Jane and the ducks

But what kind of tree is that?

The leaves have replaced the flowers on most DC trees but not at our house! William is away for 5 weeks and I have to say that I miss not cooking adult food when he is away... you know, asparagus, fennel, spinash (all the green stuff that my kids don't like). I went to my dear friend Trader Joe's yesterday and I bought a lot of different things that I like and also a lot of things that they like and now dinner will be a breeze. Ha. I'd rather play Barbie than cook sometimes.

Recycle

Now you may think this is a bit twisted but I am sometimes "happy" when the girls come home from school with a hole in their pants and non washable paint on their sweaters because it gives me a change to play with their clothes without any guilt at all! I used to do it to my things only. Here is Lily's sweater with bird and star appliques, random stitching, fabric ties, etc.

Francesca's Flowers

A few months ago, we made lots of headbands with the girls and they looked really darling on all their little friends. I sometimes wear one too but at home only;-) Francesca (the mommy of enchanting Eleanor) also wanted some flowers for her Willow branches. Here they are (on my branches for a few minutes.) 

Orange Cardigan

My mom knitted this little wool cardigan for Lily a while ago but she did not wear it much because her skin is too sensitive and only cotton or cashmere will do;-) It is now Manon's cardigan but before putting it in her drawer, I wanted to "retro" it a bit and I added a flower we made and a small ribbon weaved around the collar.

Shoe Story + Necklace

I woke up this morning thinking it was Sunday... but no, it was Monday and I had to get up and get the lunch boxes ready and then convince Manon that, yes, her new shoes were very pretty and that the little girl who told her that they were not was simply jealous... not an easy task;-) Here is a pix of the shoes! We went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival yesterday and I forgot to take pictures (we went last year too). It was too busy to think of knitting projects and buy yarn but I bought plenty of wool stuffing and a great sheep rug for Lily. She wanted to sleep on it but then decided it smelled too much. Ha ha. And finally, here is a small necklace I made last night. I will be making several more I think. I have a thing for series!

Lulu Groove

I came across a wonderful brand in Asheville, NC. Lulu Groove is the opposite of Mass Production. Their products are made with vintage clothing & reused materials. The result is very unique and so charming. Most of the outfits I saw were for babies but I found this dress for Lily and I think she will wear it as a tunique in a few years.    

Josie's Peach Cobbler

Below is the recipe that comes with our new little aprons. Now that the sun is out, I was able to take better pictures because really, the flash thing is not for me;-)  I tried the cobbler at William's grandfather's house and it was so delicious that I begged for the recipe. Hope you enjoy it too!

Filling:

8          fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges

¼ C     white sugar

¼ C     brown sugar

¼ t      ground cinnamon

1/8 t    ground nutmeg

1 t       fresh lemon juice

2 t       cornstarch

Batter:

1 C      all-purpose flour

¼ C     white sugar

¼ C     brown sugar

1 t       baking powder

½ t      salt    

6 T      unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

¼ C     boiling water

Mix together and set aside:

3 T      white sugar

1 t       ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F  (220 C).  Butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Filling:  In a large bowl, combine peaches white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Toss to coat evenly.  Pour filling into a 2 quart baking dish.  Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.

Batter:  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Blend in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in water until just combined.  Drop spoonfuls of the batter on the peach filling mixture.  Sprinkle the entire cobbler with the 3T of sugar and 1 t of cinnamon mixture that was set aside.

Bake until topping is golden, apx. 30 minute

White Skies + Aprons

After a few weeks of beautiful weather, I am not so happy with the rain today but that will allow me to work on a new sewing project. Manon does not like the rain too much either; when she wakes up in the morning, one of the first thing she does is look out the window. She does not like it when the sky is white! Before I forget, the aprons are in the shop and this time, they come with a delicious Peach Cobbler recipe from the South!   

Good Things from the mountains

Pretty flowers, amazing butter, delicious honey, a bamboo bowl, a picnic basket (another one;-) and a couple of Fire-King cups... We had a wonderful time and of course, I am late sewing the aprons!

Linen + Vintage Lace

Yes, we are still in NC but I did not forget you! This little pillow is the first thing I see when I come home and maybe that is why I like it so much. It is simple and I like "simple" these days. We are no longer moving to France this summer (I am so happy not to move;-) but in anticipation of the move, I had been cleaning our closets like crazy and all this unloading had an impact on what I want now... and that is: less stuff and more simple stuff! Tada!