petit purls

preserving lemons

2012-02-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

my friend gave me a bag of organic baby lemons picked from her tree. the lemons have thin smooth skin and are tart amd juicy. i decided to use half of them to make preserved lemons and saved some to make lemon bars. for the preserved lemons, i followed this basic recipe by adding a layer of sea salt, a layer of lemons and continue repeating these two steps until the jar is fully packed. i would like to make a jar of preserved kumquats too.

new blog look

2012-02-12T20:16:00.001-08:00

welcome to the new look of petit purls! i illustrated the banner and you might have already noticed the change in the fonts and text colors. hope you like what you're seeing and thanks for swinging by!

so-en

2012-02-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

my favorite japanese fashion magazine and the july 2003 is my most liked issue because there's a featured part on product & packaging design, a field i always wanted to be in, highlighting two popular brands, calpis and bonne maman. this magazine belongs to my used-to-have small collection of so-en magazines but because of the limited amount of space i have, i got rid of most of them. i kept this issue and the special anniversary issues.

triple-ginger cookies

2012-02-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

i made triple-ginger cookies the other day and they are so good that i ate so many of them. here's the link to the recipe.

sewing : drawstring bag

2012-01-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

i also made an easy drawstring bag to put all the baby goodies inside. it acts as a gift bag and can be reused for other things. the pattern is from purlbee.

sewing : baby quilt

2012-01-22T15:32:00.001-08:00

next up is the baby quilt. the baby quilt was three fourth of the way done already and was stored away for a while until i recently found it while doing some cleaning. so i decided to finish it up and give it away. i pieced the parts together and sewed the backing to the quilt top along with the batting. it came out nicely.

sewing : baby bib

2012-01-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

hi all, january has been a busy month for me after a restfuldecember. now, i'm back in full mode and have been brushing up on my sewing skillsand sewing non-stop. i'm making baby gifts for my friend who is expecting soon. one of the gifts isbaby bib, a simple and easy pattern from chickpea sewing studio.

ornaments

2012-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

i picked up some hugely discounted christmas ornaments at walgreens the other day. they are so adorable! saving them for next christmas.

happy new year!

2012-01-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

happy new year everyone and welcome 2012! on new year's day, my friends and i went to global winter wonderland held at the great america's parking lot in santa clara. it was such a great way to start off the new year getting to see the iconic landmarks of the world in one day and even more beautiful when they light up in the evening. there were paris' eiffel tower, s.f. golden gate bridge, india's taj mahal, and many more.

holiday baking

2011-12-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

hope you all had a wonderful holiday! my holiday was doing nothing but eating, relaxing, cooking a holiday meal, baking cookies, and more eating. ahhh, there's only one more day until 2012. what are your new year's resolutions? mine are eating healthy, reorganizing my things, saving money, and creating card designs for my etsy shop (i've been saying this for awhile now, hopefully i can accomplish it in 2012). happy new year and wishing everyone an amazing 2012!

*cookies are made using the neiman marcus recipe. they are delicious. i added a touch of dried cranberries to the cookies for the spirit of the holidays!

persimmon

2011-12-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

persimmon varieties: hachiya (heart-shaped) and fuyu (pumpkin-like) persimmons. both fruits are different in texture but are equally delicious. hachiya are best eaten when they are very soft and ripe opposite from fuyu which are best eaten when they are a tiny bit soft.

petit package

2011-12-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

my swap package from ai arrived a few days ago and it was a package full of surprises and goodies. thank you ai! :)

happy holidays!

2011-12-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

wishing you all a warm, wonderful winter holiday! happy holidays!!!

*as my gift to you, i am offering free domestic shipping for all items in my etsy shop from december 20th through 31st. please note that orders are not guaranteed for christmas delivery. thanks for shopping at petitpaperie!

coffee macarons II

2011-12-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

i <3 coffee. coffee is my everyday morning ritual and like breakfast, i can't skip it. so i present you a double dose of caffeine, coffee macarons filled with coffee buttercream, my last batch of macarons of the year, and i got it right this time. they are so good that i can't stop eating them.

*i used the same recipe from the rose macarons. i omitted the rose flavoring and added espresso powder.

*see also my previous coffee macarons experience and see why practice makes perfect.

fancy chocolates II

2011-12-10T13:07:00.001-08:00

for my holiday purchase this year, i ordered an assorted box of chocolate from socola chocolatier which i read and heard about on foodgal a few years ago and it arrived shortly in the mail today. i unwrapped the lovely package and saw miniature truffles that are too pretty to eat but couldn't resist and later try one or two pieces. :) i ate the jasmine tea and vietnamese coffee flavors and they were so yummy. my plan is to purchase a chocolate box from a different chocolate maker every holiday season, a gift to myself and a chance to sample new chocolates.

more mention

2011-12-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

i've been receiving good feedbacks from my 2012 calendar and the best part of it is being mentioned in other bloggers' site. thank you to those who picked/featured my calendar on your site and to my customer who purchased it. it means alot to me.

*see it on design crush, 2012 calendars, take 5 and also check out other designer's calendar. there are so many lovely calendars to choose from for year 2012. my favorite one is the peacock art print calendar from smock.

*another great mention in 2012 calendar ideas of good design makes me happy. it definitely makes me happy to see my calendar there as well as giving me an opportunity to explore other artist's works.

{UPDATE} :

*also being mentioned in the 2012 modern calendars of neuegraphic, creatif8 , and design milk blogs.

