So many gifts flying around!
Since technically, we can consider as part of the Christmas season anything up until the Feast of the Presentation (especially if we are the kind of people who need to un-decorate the house slowly, and if we are, may I recommend doing a little each day, rather than completely neglecting it until Mardi Gras forces our hand), I want to show you a couple of other crafty things.
I also finally made an almond cake I really like, so I want to tell you about that!
{By the way, the Presentation and Candlemas are the same day, February 2. This isn't a case of random piling up of feasts — it never is! I fully realized how the tradition arose last year, when we worshiped with our favorite Anglican Use parish, St. Athanasius. The Anglican hymnody (which these Catholics are allowed to use) is rich in choices for any and every feast, and the hymn we sang that day taught me the connection between the blessing of the candles and the presenting of Our Lord in the temple.}
Anyway, on to crafting.
Long-time friends here will remember my kitchen faux-renovation (meaning that we just made do with what we had where possible) and ugly tiles.
Please ignore old grout. |
For a while I covered them with pot holders, but two problems — pretty pot holders aren't that plentiful in this day and age of seasonal kitchen linens, and also they get dirty up there, and when you wash them, your ugly tiles are exposed again, for however long the laundry takes. I realize some folks might be into late-70s kitsch but I am not. It's the comments to this post that made me see this sad reality, and also that the pot holders might be a lesser, also somewhat kitschy, solution than I thought.
So in the back of my mind I was thinking about a solution… but Habou beat me to it with this awesome owl board. If you follow me on Pinterest you know that I love birds and especially owls!
She painted it herself, of course, and poly'd it so that it can be easily cleaned. It just fits beautifully! As it has to hang quite low to completely cover the three ugly tiles so cleverly strewn across, I decided to embellish with the pear branch. I think it adds balance overall. A branch and a piece of driftwood. And owls. Sigh of happiness!
Also, I don't know if I've shared this tip with you, but have you ever noticed the freezing-cold air pouring in your kitchen via the hood fan? I do use my fan and lights, but I keep these two foam plates tucked in there when the fan is not in use. You just remember to take them out when you turn it on (trust me, you will get a reminder 🙂
And then Rosie had made me this owl pot holder! How cute is that! She saw one on Etsy and thought, I can do something like that! She says that she actually struggled quite a bit with the design to wrestle it from concept into actuality, and perhaps its somewhat anxious, droopy-eared expression belies that process. But I can relate to him! My ears don't always point up either!
Now, on to the cake, which, due to some serious craziness on Sunday, we didn't eat for the Epiphany. No matter, we had it last night for the Baptism of the Lord. It's just so good! Like a light almond pound cake. And super simple.
I used a recipe from Jacques Pepin, but I did change it. For the simple reason that it just doesn't make sense, when a tube of almond paste is 7 ounces, to have a recipe that calls for 4 ounces. I mean, what are you going to do with the rest? Eat it? Which is just what I would do, too, because I find that stuff irresistible. That hardly seems prudent. So in the cake it went.
I used a bundt and crushed up some almond cookies, sprinking some in the bottom of the pan and also on top of the batter. I just wanted more almond flavor, as the cheaper kind of paste I bought wasn't satisfactory, really. Buy the more expensive one, I guess. I also added almond extract and poured Frangelico over afterwards. All delish.
The cake is moist and tender and foolproof. We didn't even have time for any of the extras he calls for (I can't pretend that pouring liqueur over the cake is the same as making a sauce for it), although I did have raspberries in the freezer. Just no time! Didn't matter. It was lovely.
Lisa G. says
So, you're an owl lover? Have you seen this http://efemera-ink.blogspot.com/2010/06/wise.html
I just love these – in case you don't have enough owls already 😉
I'll have to read the rest of this post when I have more time!
Cynthia says
Beautiful pictures! AND, that pot holder? So lovely 😉
I always enjoy your blog Leila. Thanks so much for your words!
Susan says
Adorable owls! Congratulations to Habou AND Rosie!
Have fun with them.
On the almond paste. I have never seen it (though I probably haven't really looked) — but I now have in my freezer ground almond flour (and plenty of it). Do you think it would be possible to use that? Should I add more fat? I mean, the almond flour does sort of stick together a bit till you flake it apart…
Suggestions??
Love, Susan (in lower DE)
Jen says
Ohhh I love little owls too!! They are just so cute and cheery!
Dianna says
As one of the parishioners at St. Athanasius, I am absolutely delighted to hear that you've come to visit us before! Please, please come again! We have two little ones (and hence miss many of the evening Masses) so I must have missed you last year.
April says
What wonderful owl things, I love owls, that potholder would be a fun project, and that wooden painting behind your stove is wonderful!
justamouse says
Hmmm, by the coloring of the owls on the board, and the color of Rosie's owl, I'm wondering if there were phone calls going on between the two. Either that, or the genetics are very strong in your family. 🙂
_Rosie says
Justamouse, we had no idea what the other was up to until we ended up wrapping them at the same time, and started laughing at ourselves!
What can I say? We just all have really good taste. 🙂
justamouse says
You all have excellent taste, that is for sure!
Rabbit says
Everything owl is so cute! 🙂
I live near Jacques Pepin and, at my last job, I used to run into him quite a bit since it was located a few streets from his home. He is a very sweet man and would probably have laughed at your bit about the almond paste and putting all of it into the cake, and then wished you “happy cooking!” as he often does to people telling him about his recipes.
Jenny says
have you ever noticed the freezing-cold air pouring in your kitchen via the hood fan?
