Jackets and skirts and purses, oh my!

So, I gave up on the Martini Weekender Jacket. The written instructions were sort of confusing and I really needed an illustration or two just to figure some things out. I think I'll email Hot Patterns, but I honestly don't love the piece enough to try again. I'm not really a jacket person but I've seen enough What Not to Wear that I hear Clinton and Stacy in my head telling me to "lock and load the girls" in a nice, structured jacket. I personally think the girls are happier in a sweater.

The other reason I shelved the jacket is to work on some pieces to wear during my trip to Montreal at the end of the month. It's a more dressy city than Denver, so I needed some things that weren't yoga pants or cargo capris. I decided on a denim pencil skirt as a great piece I could wear a lot. I found the Simplicity Amazing Fit Skirt 2475 and some lightweight denim at JoAnn's.

I ended up making an inadvertant muslin of the skirt because I realized I needed to shorten the length without losing the fun kick pleats and also, maybe, enhance my bum a bit. My body type is an inverted triangle, so I'm busty with narrow hips (even after 2 kids). I first made the pattern in the Average cut, but found the Slim fit worked much better for me. And I got to put in my first invisible zipper. I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

The other project I wanted to work on was another version of Amy Butler's Frenchy Bag. I found a great Paris-themed home dec fabric and coordinating jaquard fabric for the top and lining.



The pink dots on the lining remind me a bit of Andie's prom dress in Pretty in Pink, but I think the whole effect is really fun. I finished it just the other day and have already taken it out for a spin.

Basil Ice Cream and Scones

A friend of mine brought me a huge bunch of fresh basil when she came over for a playdate, so I've been trying to find ways of using it outside of the ubiquitous pasta-sauce-type thing. I remembered that I had a recipe for basil ice cream, and since I had enough to spare, I tried it.

It is delicious. It's warm and creamy and green all at the same time. I'm not a huge fan of licorice/anise, but I can eat this by the cupful.

Making the ice cream was a bit more involved than I was originally expecting. Instead of steeping the leaves in the cream, then making the custard, you blanch the basil and make a puree with simple syrup; then add this to the cooled custard, strain the whole thing, then put it in the ice cream maker.

I gave a bite to The Boy last night, and while he liked it, he thought it needed to be paired with something else. He suggested a "cheese bowl, made with sharp cheese", but I'm not so sure.

And on a different note, I found a great way to enjoy freshly baked scones without having to make a fresh batch each time.

I'm a fan of scones (probably not the best for my waistline, but there you go). And while I can make the dough and make the whole batch, let's face it, even I probably can't eat a whole dozen in 1 or 2 days. Yes, you can freeze the baked scones, but for me, part of the experience is the warm scone-y smell that wafts through the house while they're baking.

Then, I found a great tip: make the dough, portion and shape each serving, then freeze the unbaked dough. Next time you want a scone or two, take out the portions, let them thaw while you're preheating the oven, then bake at the normal temp for the normal time. It's seriously awesome.