BitterSweet

When you use up all of the flour and sugar stored in your home, isn’t yarn the most appropriate alternate material?

Atleast that’s what I think. Neither the donut nor the cupcakes are new patterns to me, but I really don’t see how anyone could get tired of making them. Cute and easy, I could probably make two or three fuzzy pastries in a day, no problem. Although these weren’t knit up with anyone in particular in mind, they will still undoubtedly be distributed as holiday gifts within a few weeks. It never hurts to have spares, especially in case something falls through at the last minute, or unexpected people suddenly become a part of your holiday gift list.

Usually I bake up tons of sweets to hand out to these extra people, which is always graciously accepted, but I still would prefer to give out things that will last beyond the week so that they can [hopefully] be treasured, not just remembered.

With presents as sweet as these, I figure that at the very least, it would be pretty hard to forget!

Merely glancing outside towards the more heavily wooded areas of my backyard, it is no secret that the natural preparations for a long freeze are already in full swing. Scores of various types of wildlife can be seen all over, and sometimes in impressive numbers as well. Most commonly found are deers and squirrels of course, but I’ve also observed the activities of foxes, hawks, flocks containing hundreds of tiny birds, and there is even rumored to be a coyote somewhere around these parts. The trees may appear barren and naked, but acorns and other edible plants are still plentiful, waiting to be stored away for harsher times.

With such an impressive array of animals visiting my home, I didn’t think that anything would be too surprising to discover out there. That was before I noticed an unusual creature shuffling about the base of a large tree, just on the fringes of my peripheral vision. Thoroughly intrigued, I ran outside to get a closer look to better identify this mysterious newcomer.

Not even my wildest guess would have come close to the truth that was revealed as my eyes focused in on this curiosity. It was none other than a Totoro, a creature previously considered to be a myth! Rotund and jolly, my new acquaintance appeared to be very friendly, not the least bit perturbed by this odd looking human hoovering over him. About to tempt fate and reach out to him, I stopped short when I noticed something quivering strangely behind him…

It was a second, smaller Totoro! For all his shyness, he still managed assert his position and make himself seen, attempting to gather all the bravery he could summon to continue the task at hand. I couldn’t help but wonder if Totoro hibernate for the winter, or if they simply make themselves scarce like usual. There was no time to ponder this however, as they were both in quite a hurry to return to the safety of the dense tangled brush at the perimeter of our property.

I doubt I’ll ever see them again, but I still hope that they find a warm and welcoming shelter in time for the colder weather. It would be a tragedy to loose such a rare species to a cruel season.

Back in early October when I first learned of the Vegan Pal Swap, I have to admit I was rather reluctant to join. I know, vegan foods and crafts; It was perfect for me and I truly did want to join… But it’s so much work, and I already had so much on my plate at the time. With a little cajoling and convincing, I threw up my arms and accepted the fact that I didn’t really have a choice in joining the swap. Before long the partners were announced, and how excited was I to be paired with Michelle! Having read her blog since before mine was even in existence, it was quite a treat to learn more about her personally.

…And then the honeymoon period ended. Time was slowly ticking away, and I soon found myself in a pinch not only to figure out what to make, but to get it out there before the deadline. Since I am notorious for procrastinating given half a chance, I wanted to get my bundle of vegan love out there with time to spare… But the window of opportunity was closing fast. An amazing bit of luck came my way on a thrifty venture one afternoon when I just happened to find an unpainted teapot, and I knew exactly what to craft.

I NEVER, and I mean NEVER paint. Years ago I attempted to color a single canvas with simple acrylic paint… and I’m still embarrassed that I didn’t burn it immediately after completion. Of course, none of this occurred to me in the thrift store because the teapot was so perfect, it was destiny, right? At home, it sat alone on top of protective newspaper, surrounded by the brand new paints and brushes, just waiting for a little kindly attention.

How I loathed that teapot. Why would it expect me to devote hours to it when I couldn’t even stand being in the same room as someone else in the act of painting? What a horrible, half-baked idea this was. There was no way to go back either, with the days falling away like the grains of sand in an hour glass, never to be heard of again.