*featured in apartment therapy as one of the ten modern calendars for 2012, keeping contemporary.

etsy treasury 3

2011-11-26T22:24:00.001-08:00

yes, my 2012 calendar is featured on another etsy treasury called "if i were to become a habitual creature..." and that makes it my third time. thank you helicopter6! hey there everyone, the holiday is just around the corner and if you're looking for some gift-giving ideas, my calendar would make a great present or stocking stuffer. ;) come shop at petitpaperie on etsy! ;))

matcha macarons

2011-11-25T15:28:00.001-08:00

lately i've been obsessed with making macarons. i tried making them in coffee and chocolate flavors; however, they were unsuccessful. so i decided to make them again but this time in matcha which is my favorite flavor. after many tries and failures, this makes it only my second successful attempt in macarons making. for my matcha macarons, i like the intense flavor of matcha so i added more matcha powder to the macaron shells and to the matcha buttercream filling. i ate a few cookies already and could really taste the matcha flavor in them and that's what i'm striving for. i can't wait to eat the rest of the matcha macarons after they are aged in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. btw, i used the same recipe from the rose macarons; just omit the rose flavoring and add matcha powder to it. hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving.

etsy treasury

2011-11-10T18:44:00.001-08:00

just wanted to share some good news that my 2012 black & white calendar landed on two etsy treasury. you can find my calendar on what date is it again? and pure joy for less than $50. thank you to both curators for choosing my calendar as one of your favorite items. :)

rose macarons

2011-11-05T18:38:00.000-07:00

after an unsuccessful attempt in making rose macarons last week, this time they came out looking almost perfect but i still need more practice and work on them. as far as piping macarons in a uniform circle or shape, i'm having a little trouble on what temperature to bake them in. some recipes indicate 300 F and some use 325 F. i baked mine at 300 F and find the macarons to be chewy and sort of uncooked so I had to pop them back into the oven for a few minutes. the tricky part is obtaining the right temperature. for my next batch of macarons, i will bake them in 325 F and see if that works for me. anyway, i'm happy to see some improvements in my macarons and looking forward in making them in other flavors too.

my calendar

2011-10-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

is featured on part 4 of the 2012 calendar designs. thank you papercrave!

pumpkin doughnuts

2011-10-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

with maple glaze. i never made doughnuts from scratch or straight out from a doughnut mix box before so this is a first. stonewall kitchen's pumpkin doughnut mix makes doughnuts baking at home super easy and fast and the doughnuts came out unbelievably moist, cakey and delicious. wow, i wouldn't expect doughnuts to be this good from a box. i received this pumpkin doughnut mix as a gift and it is available at sur la table for purchase. i suspect the doughnut mix comes in different flavors too. apparently, i didn't have a doughnut pan; therefore, i used my bundt pan instead and filled each bundt with only 1/3 batter. i have to say the bundt-shaped pan created some marvelous looking doughnuts, don't you think?

yarn unwinding

2011-10-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

remember this kpppm yarn i bought a while ago. well, i finally got a chance to get to it. however, in the midst of unwinding the yarn using the royal ball winder, i forgot to pull out the metal thing so my ball of yarn came out a bit messier than before. with this yarn, i'm planning to make the monkey socks which i failed in my previous tries when i first started off knitting lace pattern socks. i like this pattern so much that i am willing to give it another try.

making cookies

2011-10-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

on a hot day doesn't help when the oven is turned on but it feels refreshing just to have some cookies on a wonderful friday. happy weekend!

handmade journals

2011-10-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

now on sale in my etsy shop. come take a look! :)

pineapple cakes

2011-10-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

.: recipe here

i first learned about feng li su as known as taiwanese pineapple cake during my visit to taiwan four years ago and bought back a few boxes of these treats from a famous taiwanese bakery called vigor kobo. since then, i've been looking for a bakery type of taiwanese pineapple cake in the states but the closest thing i can find and purchase is the low-end product sold in asian markets/grocers which cost only a few bucks. apparently, they are not that great tasting compared to the freshly baked ones but are edible and do satisfying my craving from time to time. so finally, i decided to make my own feng li su instead and found a recipe that is doable. the shortbread dough was very sticky to work with and i had a hard time shaping the pineapple cake into a square or rectangle using my hands. if only i had those square/rectangle molds then the cake can easily be placed into each mold and will come out perfectly shaped. my first batch of pineapple cakes looked wonky and weird-shaped and the bottoms were burnt. afterwards, i made the second batch into mini pineapple tarts instead using a mini muffin pan. they tasted pretty good despite the way they looked.

hello october!

2011-10-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

it's officially fall and the weather has been nice and toasty. i've been eating lots of cherry and sungold tomatoes lately as a snack and dressing them in salad, quinoa salad, and spicy korean cold noodles pictured in the middle. what i look forward in fall is eating pumpkin pie, persimmon, and pear and making baked goods. it's also a great beginning for me as i sold my first 2012 calendar yesterday to a friend of mine who is buying it for a gift. (thanks lil!) happy autumn everyone!

black & white ceramics

2011-09-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

1. top (left) :: modernista : janak crystalline box

2. top (right) :: toru amanuma : coffee cup&saucer

3. bottom (left) :: modernista : janak convex black stripe small

4. bottom (right) :: modernista : janak convex black line small

here are some beautiful ceramics in black & white i like that are modern and minimalist and they go really well with my 2012 calendar.

all pics via playmountain

2012 calendar on etsy

2011-09-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

Twenty twelve calendar in black & white theme inspiredby lines, shapes, geometric, textile, pattern, and modern. A total of 6 designswith 2 calendar months printed on each design using alternating black &white paper/ink.

01 | 02 :: snowball - black paper, white ink

03 | 04 :: drop - white paper, black ink

05 | 06 :: bird - black paper, white ink

07 | 08 :: desert flower - white paper, black ink

09 | 10 :: iceberg - black paper, white ink

11 | 12 :: border - white paper, black ink

paper size is 5.25 X 6.25 inch
printed using a gocco screenprinter on 110 lb cardstock papers.

$13 | Buy it here

gocco process

2011-09-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

hi, i'm back and so excited to share with you all what i've been working slowly on for the past weeks/months and it's completely done just in time for fall. i had some challenging moments with inking some of my hand drawn designs using a black pen (in order for them to be transferred to silkscreens) which delayed the process of gocco printing. in the meantime, enjoy these photos as i will post more pictures of my 2012 calendar and hope you like what you're seeing.

mochi on a stick

2011-09-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

three color mochi with red bean filling on a stick. yum! :)

fall begins...

