern by made

BRIGHT yellow and orange dress
(ran out of yellow fabric - haha!),
same pattern as above dress with longer sleeves and smocking.

Rainy Day Woman

It's been a rainy week and I'm loving it! Rain makes me happy the way sunshine makes most people happy...hehehe

So the whole KCWC (Kid's Clothes Week Challenge) passed by without me making a single item for my girls. Mostly because they've been under the weather and the shop is doing great, which means I spend all my free time hookin' away.

I have been meaning to make these pants since the amazing Rae posted the pattern OVER A MONTH AGO. So my challenge to myself is to make the pants this week. This will be my first pair of pants, so wish me luck!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

This amazing giveaway is being hosted on grosgrain fabulous!

Grosgrain: HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveaway

There is a great giveaway hosted by Grosgrain blog...

Grosgrain: HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveaway

Summer Rose Hat

I'm quite happy with this hat. I plan to do a few more versions, will post soon.

Here is the second version:

Mommy & Me

Love this breezy cotton print..used dana at made's tutorial and free pattern to make a dress for N and a skirt for moi!

Sports Fan Dresses

I used The Warhol Dress *free pattern* by Dana at made to make these two dresses for Noelle. She calls them "jajamas", wore them all day gleefully and wanted to wear them to bed! I'd say they were a hit.

Be the Reds! (Korea World Cup tshirt)

Go Blue.

Banana Streusel Muffies

N calls muffins "muffies". Other foods she enjoys are "tononoes" (tomatoes), "cawwots", "coocumbas" and "po-tay-tos". Oh, and "cwackas".

Banana Streusel Muffies

Muffie
1.5 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed

Streusel
3 tbl. flour
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbl. butter

Whisk together the dry ingredients in large bowl until combined. In a measuring cup mix together oil, milk and egg with a fork until well mixed. Stir mashed bananas into wet ingredients until well combined, then pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix until just combined (about 40 strokes is my rule for muffins and brownies).

Work streusel ingredients with fingers until crumbly.

Fill muffin cups to the top, then sprinkle with streusel mixture. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Yield: 8 muffins.

Enjoy!

My loves

Blue Booties

Made these for a friend, thought why not post them in the shop as well?

Headbands!

New headbands in the etsy store!

Pork and Beans

1 large can pinto beans
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 strips thick cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder

Fry bacon until almost crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling, reserving about 3 tbls. of bacon fat. In reserved fat, fry onions until golden brown, then add garlic, jalapeno and cumin, fry a little more, then add the tomatoes with about 1/2 the juice from the can. Add bacon back to the pan and mix until all ingrediets are incorporated. Transfer to a soup pot and pour pinto beans with about 1/2 the juice from the can into the pot. Stir together, then add enough water to just cover the mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cook for 1 hour. Makes about 4-5 large servings.

Of course, if you have the time, it is nice to soak "real" beans overnight.

Bobble Dress

I fell in love with this dress a while ago on PurlBee. I modified it a bit but I'm a big fan of how it turned out! Will try to post pics of Noelle wearing it soon...