I couldn’t undo this terrible transgression and I accepted that, so there was nothing to do but suck it up and face this piece of porcelain hell. Sitting with brushes poised, I hesitated still, but figuring there was nothing left to do, I hastily slopped on a base coat in a cheerful lime green. Good enough, I supposed. The real pain would be the details.

While there is truth in that statement, it certainly wasn’t the death of me. I was actually impressed with how much my bunnies looked like… Well… Bunnies! Coming from the person who NEVER paints, it wasn’t half bad! To fit the swap a little better, I figured that animals and berries are the perfect “vegan” themed pattern out there, seeing as I have yet to meet a vegan who doesn’t love both.

Finally, the deed was done, and all I needed was to paint the very top of the lid so that it resembled a strawberry - It was the exact shape after all!

The rest of what I sent off wasn’t so interesting, and therefore has few photos in which to document it. Lacking sufficient funds for anything else really amazing, I poked through my mothers old vintage sewing patterns and selected two to share, since it seemed to be a common passion. At the last minute, I cooked up a big batch of vegan fudge, adding in a few generous dollops of raspberry jam to up the ante a little bit. [Unfortunately there were some packing issues with the fudge, which I'm still so sorry about! Argh, next time I'll make some food that's easier to send through the mail - I didn't really consider that when I was brainstorming for the swap!]

Oh, and at the last minute I threw in a simple crocheted bunny magnet. Nothing to write home about, but I though its silliness was a nice touch to soften an otherwise serious package.

I feel like my end of the swap still left much to be desired, so I’m really sorry that I couldn’t come up with anything else for you, Michelle. Maybe next time I’ll atleast remember that I NEVER paint, and therefore won’t waste most of a month attempting it again.

My internal clock is ticking again, but it has nothing to do with having relationships or screaming, drooling babies. Forget about people, all I want to associate with for the next month is my trusty stand mixer and oven.

Every year I begin making a pile of holiday cookies, cakes, and other baking ideas as soon as January begins, so by the time it’s appropriate to make them, I have a literal heap of papers to sort through. Buche de noel, gingerbread houses, sugar cookies… I must make them all. So many new recipes and ideas of my own, I think I’d having to start baking from sunrise to sunset until the 25th to get through even half of them! But never mind that, I’m still going to attack with vigor as if it wasn’t such an impossible aspiration.

Strangely enough, my first cookie out of the oven wasn’t edible at all, and was made intentionally so! Before you think my head is still clouded from those Thanksgiving spirits, take a look for yourself, because sometimes the best treats are ones you actually can’t eat.

Pour yourself a comforting mug of hot coffee and grab a giant gingerbread man, the holidays have just begun! All I need now is for the snow to come down and the whole scene would be perfect. I must say, I make a mean vegan gingersnap, but I think I should give my poor oven a rest after serving me so well for my feast only a few days ago. Instead, my hook has been lonely during all of the preparations for my big dinner, and only too happy to help me create a new yarn-based treat.

My “icing” around the sides is a bit messy, but I was rushing to finish before the sun went down so I could get decent pictures. Besides that, I’m not so fabulous at doing crocheted edgings in such tight twists and turns, especially when the two layers are thick with stuffing between them. Nonetheless, I think he’s a wonderful cookie, real or not, and a great way to start easing into the mad rush to work through my stack of waiting recipes!

Black Fridays has descended upon us once again, and I can barely contain my excitement. Such an American thing it is to go out and buy things to celebrate the season, cramming far too many bodies into confined spaces and battling it out with random strangers over another useless piece of plastic crap. I absolutely love it. If I could just sit in a packed store all day and video tape all of the aimless aggression needed to win something that nobody needs… Well, that would just about make my day off from school perfect.

I’m sorely tempted to exacerbate the problem further, because I really can’t leave well enough alone. It’s all I can do right now to restrain myself from marching into some random home appliance store and try to return a pair of socks, holding up the already lengthy lines while I argue quite seriously that their socks are completely unacceptable, and that of course I bought them here, look at the bag I brought them in! It matches doesn’t it? Therefore, it must be from this store!

