Across the United States

I've been traveling, so no cooking. I went through both of my grandmothers collections of recipe books and the only thing semi-interesting I could find was an old Wilton cake decorating book. P.S I walked into my grandma's kitchen in California (she changes kitchen theme's ALL the time) guess what her kitchen theme was? Chocolate!!! Just like mine. She wanted to give me all of her chocolate stuff, but I told her to send it to me when she decided to change her kitchen. It was CRIZAZZY!

I'm sitting at my best friends house right now with the dog. Trying to figure out my plan for when I return home. The first thing I want to do is try a 10 day vegetarian challenge. I also need to purge my refrigerator. I have discovered that purging the refrigerator and pantry needs to be a weekly routine BEFORE you go to the grocery store. The only problem is time....

My goal before Thanksgiving is to make a few successful pies COMPLETELY from scratch the old fashioned way. I'll have to bring them to school to be eaten. Pie crusts scare me and I'll need to get a rolling pin. I have been successful at the fillings...so I will begin the giant leap into pie crusts...I think I need to get a hold of this book  http://www.amazon.com/Retro-Pies-Collection-Celebrated-Recipes/dp/1888054794 and this book http://www.amazon.com/Retro-Baking-Classic-Contest-Winners/dp/1888054956

P.S I am DEFINITELY planning on having a Harry Potter Party for when the new Harry Potter movie comes out. Stay tuned for updates.

String, Cloth, Tin and Things

I haven't been cooking a lot lately because I've been trying to open a community production of "The Sound of Music." So I haven't been home for breakfast, lunch/or dinner.....the show opened this weekend.

I HAVE been sewing and Crocheting though. (I rode the train home for my birthday. You'd be amazed how much you can do on a five hour train ride when you are not interrupted by phone calls, the television or your cats.) I made this cardigan in pink:

 

I've also been working on this bag:
The only problem is, the pattern is a little weird, so I've had to take it out several times. So it's not finished. Sad Day!
I sewed a swimsuit cover up from a 60's pattern my grandma gave me a while back, it was WAAAY too long so I have to shorten it. But the whole ensemble I'm making to coordinate with my swimsuit this year:

No. I'm not bleached blonde and REEEdiculously skinny. But the suit is just flattering and OH SO Cute!

So that's the first ensemble I've been working on.

The second outfit I recently bought for a Gala I'm going to in Pittsburgh in about a week and a half. There is are a TON of vintage clothing stores on the strip by my house, Donna's Dress Shop in particular is one of my favorites. I bought a 1960's purple cocktail dress with a grey belt. Now all I need are some grey heels to go with it. 

For my birthday, my friend Sheila an I went Antique shopping, she bought me some yellow retro cannisters for my kitchen. I <3 them!

I bought a cookbook Entitled "the way to a man's heart Your Gas Range Cook Book" I love vintage and quirky cookbooks. I have about 7 or 8 of them now.This one has really fun illustrations, and the title just cracks me up.

Sheila also got me a much needed set of kitchen knives. Now all I need is a rolling pin, and a couple specialty pans. I so want a casserole dish, and would collecting jello molds be completely crazy? For the fourth of July I attempted the layered jello in a parfait dish. It just doesn't look as positively *lovely* as the jello in the mold now does it?