Fluffy Bunny Basket

I think this may be the last of the polar bear fur, finally. I made Charlie an Easter basket that he will surely think is too cute in a couple of years. I mean, seriously, it has a tail.



Don't worry, we won't be giving Charlie any age inappropriate food (e.g., candy). We have a joke about giving Charlie candy; I eat candy, and claim that it's for him. Does this breast milk taste like Cadbury cream eggs Charlie??

This bag is inspired by this bag on Disdressed. She used a pattern from Zakka Sewing; that book had a long wait list at the library, so I just sewed together a few fabric squares and called it a day. I changed the ears a bit also.

Fabulous Star Lemon Cake

Modified from a Bon Apetit recipe. This cake has a satisfying texture and surprising flavor.

Cake:
1 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground star anise (about 1 star)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon (zest of one lemon)
2/3 cup buttermilk

Frosting:
1 package cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1-3 cups powdered sugar (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a round cake pan, placing a round of parchment paper in the bottom and greasing the sides.

Mix together first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating. Mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake on top rung until top starts to brown and toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

While cake is baking, prepare frosting: Whip cream cheese and butter together, then beat in powdered sugar until frosting is the desired consistency and sweetness. When cake is fully cooled, frost as desired.

Q: Where Have I Been?

A: Exiled from my computer, since it was parked in Charlie's room. But now I've moved it to my bedroom so I can use it while he sleeps. His room is now totally his.


And he owns it.


"What's going on??"


I can't hang anything on the closet doors as they are plastic, so I attached a Doctors Without Borders free map to them with bright blue painters tape.

The plates on the wall are printed with Norman Rockwell images; they are antiques from Geoff's grandmother. The night light is Ikea.




Geoff's quilt from when he was a baby, my mobile, and a beautiful Baby Mod crib from Walmart.


There is a whole lot of Totoro in this room.


Even hiding under the telephone.




I need to get a basket or something for his cloth books that don't fit in the sling - does anyone have a good storage solution for these?


The image on the left is from Etsy vendor mere designs, the wood blocks in the middle came from Finland via Geoff's same worldly grandmother. And the numbers on the right are my own design.