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The nursery: I seriously don't know how those mommy bloggers do it. My twins are 11 months old and I'm just now getting around to sharing these nursery photos. Although they are not yet literally walking, they have been running circles around me daily (and nightly) since they were born. Before: And after: Nearly all the elements of this nursery were handmade. The curtains I had planned on sewing myself, but ended up in the hospital on bed rest for the better part of 8 weeks, so my mom graciously did the honors. She also sewed the liners for the... Continue reading

Somebody celebrated Birthday #2 It took me around 3 months after the twins were born, but I did finally turn on my oven and bake something. It's that time of year again - Jackson's birthday. My friend Jill's adorable son Jackson turned two in August and Jill let me make the cake again. While not quite as elaborate as last year's offering, These cupcakes fit in perfectly with Jackson's football themed party. I fashioned an extra large cake board to look like a football field and made a super huge helmet cake for the birthday boy himself. I also made... Continue reading

Astrid and Clover - Born May 12, 2010 Big sister Clover Little sister Astrid This photo was taken yesterday, on their 4-week-old birthday. Every week...every day actually, feels like a huge milestone, and yet it has absolutely flown by. Baking, crafting, knitting, blogging has not made it into my daily routine. Though I received plenty of advice about how my life will change with the birth of my twins, I was wildly unprepared for how much work it would be. I had never had a 24 hour workday before, so I had no idea what I was in for. Though... Continue reading

I've been knitting. ...up a storm. These little babydoll dresses just flew off my needles. Absolutely no seaming was involved. That seems to be my criteria for embarking on a new knitting project. I used Sirdar Snuggly Bamboo DK yarn. It is so easy to work with and the colors are so beautiful. The pattern came from Ravelry which I am absolutely obsessed with. It has become my most trusted source for knitting inspiration, patterns and helpful tips. What are these? Why they're cloth diaper covers, of course. I've read that knitted wool is the best material for a diaper... Continue reading

A baby shower Not just any baby shower. This one was for me and the twins, hosted by my amazing friends, Dana and Jill. It was beautifully planned and executed; every detail carefully thought out - even down to the colors of the beverages and the sprinkling sugar on the cupcakes. The lovely hostesses and I. To my tremendous delight, the entire menu for the event was 100% VEGAN! The cupcakes were from Flying Apron Bakery. All the other food was made by Dana and Jill. It was absolutely fantastic! Even the omnivores were quite impressed. Partygoers Grandma, myself, Mom... Continue reading

Vegan Chocolate Stout Cake Oops. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Britain and was captured as a slave by Irish raiders when he was about 16 years old. He toiled as a herdsman for 6 years and eventually escaped back to his family in Britain. After joining the Church, he returned to Ireland as a bishop where he lived and worked in the mid to late 5th century. Legend credits St. Patrick with banishing the snakes from Ireland, but scientific evidence (read: Wikipedia) reports that Ireland never had snakes. Possibly the snakes refer to the serpent... Continue reading

Beatrix Potter Decoupage Changing Table/Dresser When I found out I was pregnant, my mom, who had been eagerly anticipating this event for a very, very long time, immediately jumped into action. She, of course being very familiar with my tastes, knows that I have a fondness for vintage items and began hunting for unique, classic nursery decor. She hit the jackpot at a local bookstore that was sadly going out of business. They had a number of old prints and illustrations from children's books that had been gathering dust in the basement of the bookstore since the '50's. She scooped... Continue reading

Sweet Pea Cardigan Did you know about this? This 'babymoon' thing. It really exists. Parents-to-be are supposed to whisk themselves away to some tropical destination as some sort of a 'last hurrah' before the baby comes. Relax and reconnect with one another...before it's too late. To each his own, I guess, but this just seems like one more example proving that this baby-having business is a RACKET. Have you checked the price tags in some of these maternity boutiques? Not to mention the baby gear. They would have you think that all of it is absolutely essential of course, right... Continue reading

Mary came with our house. At one time she presided over an intensely overgrown yard choked of all daylight by dozens of unpruned trees and a 6 foot privacy fence. She stood underneath a sickly noble fir that the previous owners had brought back from a hiking excursion in the Cascades. Our neighbor told us that they were wont to engage in this sort of activity and our jungle-like front yard proved it. I have described before our unrelenting siege in taming the profusion of plant matter that we inherited with this house. The overgrown vines, trees and weeds were... Continue reading

Caramel Nut Bars In our 'Preparing for Multiples' class, Brian and I learned that one of the signs that a person is going into labor is 'nesting', e.g., obsessively cleaning the house, sanitizing, organizing. Brian joked that I must have been in labor for the past 6 years. Very funny. It's true, I'm kind of a neat freak. I have an entire collection of toothbrushes expressly set aside for specific cleaning projects. I clean up non-existent dust bunnies under my bed every day. You could eat a sloppy joe off my toilet seat and I like it that way. Although... Continue reading

