Weekend Getaway to Haliburton

The best getaway is a girls getaway and what better setting is there than a beautiful cottage in the woods. Ontario and autumn are a truly magical combination. The colours were just starting to burst. In another week or two they will be absolutely gorgeous. I suggest you get out there and enjoy. We also had a trip to the dump, to dispose of the wine bottles. I tried my best to improve the look of the huge mound of garbage through photography.

New Fall Bags

I have finally dove head first into the fall and winter sewing. I have so many ideas in my head but only have my two hands to sew and one breaking back. Here are a few new bags. I have made some colorful clutches this fall, inspired by the great selection of fall fashion.

One Tall Shortcake

This cake was delicious and so easy. It was very light after a big dinner. Once again Pinterest comes through on the recipes. Summer is coming to an end and I must start sewing more than baking! Maybe I will even lose a pound or two.

Ingredients:
for the cake-
6 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

for the cream-
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of half of a lemon

6 cups blueberries, strawberries and raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, eggs {1 at a time}, yogurt and milk. Scrape edges and mix again until smooth. Pour in all dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape edges and mix by hand to ensure batter is evenly mixed. Pour into greased half sheet pan and smooth out into one even layer. Bake 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool 30 minutes.

For the cream, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together until stiff peaks start to form. Whip in lemon zest briefly and set aside.

To assemble the cake, cut cooled cake into 4 small rectangular pieces. Try to do this as evenly as possibly. Place one piece of cake onto serving platter. Top with one fourth of the cream. Top with 1 1/2 cups raspberries. Top with another piece of cake. Top with more cream and blueberries. Top with another piece of cake. Top with more cream and strawberries. Top with last piece of cake. Spread with remaining cream and any remaining berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Zucchini in the Garden

I grew zucchini again this year and have had a bumper crop so far. So today I made chocolate zucchini bread and it was divine. Moist and chocolately.

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 Cups Shredded Zucchini
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Dash of salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions

In a mixer, combine your oil, sugars and vanilla. Mix in your eggs and shredded zucchini. In a separate bowl, sift together your flours, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly add this dry mixture into your wet mixture. Beat until combined. Mix in your chocolate chips.

Scrape your batter into a greased 9x5x3 loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, or until done.

Baking Again

These cookies are delicious. Bought some Ontario strawberries today and made these, they are worth making.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling over the cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and remaining sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until moist and fragrant.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the zest/sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have coarse crumbs. Add the cream to the bowl and stir until the dough starts to come together, then gently fold in the strawberry mixture.

Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool. The cookies are best the day they're made, but can be kept in an airtight container for 1 day.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Source: From Pink Parsley Catering.

One of A Kind Show

This year's show was a great success, I sold alot of bags and met alot of great people.

I just got notice that I got into the One of A Kind Spring Sale from March 28th until April 1st. I guess I won't get that January break from sewing, the machine will have to be fired up in the new year. I have a lot of bags to get done. But very excited.

Thanks to all those who came to visit me, help me and those clients that purchased a Krave bag. Happy Holidays!

One of A Kind Show

Yes it is that time of the year again. The show is creeping up and I feel I am so behind in my sewing, not to mention all the other things I have going on. But I promise to be ready so come visit me at Booth O21, I am at the show from Nov 29 thru Dec 4th (last 6 days only).

The Vermont Collection

While I was in Vermont, our wonderful host took us to the fabric store. Since it was our first stop of the day I didn't buy as much as I should have. I bought some great faux fur and some beautiful Chinese Brocades. The brocades were so cheap compared to up here in the great white north, but what else is new, eh? Of course I should have bought more. Here are a few clutches and wristlets from those purchases.

A Visit to Vermont

I recently went on a road trip with some girlfriends to Burlington, Vermont. It started out a bit dicey with downpours of torrential rains and wind for most of the drive. But as we made our way across New York State the clouds finally began to break and we arrived safely in Colchester, Vermont. We visited the friend of a friend and now she is a new friend, funny how that works. This woman has a lovely camp on Lake Champlain where we experienced three fun filled days full of shopping, hiking and good times. Here are a few pics of the glorious outdoors.

We went for a terrific hike at Shelburne Farms, a 1400 acre working farm, framed by Lake Champlain. It was established in 1886 as the agricultural estate of William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb. The relaxing and rejuvinating feeling of the property was intentional. Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of landscape architechture, guided the design of Shelburne Farms to refresh and relax the mind and spirit. The landscape is a beautiful canvas for the mind. Every mile is as beautiful as the next. The farm contains a gorgeous working barn, the summer home which is now an inn, a working dairy and a coach house.

Art of Fashion 2011

On Saturday Oct 1, 2011 I attended the Art of Fashion event in downtown Toronto at the Pantages Hotel. It is an event that is held each year during Nuit Blanche (when art galleries are open to the public from 7pm until sunrise). The event features 10 emerging Canadian designers who are competing for a first place prize. As well as the competition there are 25 Canadian designers, like moi, selling their wares. Although there were thousands of people, there were very little shoppers. However, the event and the whole experience was worth it. My gal pals came down and helped out. Each designer had to design their exhibit area and 5 designs to relect the theme of Choreology (movement and dance).