anyone out there?

If you can read this post, would you please leave me a comment saying so?

Yesterday a reader let me know that there was some sort of flag for malicious content on my blog! Apparently something I'd linked to in the past was the problem. It was a crafty website, of all things!

I've gone through and removed those posts, which made me sad, but I don't want the links to cause problems!

I'm so sorry if this affected you in any way, being linked to my blog! I don't understand why these things happen though!

So, can you see this? Are you getting weird notices when trying to access my blog??



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how clever

I went grocery shopping yesterday, and was in the banana isle and came across this!






A bag filled with ripe bananas, ready to be baked into bread! Not only that, there is a recipe right there on the bag!

What a great idea, I think. The bananas probably can't be sold otherwise when too ripe.

I almost bought a bag, but it's been way too hot to bake these last few days!

What have you found at your grocery store lately?




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Location:New Jersey Ave SE,Washington,United States

new aprons from Scarlet Threads!

Scarlet Threads has new aprons! Here are a few peeks of the new line for 2012.  The styles are similar to previous aprons, but these need names too! 

We're running a naming contest all week long. You should enter! 

Why?

Well! I'll tell you!

If we choose your suggestion, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free apron of your choice! Also, just for participating, you will receive a code for 50% off your next purchase! That's a good thing, right? Extreme couponers would certainly approve  ;)

Aren't they lovely?

vintage floral above

art deco above

If you'd like to enter, please go to our facebook page or to the blog!

There are two more that I didn't show a picture of, so go HERE to see them! This naming contest will continue all week, with each being debuted each day, and you can make a suggestion for each, should you wish! While you're on the facebook page, please "like" the page. Also, are you following @ScarletThreadFT on twitter?? Tweet about the contest too!

Of course, perhaps I should do a giveaway with one of these....right!? Which is your favorite? 

lentil soup!

Last weekend, I made lentil soup!  For several days, I'd been thinking about it, for some reason. Do you ever get an idea in your head, and then not be able to focus on anything else until you've done that? No? Just me? Oh dear...  ;)   Well, this time, it was lentil soup. I found a recipe that sounded terrific, and my decision was made for me. I went out to get the things I'd need, though some of them I already had. Apparently I had thought about making this earlier, because there were two unopened bags of lentils in my pantry! 

The recipe called for chopped onions, celery, and shredded carrots. I admit, I don't like onions much- I like them cooked in things, but not on their own, and NOT raw! I found this Mirepoix at Trader Joe's, which was a container with chopped carrots, onions, and celery, and the perfect amount of each! The best part? I think it was $2.49, which is less than it would have been if I had bought all three individually! 

As I went to open this package of sausage, I realized that its best buy date was well past the date I was cooking with it. The package was still sealed, but had been in the fridge, not freezer, so I was hesitant to use it. I had some kielbasa in the freezer, so I used that instead. 

First up, crumble the kielbasa in the bottom of a pot, with some olive oil. Brown it up, and once it has cooked, remove from the pan.

Add the veggies to the pan, let them cook through, stirring as needed. Add minced garlic. The recipe I used called for cumin and red chili flakes. As I was cooking, I realized I was out of both. Oooops. I used black pepper and maybe something else. Now I don't remember, hehe! 

Add the kielbasa (or sausage!) back to the pot, and add the chicken stock. After rinsing the lentils, add those to the pot too. 

Let the pot simmer at low, uncovered, for about 45 minutes and soon, your lentil soup will look like this-

Pour yourself a glass of wine, butter a piece of bread or two, and add a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese to your bowl of lentil soup, and then sit back and enjoy a really delicious dinner!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Original recipe found at Joy the Baker.

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Lentil Soup

makes a big pot of soup.  serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound spicy chicken sausage, uncased

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 cups uncooked French lentils, rinsed

8 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese, olive oil, and bread to serve

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil.  Add the uncased chicken sausage and cook, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.  Sausage should finish cooking in small chunks.  Remove from pan.

Add a touch more olive oil if necessary.  Add onions, celery, and carrots.  Cook until the onions are transluscent, about five to seven minutes.  Stir occasionally.  

Add the garlic, cumin, and chili flakes, and cook for one minute more.

Add the sausage back to the pan.  Stir to incorporate.  Add the lentils and chicken stock.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve soup with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and good crusty bread.  Soup will last, in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days.  Soup also freezes well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't have eight people living in my house, but I had enough to last me most of the week! Yes, I ate the same thing for dinner four nights in a row...what of it?! This wasn't a bad thing! Steve was away last week, so it was just me. You could certainly skip the sausage if you are not a meat eater, or add spices for variety (curry, anyone?!). Lentil soup is so versatile, and so comforting, I think. Despite it being June, and so hot here in Washington, DC, I do love soup for dinner! The funniest thing about this, was that my mother made lentil soup the same night! We had no idea that the other was making it, until we spoke that night after dinner! Too funny!

What is your favorite soup to eat? To make? 


I've posted this at Scarlet Threads blog today too! Stop by there!

ettiquette?

As I mentioned, my sister is engaged and planning her wedding for this November. She and Scott, her fiance, are working on registries. They had set one up at Macy's, and then found that several things had been discontinued, so over the weekend, they went to work on them.

