Refashionista

Recipe: War Cake

Nothing heralds the holidays for my taste buds quite like a slab of war cake next to my morning cup of coffee. This is a traditional recipe in our family, dating back to days of wartime rationing -- this version an adaptation of my great aunt's! It only gets better as it ages, so make two -- one for eating and one for keeping.

Holidays, RecipesMelissa DimockNovember 23, 2010heirloom recipes, low-fat, Nova Scotia, rationing, Recipes, wartime Comments

Great Gifts Under $30!*

Lots of folks are feeling the pinch this year when it comes to holiday spending. Here are some great gift items for under $30 that are functional, stylish, and unique. Make them stand out even more by pairing them with something homemade!

HolidaysMelissa DimockNovember 20, 2010Christmas, gifts, gifts under $30, Holidays, presents Comments

Homemade Holidays

A number of years ago, suffering holiday burnout, I decided to simplify my holidays. Under the "keeping it simple, keeping it fun" motto, I issued myself an annual gifting challenge -- one year everything had to be "previously loved", discovered in thrift stores and antique shops. Another year, I used reusable wrappings for everything -- tea towels and fabric ribbons make great wrapping paper and a gal can never have too many new tea towels! What are your holiday strategies to keep the holidays fun and stress-free?

Holidays, RecipesMelissa DimockNovember 18, 2010DIY, handmade, herbal tea, homemade, Homemade Holiday, loose tea Comments

Point-Form

HolidaysMelissa DimockMarch 18, 2010Baby!, BFF, birthday, birthing, blogging, boys, bullets, bunk beds Comments

20wks

I'm officially at the half-way point in the pregnancy now. I'm feeling a bit more relaxed about it, but still have worries in the back of my mind about something going "wrong". It wasn't until a follow-up u/s with #2 that we realized he had a kidney problem -- that didn't show up at the routine 18wk u/s. I fret a bit that something similar might happen with this one because I now know that it can -- with #1, I was blissfully naive about such things and didn't give them another thought. As far as gender guessing, anything is still possible -- Baby kept legs stubbornly crossed, so we didn't get a peek. This bothered me at first but not so much now. I rather suspect this one is a girl -- probably because I know a girl would cause the most upheaval in our tiny house. ;) [...]