ain't nobody got a best friend like danie.

my favorites.

Dear Carole, Joni, Billie, Ella, and Carly,

You got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart. Then people gonna treat you better, you're gonna find, yes you will, that you're beautiful as you feel. Carole King proverbs.

You gal pals get me through the day. I never get bored of you. I think you make me feel strong. My mornings are swingin', my afternoons filled with poetry, and my nights calmer than they should be. You're the perfect soundtrack for every moment. I'm sure you have all the answers to my problems somewhere in all of those words.

You're practically perfect in every way. Can we hang out together?

Love,

Danie

Mark my words; something in my future will be named Joni Mae. It might be a small French bulldog.

jewish apple cake.

I have a Grandma Barbie. She's actually one of the best people in the world. She sends me packages for every "unimportant" holiday. Recently, she's been really into sending popcorn--I shall not complain. But usually these packages contain socks that go with the holiday--I shall not complain. 

I love my grandma crazy town amounts. I have her cheeks, her love of collecting, her desire to have fun. She tried to get me to part my hair on the side before it was cool, she used to bring me happy meals when I stayed home sick, and this year for Halloween, she dressed up as a bumblebee. We get along. She's why every important person in my life is nicknamed -insert name-face. Nicoleface, Kevinface, Mommyface. Everyone.

She's where my Jewish heritage comes from. So I dedicate this apple cake to her. Also, Hanukkah's coming up and I'm really getting into the spirit. 

Vegan Jewish Apple Cake

3 apples: peeled, cored, and cubed

1 Tbs cinnamon

2 1/2 Tbs sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/2 cup non-dairy milk mixed with 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar (or the equivalent of two egg replacements)

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 8x8 cake pan

Toss together apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside. In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry and then add egg replacements. Mix until combined. 

Pour half the batter into the cake pan and spread evenly. Arrange half the apples on top. Pour other half of batter into pan and add the second half of the apples on top of that. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean.

Dust top with powdered sugar if desired.

seasonal knit picks.

Knitting and I are totally pals. Once fall rolls around, the needles get whipped out and we have some gal pal time. Why are we best friends?

1. Less time on the internet.
2. Minnesota winter.
3. Yarn stores.
4. Knitting challenges! 
5. It adds to my ever-growing geriatric tendencies. Which I absolutely love and hone and am proud of.

So, just in time for never-remove-your-infinity-scarf season, a list of perfect-for-gift-giving knitting tutorials I'm-way-into. UNNECCESSARY HYPHENATION.

knit 1 la: infinity scarf

• You guys. It's so big. 

spud and chloe: chinese lantern hat

• Worked flat. Great. Thnx, Spud and Chloe.

the purl bee: tube sock legwarmers

spud and chloe: dogwood set

• I actually never want to knit anything but these mittens. 

jennifer adams: graham beanie

yellow dog knitting: thrummed mittens

• Currently making. They're going to be the warmest things of my life.

ohmygoodknits!: colorwork recipe

• This is very scary for me. Colorwork is scary. Let's learn together?

dull roar: mandelbrot hat

• I don't know why it's called mandelbrot hat. But I like mandelbrot...a lot...so I like this hat...a lot.

lion brand: vertical stripe tie

• I like a boy in a knitted tie. 

the purl bee: brioche cowl

• Can I have this?  I would like this right now.

the purl bee: men's mini herringbone cowl

• Nice. Real nice.

So there you have it. Things I've been perusing. Now I just have to practice having enough patience to finish a project that takes longer than a couple hours. It's a problem when you stop after only making one mitten. I have two hands.

vegan pumpkin spice graham crackers.

My most recent discovery about myself has to do with the fact that most of what I remember about a favorite childhood movie or TV show is centered around someone eating something.

Examples.

• My favorite part of Caspar (with THE Christina Ricci) is when the ghosts eat breakfast. I thought whatever they were eating looked pretty tasty.
• The only good part of the intro for One Saturday Morning was the cereal bowl.
• I liked the show The Weekenders because every Friday they went out for pizza.
• When the little girl in Smart House orders a smoothie from Pat, the robot inside the house. I was jealous. 
• Crabby patties? I can't even. Crabby patties were all I ever wanted.

It goes on. I'm not ashamed. In fact, I think my knowledge regarding those things is pretty impressive.

Anyway, I made you some graham crackers. They're spicy and cozy. It's a good thing.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Graham Crackers (adapted from this recipe by edible perspective)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs pumpkin puree (or unsweetened applesauce)

3 Tbs molasses

3 Tbs maple syrup (or any other sweetener)

1 tsp vanilla

3 Tbs non-dairy milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add pumpkin, molasses, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add in milk and mix until a soft dough forms (you might need to use your hands). 

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 1/8" thick. (I pressed mine into a small jelly roll pan to form a uniform rectangle. I also don't own a rolling pin) Cut dough into 12 crackers. Gently score crackers down the middle (like a real graham cracker!) and using a fork, poke holes.

Transfer crackers to a prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes.

Owl and his best friend Graham wish you the happiest of fridays.

fishtail sweaterband.

I have a problem. It's called Savers. A Goodwill, Salvation Army, consignment store.

Why do I love it?

1. Student discount days.

2. Family Dollar is next to it.

3. The "vintage" section that sometimes contains things from Target's summer 2011 collection.

4. Terrible framed paintings.

5. Sweater.

A typical Danie-Savers shopping experience involves me jetting straight to the sweaters, picking up at least five of them and carrying them around the store When I visit home my sister makes fun of me for my outrageous (AND REALLY WARM. AND SOFT.) sweaters. When you have to spend your winters in Minnesota, you need sweaters. I love my Savers sweaters. They keep me warm and usually require no jewelry. They're that special.

But I have this one sweater...it's uh...it's from a company called Girl Gear...that's a little past it's prime. 

I wanted to craft something for winter and I wanted to make use of this snazzy Girl Gear sweater. Because I can't let my sister win.

So I came up with this winter weather fishtail headband. All you really need is a sweater you can't seem to part with but are willing to repurpose. It's perfect. You're welcome.

You'll need: A sweater, scissors, a needle, and thread. 

1. Cut off one sleeve. My sleeves just happened to be long enough to work. I'd say they were about two feet long.

2. Cut down the seam of the sleeve so you have one flat piece of fabric. Starting from the bottom, cut eight strips about one inch wide. Leave a little over an inch at the top (so don't cut all the way up the fabric). Before you start braiding, tug each strip to make the edges curl under and look cleaner.

3. Start fishtailing! Split the strips into two groups (four and four). Start from the outermost strip on the left and bring it to the middle, adding it to the group on the right. Then take the outermost strip from the right and bring it to the middle, adding it to the left group. Continue doing this, keeping the braid fairly flat. 

4. When you reach the end, clip all of the ends of the strips on top of each other to keep them in place.

5. Bring both ends of the braid together and stack the clipped ends on top of the other end.

6. With your needle and thread, tack the ends together to keep them in place.

7. Cut another strip from your sweater, about 2 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches long. 

8. Stretch this strip to make the ends curl under. Wrap it around the ends of the headband and gather the edges on top of each other. Tack the strip to the headband. 

Lookin' good, kiddo.

this is halloween.

This Halloween, promise me you won't dress up in one of those spandex body suits.

Please wear a coat when you go outside.

 

Remember to watch the Halloween episodes of your most beloved childhood TV shows.

If someone offers you a plastic spider ring, wear it.

 If someone offers you candy, eat it.

And always listen to Beyoncé.

Peace and Halloween Blessings,

Danie

I swear to goodness I'll craft soon.