Here's the situation-

They went to Bed Bath and Beyond to do a registry there, and before, she checked the Macy's list to see which items were still needed, and also which things should be deleted from

Macy's and add to BBB, based on price.

Side note- apparently Macy's has an app that emails you everytime someone buys from your registry?! How awful, I think!

Meanwhile, the Macy's app showed that someone bought the set of everyday glasses and the silverware that they registered for. Apparently the buyer in question is the best friend of my sister's best friend's sister (does that make sense?). So, Bethany's best friend is A, A's sister is B, and B's best friend is C, who bought these two things from the registry.

Bethany, of course, knows C, and they are friendly, but they are certainly not friends. C was at A's wedding, and we all saw her then, but that was the last time, and that was almost three years ago. Bethany and C certainly don't talk often, maybe the occasional facebook note, but nothing more. We can't imagine that C would think she would be invited to the wedding. Bethany has sent out save the dates, but C didn't get one, obviously, and they were sent out a month ago, and mentioned on facebook, so C would likely have seen that post, knowing they had gone out and then she didn't receive one at the time, or since!

It just seems so strange that C would buy Bethany a gift, and buy two things, at that.  Bethany said that she was planning to delete that silverware, as she later learned that it isn't great quality and out mother suggested something nicer. So, they added a different set.

Now Bethany is feeling weird that C bought them stuff, and isn't sure what to do. Should they return them? She doesn't think that she can ask A or B about it, because it is an awkward situation.

It just seems to be really strange to both of us!

Have you ever been in a similar situation? What would you do if you were Bethany? Is this the strangest thing you've ever heard????



black tie affair?

I have a wedding to attend in July, and it's black tie. Not black tie optional, but black tie. In Georgetown, the swankiest part of DC, at a fancy-pants hotel, at the end of July. I've never been to a black tie wedding! I was under the impression that black tie means long gown, but to me, most long gowns look like bridesmaid dresses. I don't want to clash with them (I should find out what color their dresses are, eh?) and I am just not sure what to wear! I love dressing up, but am paranoid that I will somehow dress wrong!

I saw this dress on Nordstrom's website and am really liking it. The price isn't so bad either! It comes in navy or gunmetal. I am liking the gunmetal, actually, and also, my sister's bridesmaid dresses are navy, and I probably don't need two long navy gowns....

What do you think? Could I wear this dress to the wedding? Have you been to a black tie wedding?

 What did you wear to it?

death by chocolate?

German chocolate might just be one of my biggest downfalls in life....this cupcake was beyond amazing!







What's your favorite kind of cake?

Thursday's thought

Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara. People rave. It's a classic, they say.

I've tried it several times over the years, but have never been impressed by it. It just does nothing for me. I bought it again this week, thinking I'd try it again. There's a new brush! Fun!

Yeah, same old. No good for me.

Someday I will find the perfect mascara.





What about you? Do you like Great Lash? Does it make your lashes great? What is your go-to mascara for greatness?

current loves

Happy Tuesday, friends! 

Picture post, and some of my favorite things at the moment!

Butter of London's All Hail the Queen. Perfect brown, with the right touch of sparkle!

My first ever pair of TOMS, in classic navy. I'll post a photo of them later too! Do you have any TOMS? What do you think of them? I've been wanting to try them, as everyone raves, so I finally ordered a pair!

Peonies. 'Nuff said!  :)

I've heard lots of things about this book, so now I'm reading it. I'm only a few chapters in, but it's good so far! No babies for me now, but eventually  ;)

Goodies from a local farmers market on Sunday!

Peach wine from Virginia...mmmmmmm hmmmmmm!

New-ish cupcake shop! This is a blackberry cupcake, and was amazing.

What are you loving this week???

well fiddle dee dee!

While I was home in NH this past weekend, I saw fiddlehead ferns everywhere! I'm not kidding, in the four days I was home, I think I saw them half a dozen times!

Now I am intrigued, and want to try them. I saw a recipe where they were sautéed with potatoes...now I just need to find them in DC!






Have you had fiddlehead ferns? What's the best way to prepare them?




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the best boys

I'm home in NH this weekend (flew up Friday morning, back to DC tonight), and spent Saturday with my favorite boys!

Jackson, my godson, had just seen Avengers with his father, so we played super heroes, and Owen, his baby brother, is a cuddle monster!















Love these boys!



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Sliced Apples Quilt-a-Long!

I'm so excited! I've joined my first ever Quilt-A-Long!

This is hosted by Pam, of Mama Spark's World. Basically, this just means that a group of people are all working on the same quilt, at their own pace, in the privacy of their homes. I've thought about joining a few, but it's never happened, but then I saw this one. The pattern doesn't seem too tricky, which is good, since I am still an advanced beginner quilter, in my opinion, but it will be good for me to be working along with others, who are more experienced, and will be able to both help and motivate me!

