stepping back

I can't believe this blog has been around since 2005. I started because I wanted a record of the things I was making and giving away as gifts, and of the food I might want to make again.  I came to really enjoy sharing that personal thrill of creating something. And when you fine folks let me know you liked it or found it useful, well, that felt great too.

But somewhere between having kids and just plain time going by, my online notebook isn't as much of a priority. In the long periods between posts I get a little self-consious about what to say and for the first time, I'm finding my heart's not in it. So I'm giving in, rollin' with it, and officially signing off.

Many many thanks for stopping by, friends. I really appreciate it. It's been grand.

-Tiffany

*Like our new wall art? Painted birch rings by earthartbywendy over at etsy. I love staring at them until I can't possibly decide which I love best.

for the record - 2012

Getting my annual canning accomplished this year was definitely a team effort. Jeff played zone defense with the kids while I was in the kitchen. Buying, cleaning, prepping, canning -- everything takes way longer with a baby in the house! I'm stoked that we managed to get so much done (I just won't tell you how many weekend days we had to devote to the task!) 

30lbs blueberries in freezer

bunches and bunches of fresh basil, pureed with olive oil, frozen in ice cubes

17 quarts canned roma tomatoes (from 27 lbs)

21 pints canned peaches (and one warm peach crisp from 17.5lbs) 

plum-apricot jam

blueberry-strawberry-raspberry freezer jam

9 pints spiced, chunky applesauce 

I want just one more day of canning this year  -- for plain pear-sauce and applesauce for the babe -- and then I can put away the supplies for the year. 

photography

I'm really enjoying a couple of photography sites right now. I know I've mentioned habit before, but have you seen dear photograph?

wet coast wools

My friend Glenda opened a yarn store!

It's amazing, folks. I wish you could all stop by and see it (and buy something!) But hey, if you're not in Vancouver, you can shop anytime at the beautiful website. 

I've instructed my hubby to get me something from her shop for the gift-giving occasions on the calendar. There are so many great yarns and doodads to choose from. Like this ultra-soft yak yarn, or this amazing (and environmentally responsible) wool from Imperial Yarn in Oregon.  I don't own a stitch counter, I need a 16" circular, and, well, I think I'm going to just make a wish list and leave it with Glenda. 

I'm so happy for her. I swear, this city has never had such a kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and talented yarn store owner. Three cheers for Glenda!

right on cue

Babies are funny.

Within 5 hours of publishing that post, our daughter was born. No joke, guys.

Since I will have my hands full for a while -- and it probably won't be because of new crafts or recipes -- I'll just say catch ya' later!

pinatas

I think I may have to wait 'til next year to make mini pinatas for Cinco de Mayo.

Super cool, eh? Check out her whole pinata series -- she's also done an alligator and jumbo numbers.

sweet, sweet radishes

Someone's been holding out on me.

For years, I've passed radishes over on veggie plates because any radish I've ever tasted was just too peppery, too bitter, and downright zingy. Even the ones sliced paper-thin were just too much. Well, we just received a bunch from our new friend Dave and I've been eating them whole, people! That's how sweet these beautiful little radishes are.

We've joined Dave's vegetable CSA and I'm very excited about all the greens, leeks, beets, tomatoes, snap peas, swiss chard, you-name-it, and radishes heading our way this summer. Since last year's foray into gardening was a total bust (I blame our non-existent summer and a shady garden plot), I'm pretty stoked about finding our neighbourhood's Farmer Dave.

final stretch

Pardon the radio silence. I know it's been a bit quiet around here.

My excuse? Well today, I'm busy noshing on one of my favourite crispy treats and working on a sweet cardigan for a certain little sister/brother. Yep, I don't think I've mentioned it here yet, but we're expecting Baby No. 2 soon.

The mossy jacket (free on ravelry) is a great little pattern, and I'm knitting it up in the lovely Cascade Eco. I'm just puttin' on the button band so I'll share a pic of the finished sweater later.

Now if I could just wrap my head around the fact that there will soon be a newborn in the house as well as this busy toddler... good times ahead.

urban grains

I kind of like saying that I'm a shareholder, but really I'm just a regular ol' member of the CSA Urban Grains. 

Which means in July, I paid some local grain farmers. And in October, I went to pick up four 5kg bags of their organic whole wheat flour that had been milled just days before. 

Now I'm coming to terms with the fact that quality ingredients really do make a difference. First dairy, now flour... what's next, will I be springing for high-end table salt? 

But we enjoy a whole lot of bread around here. And since my weekly batch of bread has never tasted so good, or had such killer consistency, I'll be ponying up the cash again next summer.  

party bunting

I got on the bunting bandwagon.

