Peppers and scallions and birdcages...oh my!

This week I started some of my gardening for the season. My husband says that I can never grow anything because I just forget about it. I have set out to prove him wrong! (sorry sweetie!)

I built a container for my bell peppers, hot peppers and scallions yesterday so I can start them indoors. I didn't want to buy anything so I used this bottomless box that was just hanging around my dad's workshop. I used some old screen and stapled in on the bottom. I lined it with newspaper and then made containers using more strips of newspaper. We even had potting soil, so the only things I had to buy were the seeds! Let's hope that I can remember to keep the soil moist.

I hope to start more veggies soon, but I have to find a place in the yard that I want to plant these. I am thinking about doing a container garden so I can move it if I want, which is likely to happen. I love to reorganize and rearrange, a trait I inherited from my mother.


Also this week, I tried my hand at making a birdcage veil. Diane of Parsons Photography asked me to make one for an upcoming ad shoot. I had too much fun testing it out! I plan to experiment with different flowers, netting, colors and hopefully I will add feathers! I am a little obsessed with peacock feathers at the moment. I think a black veil with peacock feathers would be super HOT!

I see the sun!

The sun has finally shown itself here in New England! Sophia and I are going to go for a walk to take it all in. This week I have been hard at work making arm warmers. I made my very first Etsy sale this week! ::dance dance:: I also made Brazilian Pastels with my brother. It took some experimenting, but we now know that chives and oregano make the best flavor combination!

Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon of cachaça (or vodka) 1 tablespoon margarine 1/3 cup warm water with 2 pinches of salt ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 egg
PREPARE:
Sift the flour with baking powder. In a large bowl, mix in the sifted flour, margarine, cachaca and egg. Mix well while adding the warm water until you get a dough.  (Or you can prepare the dough in a electric mixer). Move the dough to a flat surface and knead it for 15 minutes. Use a pin to flat the dough. Take half of the dough each time and flatten it with the pin. Fold the dough couple times and flatten it again until you get a thin elastic stripe about 6 inches wide. Lay the stripes down in a floured surface. Place full teaspoons of your favorite filling evenly distributed on the dough. Fold it and cut with a glass or a cookie cutter. Pinch with your finger (or fork) the seam to make sure it is closed. Deep-fry the Pastel at 350 °F for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Pat dry in a paper towel and serve.

We really enjoyed these, next time we are going to try them with salsa and a filling of chives, oregano and maybe some pepper-jack cheese. Let me know if you try any other delicious combinations!

A friend from book club gave me the recipe for chocolate chip meringues, which I hope to try out sometime next week! This weekend is going to be pretty busy. I am meeting with Diane from Parsons Photography to work on my Photoshop skills and then it's straight from there to pick up my sister in Boston. Once we get home, we will be greeted by friends. I'm convinced that they are throwing the party in our honor and not just because they want to have a Good Friday get together! The next morning we are again going to Diane's to do more photo stuff and after that there will be an Easter0 egg hunt at our friend Liss' place! And then, of course, we have to come home and color eggs for our own Easter celebration on Sunday. All of this on top of making not one but two pairs of long fingerless gloves. The second pair is going to be in a charity auction for the West Hartford Rotary!

I don't believe I will get much reading or cooking done this weekend. :)