A small break

I have been avoiding all work related to sewing and cooking for the last few days. I guess my body just needed some time to rejuvenate. Now that I'm rested up I'm going to dive right back in and finish up those last few gifts on my list. I'm leaving next Wednesday so I have no time to lose. And of course Ayla's diapers are being pushed back to the bottom of the pile. In all honesty we can get by with what we've been doing but it would just look more 'presentable' if I finished them up properly. On another note, we caved and bought some disposables just in case. I'm not sure how it's going to work out with the washing and drying of cloth diapers every two days while we're rushing here and there to see family and friends so we figured it would be safer this way. But I can honestly say that it really hurts me to use them and I'll probably try not to if I can avoid it. I really feel passionately about cloth especially since I've started using them and I'd hate for Ayla to have all those chemicals and crap they put in disposables up against her skin. And then I just think to myself, 'Omg! That will be 72 diapers I've committed to a landfill!'. I know I'm anal.

So last weekend I went to a potluck lunch with my girlfriends and had an amazing time. I brought some Mango-Ginger Tofu, Mango Summer Rolls and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes. The first two came from Vegan with a Vengeance and the last was from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Everything turned out wonderfully and I'm so glad because I usually don't like serving anyone things I've never made before. I told Alex that I'd definitely consider making this for the family over the holidays because I loved the way it turned out.

After that filling lunch we all exchanged gifts and I got to give away the two aprons I've not yet posted on the blog. I'm so proud of them and I can't wait to make my own apron now after having worked on these two. I didn't have a pattern for either of them, I basically knew the design I wanted for both of them then just traced it out on tissue paper and worked from there. When I sew like that I call it 'organic'. Both of them suited the recipients very well. I wish we had thought to take a picture with them actually in the aprons. Maybe next time! I also gave some of my cupcakes away and the pinstriped charming handbag I wrote about on my last post. All very well received.

Now on to my gifts! I LOVED everything! I couldn't get over how thoughtful the girls had been! I mean everything I got was exactly what I wanted. You know how sometimes it's hit and miss with gifts but this time around it was all hits! I've already read each book cover to cover and just tonight I used my cookbook stand with a two recipes from my new cookbook, Eat, Drink and Be Vegan (another amazing cookbook by Dreena Burton!). And I'm contemplating making a gift from the Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts book as well. It's just all perfect! I'm saving the PJs I got for when I go to Montreal and I'm so happy I got them because they'll really come in handy since they've had more than one snow storm over there already! Blah. So all in all I'm thrilled with my gifts and can't wait to give and receive more. Oh, I should also mention that Ayla got some great clothes that she really really needed and a gift box set of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little. I'm contemplating when I should start reading them to her. I've never read Charlotte's Web (I know for shame!) but I would like to enjoy it with her but that won't be for a little while yet so I might just go ahead and read it to her now. I'm sure we'll read it over and over again before I get tired of it. In any case, her clothing is all washed and ready to be packed. I can't wait for the family to meet her. I think this just might be my best/favorite Christmas ever!
Just a few random pictures that I've taken over the last few days. First up is tonight's dinner Blackened Tofu with the Autumn Purée both from my new cookbook Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. Loved, loved, loved this recipe! I'll definitely be making it again. I also had some leftover coffee butter cream icing from my Toasted Coconut cupcakes so I decided to make some chocolate cupcakes using my new black cocoa (Yes!) that I got shipped to my friend Twee's place and then had her bring to me here (why can't there be a distributer in Canada?!). These cupcakes are so black it's unbelievable! And the flavor is so intense it's like eating an Oreo cupcake. Heaven!

Next is the Pancake recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance. I had read on Vegan Dad about how good these pancakes were and had to give them a try. And they don't disappoint! I think the key to making great pancakes is using a cast iron pan. Those pans make every pancake turn out a winner I swear it never fails!
And last, a picture of all my cookbooks that I've collected on top of my fridge. I'm quite proud of my collection and I love looking at them up there. Still, there's so many more that I want that I suspect I'll need to be getting a bookcase very soon.