2011-09-01T21:51:00.001-07:00

and it's the first day of september. just can't believe there are only a few more months away from saying good-bye to 2011 (scary!) and i am totally not ready for it. it seems though it wasn't too long ago when we entered 2011. anyway, i'm happy to report that i'm making progress in my 2012 calendar. it will be completely done by mid-september (fingers crossed!). honestly, i didn't think of doing another calendar but i had this cool lettering and layout design in mind back in june (yeah, i know a bit too early to even think about calendar) and that's where i started and slowly worked on it because i thought i'll have plenty of time to finish it. i was so wrong! time flies indeed, sigh! happy labor day weekend all!

cherry tomatoes

2011-08-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

are yummy as a snack especially when they are just a tad sweet.

artist/illustrator

2011-08-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

.: yoko furusho

:: check out her live painting on window display at ikiru shop in barcelona (amazing!)

:: love her illustrations!

................................................................................................................................................................

.: jenni rope

:: discovered this artist from joanne. i like her style too!
................................................................................................................................................................

.: ana montiel

:: also learned about ana's work through decor8. lovely!

b*day

2011-08-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

last sunday was my birthday and celebrated it by eating good food with great friends and family. oh that cute mini cookie cake decorated with a smiley sunflower, i won it from mrs.fields. surprise i was since i hardly win anything in my life. mrs.fields is promoting their new cookie cakes and had drawings at the store location i visited. and those new heath cups were a gift from my sis which i've been wanting to purchase but was too cheap to. most importantly, my b*wish is happiness and good health.

leaves socks

2011-08-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

pattern :: embossed leaves socks by mona schmidt

book :: favorite socks

yarn :: sundara yarn

colorway :: storm studies

needles :: US size 1 dpns

after much procrastination, i finally finished my leaves socks. my original plan was to complete the socks within a month but sometimes things don't usually go according to plan. i've been staring at this project long enough for me to pick up the needles and start knitting again. it's a great feeling when things are done. with that said, i'm taking a short break from knitting before starting a new knitting project. my attention now is to focus on my calendar designs for 2012 which i have to say i'm falling behind schedule. hope i'll be done with the calendar when august ends but not too soon please.

animal balloon font

2011-07-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

i am fond and fascinated of all things designed in font, typography, calligraphy, and lettering and this colorful, playful, and adorable animal font created by takashi kawada is amazing. i wish i had an iphone right now so i can add this app to write/send messages to friends.

.: via swiss miss

cookies madness

2011-07-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

*thumbprint jam cookies :: re-make :: recipe here

*perfect chocolate chip cookies :: recipe here :: my third ccc taste-test and i am pretty pleased with this

recipe.

*oatmeal raisin cookies :: recipe in the cookbook biscotti :: a cute little cookie book containing easy to

follow recipes.

this past sunday was non-stop cookies making/baking day for moi and i also took advantage of the cooling weather to turn on the oven. i haven't made cookies in awhile and crave eating them. i made three different kinds of cookies in one day which i've never done before. usually, i spend the whole day perfecting one cookie. well, i didn't keep all the cookies for myself but i did eat a dozen of them though. i shared most of the cookies with friends and colleagues at work and it makes me happy when i see smiley faces.

kimbap

2011-07-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

basic veggie kimbap

recipe via bapstory

.: avocado

.: cucumber

.: imitation crab

.: omelette

:: cut all ingredients into matchsticks

my kimbap looks a little boring because i just use whatever ingredients i have in the refrigerator. although there isn't much variety for the filling part, it still tastes delicious. :)

korean cold noodles

2011-06-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

lately, korean cold noodles are my favorite dish to make and eat. it's super easy to make and deliciously healthy too. for me, it's the perfect quick fix summer meal to enjoy on any hot days.

.: avocado

.: japanese cucumber

.: soba/somen combo

.: store bought kimchi

.: hard-boiled egg

.: red pepper sauce for dressing

cinnamon rolls

2011-06-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

or sticky bun as referred to. a trip to ikea means leaving with a tray of freshly baked cinnamon buns. they were so ooey gooey good when eaten warm and right away.

raspberries

2011-06-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

the best thing about summer is getting to enjoy all the wonderful seasonal fruits & berries available at the market and raspberry is one of them.

new bakeware

2011-06-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

i got myself a drommar muffin tin from ikea along with some cute baking cup paper liners. unlike the standard commercial muffin pan, the drommar muffin is shaped tall and lean (opposite from the short and wide muffin). both muffin styles are uniquely different and equally adorable. it's good to have options in bakewares which make baking extra fun.

quinoa summer salad

2011-06-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

i recently ate a store-bought premade quinoa salad that had summer yellow squash, cauliflower, green peas, and currants with pesto dressing and it was very good. i see and hear alot about quinoa but never experiment cooking with it. so i went to a local natural food store and picked up a small bag of quinoa which is sold by the weight and try recreating what i had a few days ago. my version (slightly different) has summer yellow squash, zucchini, corns, and black beans. for the dressing, i made a lemon maple vinaigrette to go with it. it was a great combination and had it for two straight days.

chocolate covered gummy bears

2011-06-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

i hardly see chocolate covered gummy bears sold in store and when i do see them in candy shop such as sweet factory, i buy lots of them. they are one of my favorite candies.

a new beginning

2011-06-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

yes, it's june already...a new month, a new start, and knitting a new sock in a leafy lace pattern. it makes me wonder where the days, weeks, and months go. may passed by so swiftly. i honestly have to admit time does flies and it makes me realize i better begin my design process for the 2012 calendar. this year's, i really need to get ahead start in calendar making but for now, i just want to enjoy june.

upside-down pineapple cake

2011-05-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

pineapple upside-down cake

from heirloom baking with the brass sisters

serves 8 slices

*recipe link

{ingredients}:

.: ½ cup butter, melted

.: 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

.: 7 slices/rings of canned pineapple from 20 oz can & 5 tbsp. reserved juice

.: 1 cup cake flour (not self rising)

.: 1 tsp. baking powder

.: ½ tsp. salt

.: 3 eggs, separated

.: 1 cup white granulated sugar

.: 1 tsp. vanilla

{directions}:

1. preheat oven to 350 F. place rack in the middle position.

2. in a medium bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

3. in a 9-inch cake pan, swirl butter to coat the bottom and sides of pan. sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom of the pan. using a paper towel pat dry pineapple slices on both sides and arrange in a decorative pattern on the bottom of the pan.