I’m so sorry everyone, this particular celebration of consumerism simply brings out my vicious side, and while I find it plenty entertaining on its own, how could I not feel the urge to join in on the madness? I see the riot over some stupid trinket, and I want to join in for no good reason but to increase the chaos further. Maybe this is why I make all of my own gifts; Shopping makes me a tad… Crazy? This is the one day of the year where my juvenile scheming gets the best of my otherwise tame sensibility, so don’t worry, I’m almost never like this otherwise!

Anyways, it is now undeniably “Christmas time,” and I need to start putting the pedal to the metal in terms of my crafting activities. Anticipating the glorious incoming snow that can’t be too far off, I knitted up a quick pair of mini-mittens to accommodate cold little hands.

Newborns are popping up everywhere I turn, so it never hurts to knit up some baby items whenever a pattern strikes my fancy. These in particular are intended for a sweet little boy, born a mere handful of months ago. He’s probably still just getting used to the current environment, so it never hurts to bundle up early.

I still have tons of work to do to prepare for holidays that now loom ominously overhead like storm clouds ready to burst, so I’ll continue to occupy myself with that business. I promise you I’ll do my best to stay out of stores today… But the potential for mayhem is so tempting… Just be aware that the person ahead of you in line, raving at the cashier about a faulty product… You never know, it could be me.

If I ever had doubts that there was anything in my life I had to be thankful for, I don’t think there ever will be again. Even if nothing is ever again like it last night, I will still be grateful for the fact that it occurred at all.

Every previously Thanksgiving that I could remember had been miserable. For the past two years, I’ve either been hospitalized or just so sick I can’t even scrape a solid recollection of the day together. Even before that, all I can recall is just suffering through the dull conversations that carefully excluded me, eventually ending in a lack-luster dead carcass to feast upon. The whole event was merely about waiting for it to be over. Never before had I even considered hosting my own dinner, and even when I said that very proposal aloud it seemed completely unreal to me. Although I did waver (Many times, in fact) this plan did end up coming to fruition, and I couldn’t have been happier that it did.

All I have to share are pictures of the food [and not even all of it; There was so much, and it was all eaten so fast!] because I’m not sure if all of my friends would be happy if I posted their pictures here without asking first. None of them were very flattering either, so I think I’ll be doing everyone a favor not to. As limited a view as it can provide, I am very proud of the meal I was able to present, with the help of others. What didn’t get photographed was the delicious squash soup brought by Sven, the impressive asparagus casserole made by Sarah, a loaf of freshly baked bread from Aly, and the lovely dish of glazed carrots from Skids. I didn’t get a picture of the chickpea gravy I made myself either, but that’s all the better anyways, since gravy never looks half as good as it tastes.

The main dish was still turkey, but in the form of tofu, of course! This is a shot of them still marinating, because they were devoured as soon as they left the oven. The marinade was a simple mix of soy sauce and veggie stock with some spices, and then they were baked in a 375 degree oven for… 45 minutes? Not so sure, but they came out great. The “tofurkey” was my main concern, because I wasn’t sure if it would hold its shape and still taste good, but my worries were apparently unnecessary. All 14 little tofu birds were eaten between 11 people.

For the stuffing, I prepared a mix of brown and wild rice which was cooked in more veggie stock and onions. After it had absorbed all of the liquid in the pot, celery and mushrooms were stirred in and easy as that, the dish was served! For something so basic, I really liked how this one came out.

It looks messy, I know, but that’s because it is. I had something of a brain fart and tried to mash my cauliflower in the wrong bowl which couldn’t hold it all… Ah well, it all worked out anyways. I started working from the recipe found here, but half way through I stopped paying attention to the written directions and did whatever was possible to arrive at a similar dish in the end. And it was still very tasty nonetheless!

For dessert, we started off with two pints of Soy Delicious ice cream brought by Miles… I don’t remember exactly which anymore, but I don’t think there is much left of them anymore.

