no leavening for you!

Here's lunch time in the kitchen  at etsy headquarters in Brooklyn.  I posted a report of  my behind-the-scenes tour  over at Two Shear Spirits, my much neglected blog with Joan Tapper. Go, look, read. It was  peeking behind the curtain in Oz. Except without that weird wizard guy or multicolored horses. But with Toto-like dogs.

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Happy Passover to those observing. I made  kickass matza balls last night. I was so pleased with this particular batch I wanted to photograph them in their partially cooked glory. But, is there any cuisine less photogenic than Ashkenzaic Jewish?  I'd have had to suspend operations and style them beyond reality.  So, instead, here's a link about the White House seder.  Growing up, this is a scene that we'd maybe imagine in a comedy sketch, in that ironic stretching the humor way.  An African American president leading a seder? In the White House?  Love it!

I'm making macaroons tomorrow. Maybe they'll be prettier.

almost a movie title

Except we have no doorbell, and I'd call her a postal delivery person. So,
The PO knocked once:

When my oldest bff said she was sending a care package, I knew it'd contain her Imperial Cookies. I suspected, correctly, it'd contain some cuts of shot cotton because we are on a mutual quest for it, and she'd called me from Spool a couple of weeks ago exclaiming over the checkered colors.

What I didn't know is she'd been to a flea market and found these vintage resin buttons with seeds and beans in them. Which she correctly knew I'd be crazy about.

Not sure what I'll do with them but for sure something knit. And maybe something sewn like an apron. And maybe some will go on etsy.

The PO knocked twice, in abundance of thoughtful friends:

Do I not have the most beautiful potholder in the world? All during the Thanksgiving cooking, people kept telling me it was too pretty to use, it should be on the wall. Considering I'd enshrined a warshrag there earlier this year, I liked the way they were thinking. Except I really needed a new potholder so it went to work.

and a mid century modern cookbook sponsored by an insurance company, I love them!

Hand crocheted & felted & gifted by my blog pal Ellen Bloom, who rocks crochet in a way I rarely see elsewhere.
Exception maybe the character Felicity in Pirate Radio. Seriously, she is wearing a different piece of crochet in every scene.(Wish I could find a better still from the film online to show you what I mean but you can surely pick her out in the group.) It was incredibly distracting and craft inspiring. Made me want to whip up some granny squares while blasting the Stones and dancing. All at the same time.

consumer affairs

You'll never hear "retail therapy" or "relax & go shopping" from me. There're exceptions, but generally, aaagh, just poke out my eyes with lace Addis, OK? Yet I am here to testify on two happy purchases.

Exhibit a: internet purchase. Yarn for the Sage Remedy Top. I decided I needed a cotton blend, and it must be pale greyish purple. Do you think I was influenced by what was blooming?

umm, yeah, could be. And the yarn budget? Very very low. I like my LYS, all of 'em, but they had not what I wanted. Rescue me, Knitting Garden! I did you all a favor, linked right to a closeout page, that's where I found my perfect yarn for this project.

Marked down to fit in the rice-n-beans budget. The Sage Remedy is 19 stockinette rows underway. I'm leaving off the ribbing on the bottom and letting it roll, which'll nicely mimic the neck.

exhbit b: trying to rent the movie Woodstock a couple of years ago we found it was never released on DVD and every video store and library around had it stolen.So much for peace love & sharing, right?. We were debating plunking down our closely guarded bucks for the just released 40th anniversary dvd version when I happened to stop at the best video rental place around, conveniently named Best Video (and is it ever). I was at the counter ready to rent the cult film Billy Jack. I bet if you were old enough to see it then, like me in junior high, you can burst into the theme song now, oh, OK, I'll make it extra easy for you:
So I'm standing there when I notice a 2 tape VHS set of Woodstock on their counter. I asked if I can rent it , they reply " hey, you buy it for $2.". GROOVY. Peace , love and stockinette.