4. in a large bowl, stir egg yolks just to break them up and add sugar, vanilla and 5 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice. mix well and stir in flour mixture until combined. set aside.

5. place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment and beat until just stiff but not dry. fold egg whites into the batter already in the large bowl until fully combined. pour batter into cake pan.

6. bake for 45-55 minutes until tester inserted into middle comes out clean. cook pan on rack for 2-3 minutes then invert onto another cooling rack. scrape any remaining bits of sugar or fruit from pan onto top of cake. serve warm or at room temperature.

after seeing an interesting episode of bobby flay's throwdown challenge on pineapple upside-down cake on the food network channel, it was the brass sisters, marilyn brass and sheila brass, pineapple cake version that i wanted to make badly. the cake looked absolutely gorgeous and better yet, it was light, fluffy, and moist. i'm glad i gave this recipe a try and it came out delicious (just the way it was being delivered on the tv show).

being a florist

2011-05-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

for one night was so much fun. my friend asked me to help her out on friday evening with making 30 table centerpieces (to be displayed at the banquet) for her sis big wedding day which happily ended last night. there were buckets full of assorted flowers (roses, carnations, daisies, iris, lavenders, etc.) to choose from when arranging her floral centerpieces. the bride-to-be and her bridesmaid helped too and as tired we all were friday night, we managed to get everything done by midnight through chatting, joking, and laughing. i even made a tiny bouquet (first photo) for myself using the remaining flower scraps.

beanie hat

2011-05-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

pattern :: baby hat by pickles

yarn :: artfibers

colorway :: teal gray

needles :: US size 6 dpns

for a baby. i didn't know what to do with those yarns i have that are only in one skein/color. so i am trying to find ways to use them. i decided to knit a baby's hat using the grayish teal color yarn i have and the yardage was just perfect. it only took me a few hours to make the hat and it was one of the fastest and mindless knitting projects and indeed, it makes a great gift for a newborn baby.

chips & dip

2011-05-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

guacamole is quick and easy to make and no measuring/cooking required. my dip has avocado (main ingredient), roma tomato, cucumber, onion, and lemon juice. i just chop and mix everything together and salt-n-pepper to taste at the end. but if you want to create the perfect guacamole dip, follow this recipe.

oak ribbed socks

2011-05-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

pattern :: oak ribbed sock by nancy bush

book :: knitting vintage socks : new twists on classic patterns

yarn :: koigu painter's palette premium merino

colorway :: p705

needles :: US size 1 dpns

hello and happy may! i get really excited about ending a project and starting a new one. so here are my completed socks in oak ribbed which took me a month in the making (as i'm a slow and on/off knitter) and i'm pleased with the outcome of the socks. it's simple yet very classic and the ribs give the socks some definition. i even custom made a tag for it as it will be a gift to a dear friend's birthday in may. now all i need to do is wrap them up and they are ready to go. btw, i'm already thinking of the next knitting socks pattern and what yarn to use. hope you like them socks!

shrimp summer rolls II

2011-05-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

a delicious and fun way of consuming fresh veggies. make them using your favorite veggies/ingredients.

{ingredients}:

.: rice paper wrappers

.: rice noodles

.: red leaf lettuce

.: sprouts

.: chinese chives

.: cucumber (matchsticks size)

.: vietnamese corianders

.: perilla leaves

.: mint leaves

.: shrimps

.: see {directions} here

strawberry mochi

2011-04-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

filled with strawberry flavored smooth white lima bean and fresh strawberry from benkyodo. mmm... good!

happy easter!

2011-04-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

dying easter eggs is something i haven't done in a very long (long) time. i remember my sis and i used to purchase paas easter egg dying/decorating kit from walgreens for a few bucks and the adorable kit came with everything you need to dye easter eggs. here i just followed the egg dye directions on the back of the food coloring package or this recipe.

yarn etc.

2011-04-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

moving along on the next knitting socks pattern in kpppm yarn and before i get started i use this yarn ball winder by royal in helping me wind the yarn hank into a neat ball to prevent tangling. this is a great gadget to have if you're a knitter. my sock is slowly coming together and the koigu yarn/colorway knits up so pretty. just love the color combination.

hooks & needles

2011-04-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

as in crochet hooks and knitting needles. i have a collection of hooks and needles in almost every size and they are mostly clover brand. currently i'm using double point needles in size 1, also by clover, for socks knitting, my favorite thing to do now. i'm thinking of getting the dpns in size 0 if i can find them in craft store.

sweet treat

2011-04-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

pink champagne cupcake from sift cupcakes. yummy!

thumbprint cookies

2011-04-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

thumbprint cookies

recipe via cafe fernando

makes 25 cookies

{ingredients}:

.: 1 cup flour

.: 1/2 cup ground almond or almond meal

.: 4 oz butter, at room temperature

.: 1/4 cup sugar

.: 1/3 cup strawberry jam or any jam you like

{directions}:

1. preheat oven to 350 f. line two baking sheets with parchment paper & set aside.

2. cream butter with sugar until light & fluffy (5 minutes).

3. whisk together flour & ground almond & add to the creamed butter. mix until well combined.

4. refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes (it will be easier to shape).

5. take a teaspoonful of dough in your hand, form a small ball, press in the center with your finger to make a hole (not all the way) & arrange on baking trays 2 inches apart. (don’t be tempted to make them bigger than a teaspoonful).

6. bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly colored.