To accompany a scoop of the soy ice cream, I made a small platter of sugar cookie and ginger bark. Nothing really specially, but they still definitely fit the bill.

The big finale was when I brought out the cookies and cream cupcakes as a belated birthday celebration for Nato. Since there is no longer a trace that they ever once existed in this household, I think that they were fairly successful.

It was all wonderful, but food aside, I had a really great time. I’m so happy that everyone could come and make it what it was. Honestly, I’m thankful to know such amazing people… and the fact that they all seemingly care about me? I don’t think I really deserve that.

Thank you, and also thank you everyone out there in the blogosphere for your patience with me. My email has been a bit constipated lately so I’m not trying to avoid your questions or anything like that! Hopefully posting activities on my end will return to normal for a while now, since I no longer need to stress over this dinner, and my package for the Vegan Pal Swap is now in transit. Thank goodness!

And on that note… After all that cooking, preparing, and worrying, I think I’m going to sleep for a long, long time now.

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I just want to appoligize to everybody for the slackened pace in my posting, and especially for not responding to all of the heartwarming comments I’ve received lately. There’s just been so much going on, what with the upcoming holidays, deadlines for college applications… I’m in over my head here. I still have a whole list of finished projects I’m chomping at the bit to share with you, it just may take longer to get to it. I’m sorry, I’ll do my best to get back on track!

It’s true, vegan cupcakes really are taking over the world, starting with the vast blogosphere of hungry vegans! More than happy to do my part in the invasion, I took it upon myself to try out another recipe from the book for a friend’s birthday, to much delight.

Although they’re called “Chocolate Stout Cupcakes,” named for their creative use of beer, I opted to exclude the measure of alcohol in favor of more soymilk instead. Hey, don’t look at me like that; I had tp bring them to school, after all! To make up for the lack of spirits, I threw some chocolate chips on top with the strussel, figuring it was a mind-altering substance that was equally as potent.

The certainly rose to the occasion, much more than I had even expected. It probably had something to do with the fact that I managed to funnel batter into only 9 paper cups, whereas the recipe was supposed to make one dozen. No real loss in my opinion, since that means each mini-cake gets even more strussel all to itself.

A happy birthday indeed!

There are some people I know that love animals, but could never make the commitment of caring for a pet. I fully understand that to be a fact of our busy lives, what with school, work, and various obligations every day - It’s a lot of work to keep another living being happy and healthy, especially when they can’t really communicate their specific needs. The next step down from housing an animal involves caring for a plant, which can be oddly fulfilling to many individuals. It’s still alive and therefore dependent on your love, so it’s really not such a strange practice to find rewarding. They’re beautiful, inviting, and you only need to remember to feed them every two days or so.

However, there is still a fair amount of people (Caring, thoughtful, wonderful people, no less!) that are completely incapable of preventing a once thriving pot of flowers or what have you from turning into detritus in a matter of days. I hold nothing against these select people, nor do I judge them for their apparent negligence; Honestly, life happens.

For this group who are clearly not destined to be gardeners or care-takers of any sort, I may have found the solution. Certain plants are a lot heartier, naturally able to withstand harsh conditions… And so are fake plants, too! They’ll still keeps you company and can easily be found in any average craft store, but why buy something when you can just as easily make it?

There’s no denying it, real or not, cacti kick ass. We’ve had our pot of [real] cacti for longer than I can remember, but I’m positive that in my entire lifetime they have not grown even a full inch. They live forever on practically no nourishment and are almost guaranteed to look exactly the same for years on end. They’ll never surprise you by leaving “presents” in your slippers like a conventional pet might, and they won’t immediately expire if you forget to feed them once or twice.

For those who still can’t handle the proposition of being in charge of anything with any life to it, my knit cactus began from the basic concept illustrated on craftster. I added arms by putting a couple stitches on waste yarn, casting the same number back on in the same place, and then continuing with the main body until it reached a satisfactory height. Once complete, I returned to the open holes and used short row shaping to make the extremities point upward.

Now that I have a dog, real plants, and a fake cactus, it’s not so lonely here at home anymore!