For you, Valentine I love Valentine's Day. I could care less about its supposed 'Hallmark-ization'. Bah. Dreary February is the perfect time of year for a holiday, especially one expressly for the celebration of love. When we first started dating, Brian didn't even know on which day of the year Valentine's Day falls. 'It's sometime in February, right?' Well, he has since come around a little bit. In fact, he is in the kitchen as I type prepping for our dinner of Yellow Finn Potato Gnocchi with Beet-Merlot Reduction, Roasted Beets and Walnuts from The Artful Vegan cookbook. Isn't he... Continue reading

I adore knitting baby clothes, don't you. They're so quick. Through the years, I've gained positively loads of experience with all things baby: miniature blankets, socks, sweaters, hats and mittens. Most of my projects have been gifts for my nieces, Madeline and Adrienne, or for my friends' kids, of which there are many. Well, the time has come to usher in a new era here at Briana's Knitting Factory. I have now begun knitting items that will stay in-house. Sadly, all my friends who have babies in the future will most likely be opening store-bought baby shower gifts from me.... Continue reading

I have deemed today Oscar/Mommy Day. With a relatively clear schedule and nothing that can't be pushed out until tomorrow, I thought we would have a special day together. The recent home improvements we've been engaged in, and our utter disaster of a household during the kitchen project, have made poor Oscar a little on edge. We started the day by sitting in his favorite chair by the window; Oscar watching the joggers and dog walkers pass by and I checking my email. We then set out on our (what seems like daily) trip to Home Depot for some serious... Continue reading

Kitchen 2010 Our little kitchen project is finished! Although the less than desirable view into our neighbor's carport/art studio/toolshed has not changed, nearly everything else has. Our parents joined forces and generously gifted us with a new dishwasher, a disposal, the plumbing services required for both appliances, new countertops, a new bank of drawers and countless man hours installing these items, sanding and refinishing cabinets and painting, painting, so much painting. It is one of the most amazing and elaborate Christmas gifts Brian and I have ever received and we are so thankful. If you saw my previous post, you... Continue reading

Kitchen Makeover Sneak Peek The impetus: A dishwasher There she is. She is so lovely. For Christmas, Brian and I were the recipients of a supremely generous and coveted gift from both my parents and his parents. A dishwasher. Our house, having been built in 1938, did not feature one of these blessed mainstays of modernity and we just chalked it up as part of the charm of living in an old house. We are not too pansy to get our hands wet. We hosted annual Thanksgiving feasts for 15 people and did dishes for 2 days afterwards. 'Man up!'... Continue reading

Cupcakes Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting I am waiting for the plumber. He was supposed to be here at 8:30 AM; it is now 10:00. The audacity required to show up one and a half hours late to an appointment defies all credulity. I should take this extra time at home to do something productive like pay bills, or something relaxing and informative like peruse this month's Sunset magazine. Yet I am paralyzed. I am seething with fury over what an asshole this guy is. Except the truth is, our plumber isn't an asshole at all. He is... Continue reading

Have any resolutions? Wheat Berry Salad My resolution, as usual, is to eat healthier. Not necessarily to eat less overall - less sugar, or less carbs, or fewer Mighty O Donuts. I've actually resolved to eat more. More of the good stuff: fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C, essential fatty acids. Here's what I'm going for: 6 servings of whole grains, 4 servings of veg, 4 servings of fruit, 4 servings of dairy alternatives, and 3 servings of protein (tofu, tempeh, legumes, nuts, seeds). That's a lot of food. I've found that in order to get all 21 servings in... Continue reading

Norwegian Christmas Specialties - Krumkake, Fattigmann & Spritz My grandma's name is Joy. It's her real name, the one she's had all her life, but if you didn't know that, you would think it was just one of those incredibly apropos nicknames like a tall guy named Stretch. My grandma could truly not be more filled with joy. She is vivacious and ebullient with the kind of exuberance that is instantly contagious. And what seems to bring her the most joy is her large, closeknit family, something she expresses thanks for every time we are in her presence. My grandma... Continue reading

Last year around this time I did something perfectly antithetical to my character. I didn't decorate my home for Christmas. I'm serious. Not a light, not a candle, not even a poinsettia made its way past my front door. I really don't even remember the reason why. The only plausible explanation is that I went temporarily insane. Not decorating is so...not...me. I'm the girl who showed up at 8:00 am on my then boyfriend (now husband's) doorstep with a 7 foot tree, fully ignoring his declaration of not being a big fan of holiday decorating. Sorry Brian, if you're going... Continue reading