7. let the cookies cool & fill the holes with your favorite jams.

cute as a button. these jam-filled jewel cookies are delicious and so easy to make. i got tempted into making them bigger than a teaspoonful because that way i don't have to roll many small balls and it's faster. however, i did not know the cookies will expand a bit after baking. so i will know next time to make them only a teaspoonful. :)

tidal wave socks

2011-04-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

pattern :: tidal wave socks

yarn :: sundara yarn
colorway :: storm studies--limited edition
needles :: US size 1 dpns

i had fun knitting the tidal wave pattern. it was definitely a step up and challenge from the basic/plain/simple socks i've been making. also i'm slowly adding the level of difficulty to my socks knitting. now, i'm into finding sock design patterns which i think i can actually handle and already have a few in mind that i like. well all i can say is the finishing project/result is rewarding and this pair of socks is for my sis.

loveliness

2011-04-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

fresh flowers from the farmers' market. elegant. fragrant. delicate.
happy april/spring/& weekend everyone! :)

sunday

2011-03-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

cookies :: oatmeal-cranberry-raisin chews :: recipe here

yarn :: koigu painter's palette premium merino in colorways p705 & p802 :: they were discounted and i love the color palettes.

kinako mochi

2011-03-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

japanese glutinous rice cake with red bean paste filling and coated with kinako (soybean flour). yum!

knitting :: undo & redo

2011-03-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

i found several sock patterns (with design) that i really like and would like to give them a try. i began with mystery sock '09 (pattern by kirsten kapur) but didn't turn out the way it looked so i had to take it apart. since the first selected pattern didn't work out for me, i decided to move on with the next pattern which is the popular monkey sock by cookie a. i followed the pattern exactly but mine came out weird looking. again i have no clue what went wrong and still trying to figure it out after reknitting it three times. i felt stupid because the monkey is a well written pattern. therefore, i'm taking a break from it and will have to come back to the monkey pattern when i'm ready to restart. in the mean time, i'm starting over with another pattern called tidal wave socks. this time let's see if i will get this pattern right. btw, there are all sorts of goodies on the web and i just love finding free knitting patterns.

raspberry bars

2011-03-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

raspberry shortbread bars

adapted from dessert magazine

makes 20 to 24 bars

{ingredients}:

.: 1 cup whole almonds

.: 1 cup granulated sugar

.: 1 cup all-purpose flour

.: 1/2 tsp. salt

.: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled & cut into 8 pieces

.: 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

.: 1/4 tsp. almond extract

.: 1 1/4 cups raspberry preserves

{directions}:

1. preheat the oven to 375 F. line a 9-by-9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure that the foil is tucked into all the corners and with at least 1 inch overhanging the top of the pan on all sides.

2. place the almonds and sugar in a food processor and pulse about 10 times until the nuts are finely ground (the mixture should look like very coarse sand). add the flour, salt, butter, and vanilla & almond extracts, and pulse another 8 to 10 times until the mixture is crumbly.

3. transfer half of the almond mixture to the prepared pan and press it into a compact, even layer with your fingertips. spread the preserves evenly over the dough with a rubber spatula. press the remaining almond mixture into loose, large crumbles and scatter them evenly over the preserves.

4. bake until the jam is bubbling and the topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

5. grasping the overhanging foil on either side of the pan, lift out the bars and place them on a cutting board. cut into pieces, and peel them from the foil.

candy sushi

2011-03-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

aren't they adorable and too darn pretty to be eaten? i didn't make them; the sushi candy was a treat from mrs.h. merci! they are made out of rice krispie treats and decorated with candy, gummy, and chocolate.

{sushi a la carte}:

.: california roll

.: futomaki

.: nigiri sushi

.: tamago

kumquat marmalade

2011-03-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

kumquat marmalade
makes 1 (12 oz) jar

{ingredients}:

.: 2 cups cleaned & sliced kumquats (seeds removed)

.: 1 1/2 cups water

.: 1 1/2 cups sugar

.: 1 tbsp ginger (finely shredded; optional)

{directions}:

place all ingredients in a pot, stir, and bring to a boil. cook for 1 hour on low heat or until it becomes thicken. remove from heat. allow to cool slightly and then pour into sterilized jar and seal tightly. refrigerate it.

last week i purchased a bag of kumquats at the asian grocery and made marmalade with them. unexpectedly, my marmalade came out pretty good for the first try. i was amazed with the use of only three ingredients (kumquats, water, and sugar) can turn into a delicious spread for toast or can be eaten with anything and it's so easy to make. my only complaint is slicing the kumquats take time.

new yarn

2011-02-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

my recent yarn purchase from sundara yarn. i discovered their yarn through their ad logo on purlbee last year when i was searching for sock yarn to buy. as i browse through sundara yarn selections, i was like a kid in a candy store. the yarns/colorways are gorgeous! at first i was hesitant to order the yarn because of the price but i couldn't resist and finally decided on these two sock yarns in storm studies--limited edition colorways. the yarns are so soft and i can't wait to unwind and knit them up into socks.

jelly candies

2011-02-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite's childhood candies and still is and i adore the wrappers.

uneven socks

2011-02-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

i finished knitting these socks three weeks ago but didn't manage to get a few decent pictures of them until recently. the yarn color is actually a deep burgundy and the socks are uneven at the foot by ¼-inch. i didn't measure the foot correctly as i were knitting them and thought i had the right measurement all along but they are close to perfect. if you're interested in knitting a pair of simple socks, this is the same pattern i used earlier and it always works out for me.

.: yarn brand is trekking xxl & yarn color is 147 wine twist

photography

2011-02-17T20:21:00.000-08:00

after i started my blog, my interest in photography grew. i am very much into abstract and food photography and would like to learn tricks/techniques in capturing amazing pictures. when i see other bloggers/photographers photos, i'm blown away by their talent and skills and one of my favorite/inspirational blogs is maize. her photographs are so beautiful and breathtaking. now, my emphasis is on taking good to great pictures and might even consider taking a photography course.

coffee macarons

2011-02-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

french macarons :: coffee flavor

from chewy gooey crispy crunchy melt-in-your-mouth cookies by alice medrich

makes 30 to 36 (1 ¾-inch sandwich cookies)

{ingredients}:

.: 2 cups (8 oz) powdered sugar

.: 1 1/3 cups (4.5 oz) finely ground blanched almond meal

.: 3 to 4 large egg whites, at room temp.

.: ¼ tsp. almond extract

.: 1 ½ tsp. espresso powder

{directions}:
1. combine the powdered sugar, almond meal, and espresso powder in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork. pass through a medium-coarse sieve to lighten and aerate the mixture (which makes it easier to fold).

2. with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted; add the almond extract. beat at high speed until the mixture forms stiff but not dry peaks when the beaters are lifted.

3. pour all of the almond flour mixture over the egg whites. with a large rubber spatula, fold the almond mixture into the egg whites just until it is fully incorporated. the egg whites will deflate somewhat, but the batter will be thick and moist and almost pourable.