This makes me chuckle because it implies that the hood fan vents to the outside which I have heard about but have never actually seen. I wish our fan did more than swirl the smoke around.
PNG says
Love the cute owls.:) Ah, Frangelico…the memories I have of sipping it with Paul at Christmastime when we were so newly married. I kept the tin and keep my rice in it.:) It's a great tin!
Flying Squirrel says
I wish you wrote cook books, too, for us impractical “novel-reading” housewives who need all the elementary advice we can get! Your blog is so delightful and inspiring; I always come away thinking, “Aha, so there IS a solution.”
sibyl says
My word, I was so captivated by the cute owl board (thinking to myself, could I ever in a million years pull that off?) that I nearly swooned with delight when I saw the pot-holder. Just seeing both of those up close was like a present for ME! (I never asked myself if I could pull off the pot-holder, already knowing the answer — negative.)
Happy happy new year to your family. You have quite a following here in the upper Midwest, the place that normally has a lot of snow but right now none.
Lisa G. says
Now I've read your whole post – o happy day that you have such a lovely thing to cover up those tiles – the artwork is so nice – owls for company while you're cooking! Rosie did such a nice job on that pot holder – so neat and cute. What lovely gifts which could only come out of a loving family.
Ashley says
The owl-y gifts are awesome! The painted board is such a creative solution to the tile problem–and I love that potholder. The shape and hand insert are so unusual! It looks like it was a wildly successful crafty Christmas in your house. 🙂
RubberChickenGirl says
Owls are so wonderfully happy! We have a horrid master bath that we cannot afford to attack, but I recently got a kitsch toilet seat with three red-eyed owls on it. They somehow don't look like demons though and I have it sitting next to the toilet waiting to be installed. My husband hates it, but I asked him not to deny me this only happiness I have in that room! ;O)
I too do not like recipes that use partial amounts of an ingredient like 6 T butter or 1/2 can of evaporated milk. If I feel it won't wreak havoc on the recipe I use the whole amount.
Maybe Rose could do a downloadable tutorial for the owl oven mit??
RCG
PS You give me great comfort that you are just now decorating your children's rooms (and in so many other ways).
Lori says
Lovely gifts/decorating solutions. Most of my decorating falls into the category of solutions, it seems. I like the challenge, and it seems you do, too. Wouldn't it be dull if we lived in luxury and could just order up whatever we wanted?
Mary says
Beautiful pictures of some incredible gifts! I love a homemade Christmas…it's just the best. The potholder has given me an idea for next year. My husband is all about pork…hmmm…I wonder if I could make a pig potholder…the ideas are churning in my head…Thanks once again Auntie Leila and Rosie for the inspiration!!
Celine says
Why did I think Jesus was 8 days old at the Presentation? Please, educate me!
_Leila says
Celine, the Presentation celebrates Mary's offering in the Temple for her purification — 40 days after the birth — according to Jewish law. It's a very interesting feast — of course, we know that Mary was already pure. Her obedience demonstrates a lot of truths, including the mystery that when something is \”purified\” in this sense, it (or he or she) is returned to their original state after being called to something higher. Just as the chalice after communion is purified…
So many things to think about there!
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?id=33
The Feast of the Circumcision does occur 8 days after the birth, New Year's Day. This is now celebrated in the new calendar as the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. http://www.churchyear.net/motherofgod.html
You know, often Popes change feasts or emphasize some over others in order to address certain issues that arise in contemporary life. It might be that restoring the Marian aspect to the Christmas celebrations was a reason to make this feast one of Mary's motherhood of the Whole Christ.
Mary says
I have a solution for the owl ears- interfacing (fusible of course because I'm lazy)!
_Leila says
Haha, Mary, yes, but it's not that they \”droop\” is that they are \”droopy\” — i. e. she made them go down rather than up! I don't think I would have noticed, particularly, but she was describing the process of trying to make it all come out right (you know how hard it is to do the backwards thing while you are sewing) and how he came out a sort of depressed owl! 🙂
Margo says
Your owl board is lovely, and I liked the potholders too, but (tee he) I do like those herb tiles from the photo that I followed back.
That's a clever owl potholder, too.
I'm planning to get some almond paste when I make a real fruitcake for Christmas this year (yes, I missed it just this past Christmas, so I'm planning ahead).
Karen says
I was just making snarky remarks to my range hood about the cold air it is letting in! It won't move air out unless there is no heat whatsoever from the range. It will work for a little while if the oven and all burners are off (not helpful) but will shut off as soon as there is heat. I don't know if it is not wired properly or if there is a heat sensor that doesn't work properly, but it sure lets cold air in. Now I know what I can do with those lonely leftover paper plates that I won't use, but won't throw out.
And I would eat the almond paste too. Probably all of it.
Terry says
My range fan has two of those filter thingys and yes, it can let in a LOT of cold air. I have found that a filter just fits inside of a gallon sized ziploc bag and then I pop the filters back in. It is a nuisance when I need to use the fan however, but I keep it to a minimum during winter..
Kim says
Hmmm! I was thinking about the cold air from the filter hood and realized I don't have that problem, because I have some sort of flap thing on the side of the house where the vent comes out! I have found myself very annoyed with that flap when the wind blows, and when it suddenly opens after I've turned the fan on and all of a sudden the fan goes twice as fast! I suppose this is yet another instance of where your blog helps me to count my blessings, as I'd be far too absent-minded to use your foam plate trick. I'm thankful for no trickle of cold air in my kitchen and will think of you and smile when I hear the smack of that little flap during the next windstorm!