This fabric, called Little Apples, is by a British designer called Aneela Hoey. She blogs here, and has the most lovely fabrics that she's designed! Her other two lines are called Sherbet Pips and A Walk in the Woods. I love all three, but Little Apples is my favorite, as it reminds me of Ramona Quimby! Remember when she ate a bite from every apple?  :)

This is what the finished top will look like-

Isn't it lovely? It will measure at 56" x 68," which is the biggest I'll have ever made! I mostly make baby quilts and smaller, so naturally, this makes me a little nervous  :)  Still though, it will be good for me, I need to do things like this to stretch my skills.

I'll post here about my progress, so check back!

Also, please join in the fun, if you are a quilter, or pass the information along to your quilter friends, as we'd love to have lots of people participating! Apparently there are prizes involved, and who doesn't love a prize once in a while?  :)

 

a wonky pineapple!

A few weeks back, I posted about the shamrock mini quilt that I made. It has been hanging on a short wall at the end of the hallway of the house, and you can see it as soon as you walk in the front door. I had intended to make something for Easter too, but it just never happened. Lately, I've found several pineapple items, including a pineapple candle holder, and a pineapple wallflower from Bath and Body Works. I'm loving them, I have to say! 

New collection, perhaps???

Then I had an idea to make a pineapple mini quilt! 

I made this over the weekend, in about two hours. It's small, like the shamrock, 

about 15" x 15," and fits perfectly in the same spot on the wall. The shamrock will have to wait until next March to come out again! Like before, it's a bit wonky, but I think it's cute, and was quite pleased with it. 

Here it is hanging in its new spot on the wall!

In addition to being delicious, pineapples are the symbol for hospitality and welcome, so this seems like a very fitting thing to be hanging in the front hallway of the house!

What did you make over the weekend? What should I make next?  :)

here comes the bride

No, it's not me.

My sister is engaged, and has been since late January, and yes, I am just now talking about it. I'll be 100% honest. Of course, I was thrilled for her, but I did not have the best reaction to her news. Here's the thing. She's my younger sister, by four years. Steve and I have been together for longer than she's known her fiance. I think it is perfectly natural for the older sister to feel like she should get married first, right? Right.

I had a few days of misery, and then I got over it. Something in my head snapped, and I realized that I was being ridiculous, and then I was happy for her. Really happy. She's happy, and that is what matters the most, right? Right.

As I said to her, this means that when I get married, she will have to be the matron of honor, which sounds much older and fuddy-duddy ish than maid of honor, I think ;)

Right, so as maid of honor, I have to plan the shower and bachelorette, among other things. She lives outside of Boston, and the wedding is in New Hampshire, the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. She has her dress, and we've also selected bridesmaid dresses, which are from Alfred Angelo. They'll be navy blue.

I've come up with an idea for the theme for her shower, which I think will be really terrific. My mother loves it too. I've decided that it will remain a secret from her, and I'm going to see about keeping the date of the shower a date too, if possible! That date is not determined yet. Since I'm in DC, and she's in Boston, that could be a bit trickier, but we will see if I can pull that off.

I did manage one surprise already though!

The weekend of President's Day weekend, in February, she and my mother planned to go dress shopping. She asked me if I could come home for the weekend and go with them, but I had a baby shower that Saturday, so I couldn't. About a week before, I realized that weekend was actually Presidents Day, so I had Monday off from work, and they were planning to go shopping on Sunday. Ding ding ding! I had also just gotten my tax refund, so had some extra cash, and booked a flight home. I told my father, but nobody else. I flew in early Sunday morning and rented a car. As I pulled into my parents driveway, my mother was putting something into her car, and just looked up at me in shock. I parked the car, and explained what had happened, and she was so happy. We went to pick up my grandmother, who was also shocked. Then we drove to the bridal shop, where we told the saleswoman what was going on, and she loved it. I hid behind a rack of dresses, as we heard Bethany coming in. She came in, hugged my mother, grandmother and aunt, who was also there, and then they all began talking about what sort of dress she was looking for, and things she didn't want. I then jumped out, holding a really awful looking dress, and said "what about this one?" She was SO shocked, it was really great. I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw me!

So! She has a dress, we have dresses. She has a date and location set. Bridesmaids are selected. I have a date with one of them next week- she lives here in DC too, so we are getting together to talk ideas, which will be great. One of the bridesmaids is also getting married this fall- she is marrying Bethany's fiance's twin brother. Does that make sense?

So, now I am considering dates for the shower, and debating if the bachelorette should be the same weekend. In theory, yes, since most people will already be there (the shower will be in NH too), and I don't want people to have to travel too many times. Trying to keep people's budgets in mind isn't easy, but it isn't as though mine is limitless either!

So, what about you? Did your younger sister get married before you, and how did you deal with it? Am I awful for not screaming with joy when she called me with the news, even though I came around a few days later? Any tips for me?

can this!

Last Friday, I ordered this book. To my surprise, it arrived with Monday's mail! I've been wanting to try canning, and this book seems terrific. I opened it, and the first recipe I saw was for strawberry and lavender jam. LOVE. I love lavender. I love strawberry. LOVE.

My mother used to make jam and applesauce, and I think this will be a really fun project. I've also found some great looking recipes on pinterest.

I'll report back on what I make, and of course, I'll be sporting a Scarlet Threads apron :)

Have you tried canning? What are your favorite recipes?