4. drop heaping teaspoons of batter 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. or transfer the batter to the pastry bag and pipe out disks. let the macarons rest for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the surface of the disks is ever so slightly dry--this slightly dry crust will help form characteristic little "platforms" at the base of each macaron as they bake.

5. meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. slide 2 sheets of macarons into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 F. bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the macarons are barely starting to turn golden (they will be golden on the bottom, though you will have to destroy 1 macaron to find out). rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. set the pans or just the liners on racks to
cool.

i've been longing to make french macarons and even purchased i love macarons awhile ago but haven't yet touched any recipes in the book. and at the same time i was putting it off 'til last because i find making macarons to be the most challenging and hardest baking project. first of all, i'm not familiar with making meringues and second, i'm not a good piper although i thought piping was easy but it's not. also, this is one of those recipes which i had to reread the instructions repeatedly, making sure i know what i'm doing. after carefully following the directions thoroughly on how to make macarons, i was disappointed the way they turned out appearance/taste wise. my macarons were tough and chewy and considerably not the tastiest i have to say. perhaps i over beaten the egg whites and/or over mixed the dry ingredients into the meringues. nonetheless, i will try again next time with the hope of succeeding.

photo art

2011-02-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

i didn't know how i captured this photo but it looked stunning and like art to me.

chocolate chip ginger cookies

2011-01-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

chocolate chip ginger-molasses cookies

recipe via orangette

makes 36 cookies

{ingredients}:

.: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

.: 2 ½ tsp. ground ginger

.: 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
.: ½ tsp. ground allspice
.: 2 tsp. baking soda
.: ¾ tsp. salt
.: 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
.: ½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
.: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.
.: ¼ cup vegetable oil
.: ½ cup granulated sugar
.: ½ cup packed brown sugar
.: 1 large egg
.: ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
.: ½ cup sugar, for rolling

{directions}:

1. in a medium bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, & salt. whisk well. add the chocolate chips & crystallized ginger, and whisk to blend. set aside.

2. in a large bowl (preferably, a stand mixer) beat the butter & shortening briefly to soften them. add the sugars, and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. add the egg & the molasses, and beat to blend well, scraping down the sides as needed. add the flour mixture in two parts, beating briefly after each until the flour is just absorbed. do not overmix. use a rubber spatula to give the dough a final stir if necessary; it will be quite firm and stiff. cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

3. preheat the oven to 350 F. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. pour the sugar into a small bowl.

4. using damp hands, pinch off blobs of dough and roll them into 1 ¼- to 1 ½-inch balls. roll each ball in sugar to coat. place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. roll only as many balls as you can fit on the sheet pans, and cover and refrigerate the remaining dough.

5. bake the cookies until they are cracked on top but still soft to the touch, about 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. cool on the sheets for 1 minute; then carefully transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

it's been awhile since i made ginger cookies and last time, it was a combination of ginger and apricot but this time, i wanted to try a new recipe with a slightly different combo like ginger and chocolate chip for instance and the result was fabulous. i'd never thought of putting these two mixtures together in a cookie and surprisingly they paired up very well.

best cookies

2011-01-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

i ever ate. yesterday i stopped by a local food market and picked up some cookies (ginger chews & chocolate chip) made by a local bakery by the name of applebaum. they were insanely good, soft and chewy on the inside and crumbly on the outside, made with natural organic ingredients. oh i so wish, i can find cookie recipes like these.

portobello mushroom lasagna

2011-01-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

*recipe from here & here

believe it or not, this is only my second time making lasagna. i usually buy already made lasagna in the freezer section of the grocery. it's fast, convenient and taste delicious. on the other hand, i find making lasagna a time consuming process involving a lot of prep work but once in a while, i do want to make one if the recipe works for me. this mushroom lasagna loaded with béchamel sauce, portobello mushrooms and grated parmesan came out pretty good. and at the end, i think it's all worth it and i'm already thinking of making a tomato-based version for my next lasagna.

matcha cupcakes

2010-12-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

cupcakes au thé matcha
recipe via foodbeam
makes 8 cupcakes

{cupcakes}:
.: 120g caster sugar
.: 40g butter, at room temperature
.: seeds from half a vanilla bean
.: 1 egg
.: 120g plain flour
.: 1 ½ tsp baking powder
.: a pinch of salt
.: 120g milk

{directions}:

preheat oven to 350 F & line a muffin tin with 8 cases. in a bowl, combine the sugar, butter, & vanilla seeds. mix in the egg. then add the flour, baking powder & salt. finish with the milk. divide in between the cases & bake for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. remove from the tin & allow to cool down on a wire rack.

{frosting}:
.: 500g icing sugar, sifted (used only half)
.: 1 heaped tsp of matcha green tea (added 1 tbsp)
.: 160g butter, at room temperature
.: 60g milk
.: sprinkles, to decorate

{directions}:

beat the icing sugar, matcha & butter together in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until it comes together. mix in the milk, and keep beating until light and fluffy. using a palette knife, stack the frosting in the shape of a cone, on top of the cooled cupcakes, then twist around to get rid of the excess frosting and create a swirl. immediately sprinkle with the decoration of your choice as the frosting tends to form a slight crust quite quickly.

i love cupcakes and anything matcha. and i am always excited to see matcha in recipes. this recipe certainly contains the best of both worlds and is super easy to whip up requiring only a few basic ingredients. the cake itself is delicious, soft and moist. for the frosting, i rounded up on the matcha for a bolder flavor and lessen the icing sugar because it was overly sweet for my taste. also, the amount of cakes it makes is just perfect for a small group of people.

tiny sock

2010-12-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

i was planning to knit up a few pairs of baby socks using remaining yarns i have but the first completed sock from this pattern ended up to be too tiny that i didn't bother to make the second one. although it may not fit a baby's foot, but it's a very cute knitted sock by the way.

hope everyone had a joyful holiday and happy 2011!

cherry almond chocolate chip cookies

2010-12-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

cherry almond chocolate chip bliss cookie
*recipe from here
makes 24-36 cookies

{ingredients}:
.: 2.5 (10 oz) sticks butter, unsalted & softened
.: 2 cups granulated sugar
.: 3 large eggs
.: 1 tbsp almond extract
.: 8 oz whole or sliced almonds
.: 4.5 cups all purpose flour
.: 1/2 tsp salt
.: 2 tsp baking soda
.: 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
.: 1.5 cups (8 oz) dried pitted cherries such as Montmorency

{directions}:

1. preheat oven to 350 F.