We have a small paper-cut banner of sorts that we put up for celebrations, but I wanted something a bit more sturdy and well, bunting-like.

I went after my fabric scraps with pinking shears and now we've got seven yards of bright bunting. Party on.

I know, I know, the silly things have been everywhere. But I don't care. They're cute! Don't they make you want to have a cupcake or a slice of pie?

In case you're interested in all things bunting...
say it with a bunting birthday card
tell guests they're awesome with compliment bunting
or tell them whatever you want with alphabet bunting
icing's out, bunting on cakes is in
paint one on your tablecloth
Easter is coming. make a string of peeps
every nap is worthy of a rainbow bunting baby quilt

a year at our table

Happy New Year!

After Christmas last year, I began compiling recipes and ideas and pictures and came up with the one gift we would give everyone on our list this year: a cookbook of our family's favourite recipes.

It was a project I enjoyed working on all year long. The book ended up with five recipes for each season, lots of pictures of food, and some pics of our kid too.

Thanks to Blurb, it was relatively simple to design what I wanted and the quality of the final book is great. But no thanks to Blurb, the pictures printed a tad dark and I ran into a few bugs in their formatting software. Such is life. I'd still use them again and recommend 'em to anyone looking to do a similar project.

a tasty rut

I'm on 'repeat' in the kitchen lately...

brought these cheese balls to a party
...along with a gingerbread cake,
made and devoured this chicken again (it still reigns as the best roast chicken ever),
enjoyed mocha pot de creme with a good friend this season,
froze the extra butternut squash soup,
love that the kid is so into kale chips these days,
and I plan on making up another batch of these lovely cranberry lemon scones soon.

Jeff's the only one trying new recipes. He made Elise's chicken parmesan tonight. Delicious! 

anticipation

Have I told you lately how much I love the month of December? Crafting, sending cards, counting the days...

Dana over at Made has a great idea for Advent: read a special Christmas or wintery book each day. This, my friends, is right up our alley. We've already started our collection and made our book wish list for the Grandparents. It'll be like watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation every year... kind of.

Here's a new book with lots of inspiration: Countdown Calendars. I'm not sure I'd ever make half of them as written (Is it really necessary to 'count down' to Halloween with candy every day?) but they could easily be adapted for Advent.

And here's a good idea for older kids: an activity advent calendar. I love that she uses her kids as motivators for her own to-do list.

Thanks to a generous friend, we are counting down the days this year with good ol' fashioned chocolate.

happy happy

It's birthday season.

In the next two months, there are twice as many family birthdays as there are the whole rest of the year.

*cupcake pattern from One Skein (ravelry details)

for the larder

Bring it on, Winter. I'm ready.

13 lbs cherries = 17 pints cherries

tomatoes, jalepeno, green peppers and onion = 7 pints salsa (the 8th couldn't handle the pressure in the canner)

18.5 lbs peaches = 13 pints peaches + five 1/2 pint peach jams + 1 peach crisp

4 lbs ridiculously late seasonal strawberries = six 1/2 pint strawberry jams

1 flat of raspberries from friend's backyard = 1 batch raspberry freezer jam

40 lbs fresh blueberries = 40lbs frozen blueberries

28 lbs Roma tomatoes = 19.5 quarts tomatoes

11 lbs apples = 8 pints chunky applesauce with cinnamon

* Last year I experimented with freezing tomatoes and canning tomatoes. The clear winner: canned. Although the reason may have been skin off (canned) versus skin on (frozen).

** Favourite once-a-year tool: the apple machine!

beets

I didn't mean to be away quite so long. Sorry you had a whole month to contemplate our oatmeal regimen.

I wanted to just share a trick I recently learned in case I'm not the only one on the block who struggles to peel hot roasted beets with a paring knife.

Paper towel!

Since my trusty kitchen towels do most jobs just fine, we rarely buy paper towels. But peeling beets is now one task I will reach for the ol' paper kind for.

Once you roast the beets and cool them a bit, just rub them in the paper towel. The skin just slips off. Like buttah.

And you've got some beets ready, you're practically halfway to enjoying this salad.

pretending it's summer

I've heard tell of heat waves, but we on the west coast are having a non-summer. Rain, gray, cold rain, and more 'isolated showers'.

I've been coping with iced rooibos tea. Earthy and herbal rooibos, brewed up with a tablespoon or two of honey, chilled in the fridge.

A stack of library books is fun and all, but I'd much rather enjoy my sweet rooibos tea outside at the park. Under the sun, even. Is that too much to ask? After all, this is July.

his and hers

DIY deodorant update: I am in love with my all natural lavender deodorant! I made a sage-scented batch for Jeff. Very studly. We smell great.

pale green thumb

I'm new at this. We'll see how it goes...

routine