2. grind almonds in a food processor until fine (should yield approximately 2 cups of ground almonds). set almonds aside. sift together flour, salt, & baking soda in a medium bowl & set aside.

3. cream together butter & sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. add eggs & beat to combine. beat in almond extract. add flour mixture & ground almonds & stir to combine. stir in chocolate chips & dried cherries.

4. use an ice cream scoop to portion out dough (if you don't have the scoop, make balls containing 2 tbsp of dough) & place 2 inches apart on ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. use your fingers to flatten down dough to the height of a half an inch. bake for 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.

5. cool on pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

bursting with dried tart cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips, these almond cookies are definitely a crowd pleaser and also a favorite cookie among my friends and me.

fancy chocolates

2010-12-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

from trader joe's for just under $2. they were so good that i ate all 9 pieces of them. these are miniature belgian chocolates packaged in a small box and are beautifully made. yum, i might have to go back to tj to get a few more boxes.

(almost) perfect socks

2010-12-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

here are my finished socks from this yarn i purchased and just in time for gift giving. i'm getting much better on socks knitting and looking forward to knitting another one already. these socks fit nicely and comfortably and the size matches my feet perfectly. i try to take a photo wearing them but it's hard to snap a good picture. i'll try again and hopefully have it up later.

.: sock pattern is from here

my 3rd etsy treasury calendar appearance :: 2011 for all!

2010-12-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

it's been a joyous december for me as my 2011 calendar has been making appearances on quite a few etsy treasury. this selection of lovely calendars is put together by mihermanayyo called 2011 for all! thanks so much for having my item featured!

{update}:

.: 4th etsy treasury :: pick your calender for 2011! by magalerie

.: & 5th etsy treasury :: year of the rabbit 2011 by moonhalo

again, thank you all for having my calendar on your etsy treasury!

ready for 2011 :: calendar on etsy treasury

2010-12-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

just received a wonderful news today. my calendar is also being featured on another etsy treasury compiled by flutterbudget titled ready for 2011. i am so ready, are you? enjoy your weekend! and thank you flutterbudget!

calendars on sale

2010-12-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

happy friday all! i'm having a holiday sale in my etsy shop. all calendars are marked down to $10 and in addition, i'm extending free shipping to anywhere in the united states on all purchases 'til december 31st. happy holidays!

.: please note: i ship internationally too!

beautiful print from yui

2010-12-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

about a week ago, i contacted yui in request for a print swap, exchanging my calendar for one of her beautiful art prints and a few days later, i received her wonderful email saying that she's happy to do so. i was thrilled because i am an admirer of yui's artworks and her creativity. yesterday, i received my picked print of the sun, waves and it is just lovely. thank you yui! this is one of my first blog swap and hopefully there will be many more to come.

.: p.s. right now, yui is offering 20% off everything in her etsy shop ~~'til december 11th.~~ so hurry!

2011 calendar featured on etsy treasury :: the last days!

2010-12-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

great news! just found out my 2011 calendar is being featured on etsy treasury : the last days!. thank you signoraluna for constructing a great list of calendars!

kitchen sink cookies

2010-12-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

kitchen sink cookies

from the sono baking company cookbook

makes 24 cookies

{ingredients}:

.: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

.: 1/2 tsp. baking soda

.: 1 tsp. coarse salt

.: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp.

.: 1 cup light brown sugar

.: 1 cup granulated sugar

.: 1 large egg, at room temp.

.: 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

.: 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

.: 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut int 1/4-inch chunks

.: 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

.: 1 cup raisins

.: 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

{directions}:

1. position the oven rack in the middle & preheat the oven to 350 F. line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mats; set aside.

2. in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. add the egg and vanilla, and mix to combine.

4. with the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, beating until the flour is absorbed. fold in the coconut, chocolate chunks, pecans, raisins, and oats. mix until combined.

5. use a 1/4 cup (2-inch-wide) ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, placing the scoops about 3 inches apart.

6. bake one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet about two-thirds of the way through the cooking time, until the cookies are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

7. transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.

'tis the season to be sharing. i'm doing some holiday baking and making cookies to share with family and friends. my version has raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, pecans, and semi-sweet chocolate chips but feel free to substitute your favorite mix-ins. my cookies are made smaller using a 1-inch-wide cookie scoop and baked them for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. these fruitcake-like cookies are perfect to bake for the holidays and to give away.

2011 calendars available for purchase on etsy :: petit paperie

2010-11-26T16:47:00.000-08:00

i'm ecstatic to announce my 2011 calendars are now for sale on etsy. my petit shoppe is called petit paperie. please head over to petit paperie to take a look or do some shopping. thank you for your interest! by the way, i am offering limited time free shipping within the united states on my 2011 calendars from november 26th to december 1st. happy shopping!

:: calender description ::

handmade 2011 calendar consists of 6 designs with 2 months per cardstock and each one has a different ink color.

.: poppies : january-february : blue
.: grass : march-april : green
.: fruit trees : may-june : pink
.: persimmons : july-august : taupe
.: mountains : september-october : burgundy
.: winter trees : november-december : bronze

printed using a gocco screenprinter on crane's white cardstock papers.
paper size measures 4.25 X 6.5 inch
please note: each print varies slightly as they are handprinted one at a time.
price: $12 | buy it here

happy thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T14:57:00.000-08:00

roasted vegetables including baby potatoes, green & red bell peppers, button mushrooms, portabella mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes in a large baking pan. seasoned with salt & pepper and drizzled with olive oil & some red wine. added fresh herbs and topped with butter. baked at 475 degree for 1 hour or until done. i am thankful for a delicious meal. hope you're enjoying your thanksgiving feast!

more prints

2010-11-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

my day continues with printing more calendars on gocco and i'm almost done. yippee!!!

2011 calendar in the works

2010-11-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

hi all! i've been busy working hard on my 2011 calendar. i know i'm very late for this as 2011 is near but am making it happen although i only have one month to get everything ready. i spend the first half of november designing and doing illustrations for my calendar and right now, i'm in the midst of printing them on gocco. more details to follow on how to purchase my 2011 calendar and they will become available on november 29th or 30th just in time for the holiday shopping. i'm super excited!

homemade granola

2010-11-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

from my dear friend. thanks! i've been snacking on them and even added as a topping to my yogurt. it contains oats, sliced almonds, and dried cranberries and is wholesomely good.

ginger cloud cookies

2010-11-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

brown sugar ginger men

recipe from sweetfineday

{shortbread dough}:

.: 8 oz butter, softened

.: 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

.: 2 cups flour

.: 1 tbsp. dried ground ginger

.: 1 tsp. cinnamon

{directions}:

mix everything on low speed in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until just combined. roll between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/8-inch thickness. transfer to a cookie sheet & refrigerate until completely chilled. peel off the paper from the dough. cut out gingerbread men using a cookie cutter & transfer each to a parchment lined cookie sheet. bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until crisp. let the cookies cool while you prepare the icing.

{icing}:

.: 2 cups powdered sugar

.: 1 egg white

.: approximately 1 tbsp. water

{directions}:

whisk everything together in a bowl using just enough water to make an icing that holds its shape, but is not too hard to pipe. place in a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. decorate the cooled cookies as desired. let rest for at least 20 minutes before using, to allow the icing to dry.

after seeing those cute ginger men cookies from the blog of sweet fine day, i was excited about making them into cloud-shaped cookies using my purchased cloud cutter which i stashed away since i received it in june. even better, this is so my type of recipe, short, simple, and sweet. i am sharing my smiley cloud cookies with you all & on top of that, have a swell weekend. :)

small things

2010-11-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

illy sugar sticks :: modern, sophisticated, & conveniently packaged

paper clip :: arrow-shaped, irregular, & unique

matchbox :: clever, compact, concealed, & old school

new cookbook + yarn

2010-10-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

new cookbook :: the sono baking company cookbook

my second cookbook purchase of the year and a great book to own filled with gorgeous photographs & recipes that make me want to go to the kitchen and start baking. i've already made the blueberry sour cream muffins recipe from this cookbook which is awesome.

new sock yarn :: opal antonia aus tirol
i love my new yarn and the color is so pretty. it's a combo of pink, purple, white and blue. i got started on my sock knitting already. hopefully, i will have new socks to wear in no time.

blueberry muffins

2010-10-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

blueberry sour cream muffins

from the sono baking company cookbook

{ingredients}:

.: 2 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

.: 1 tsp. baking powder

.: 1/2 tsp. baking soda

.: 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

.: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

.: 1 cup granulated sugar

.: 1 tsp. coarse salt

.: 2 large eggs, room temperature

.: 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

.: grated zest of 1 lemon

.: 1/2 cup sour cream

.: coarse sanding sugar, for finishing

{directions}:

1. preheat oven to 375 F & position the oven rack in the middle. spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan w/ nonstick cooking spray or butter it generously; set aside.

2. in a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, & baking soda; set aside. toss the blueberries in a sieve w/ the remaining 1 tbsp flour.

3. in a standing mixer bowl fitted w/ the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, & salt on medium-high speed until light & fluffy, 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. beat in the vanilla & lemon zest.

4. with the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, beating just until the flour is absorbed. add the sour cream, beating until combined. gently fold in the blueberries w/ a rubber spatula.

5. use a 2-inch ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. sprinkle w/ the sanding sugar.

6. bake, rotating the pan about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched & a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 mins. use an offset spatula or table knife to gently lift & turn the muffins on their sides in the muffin cups. let cool completely in the pan.

i made blueberry muffins yesterday and they were delicious. this recipe is perfect for autumn baking and you can easily substitute the blueberries with cranberries or make them into mini muffins and have a tea party :). happy baking!

socks knitwear

2010-10-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

the weather has changed drastically this past week and the temperature has dropped. while it's cold and raining outside, i've been into knitting lately, knitting socks is what i been doing. this is the first pair of socks i finished making and to my surprise, i still have yarn leftover. because on my previous socks knitting, i didn't have enough yarns to make a pair of socks but this time i have more than enough. i guess i miscalculated the yardage and could have knitted the leg a bit longer. the pattern is called basic sock for regia jacquard and the instructions are simple and straight forward. although i messed up on the gusset part of the first single sock but that didn't stop me from continuing knitting. by all means, practice makes perfect. unfortunately, the socks didn't fit my feet :(, they were very tight. i will have to give this away to a friend of mine who i think has smaller feet. oh well, i'm going to keep knitting socks until they fit my feet. it's an enjoyable & fun process anyway.

fabric swatches

2010-10-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

are complimentary of linnet when you purchase fabric(s) from their online shop. i didn't know what to do with my fabric samples and was thinking about tossing them in the trash bin but then they were too cute to be wasted. so i had an idea and that was to sew all of these little pieces of fabrics together and make it into a coaster or a mini placemat. after doing some minor sewing, here is the end result and i can't wait to use it.

pineapple shortcake

2010-10-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

i received a box of pineapple cakes from my co-worker who just returned from her taiwan trip. the pineapple shortcake is from hsin tung yang, a well-known company in taiwan. they are delicious and come nicely packaged as well.

flavored marshmallows

2010-09-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

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available in original, chocolate, strawberry, green tea cream, mango, pineapple, calpis, and more are created by eiwa, the marshmallow maker. my favorite flavor is the green tea cream, also known as matcha. these marshmallows are so soft, fluffy, & yummy and they come with a surprise filling in the center which makes them fun to eat.

happy mid-autumn or moon day

2010-09-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

i've been enjoying mooncakes for the past two weeks already. it's a once a year tradition happening today and in preparation of celebrating mid-autumn festival, mooncakes are usually sold a month early from chinese bakeries to asian supermarkets. for a nice complement, i paired it with eight treasures tea, light and refreshing.