Groundhog Day / Go-to Frosting
I realized it was Groundhog Day at about 8 o’clock this morning when I looked at the calendar. Whoops.
I probably would have just gone on with the day without mentioning it, but since we didn’t have anywhere to be this afternoon and Tim has the kind of cold that makes you want to hunker down at home, I mentioned it.
Nothing really came to mind for a project, but then Lily remembered that Sarah Goldschadt’s Craft-a-Day book has an entire week devoted to groundhogs.
So Groundhog Cupcakes it was. I like the twist the girls came up with: If Phil sees his shadow we’ll get six more weeks of winter (powdered sugar) and if not, we’ll get an early spring (pink and green sprinkles).
Give: Ginger Soak
I got to have lunch with my friend Christina today to celebrate her birthday. I did the math and realized we’ve been friends for 35 years! When I was filling out her card, the words “a friendship that sparkles and sustains” came to mind. Christina’s an actress and singer with a twinkle in her eye and laughter always bubbling just under the surface. She also reminds me to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, whether it’s baking bread or going for a nice long walk. So I thought she’d enjoy this homemade ginger soak, along with some dark chocolate and a candle.
I know the ginger soak helps you relax because I tried it out on myself. I poured the ginger soak into a hot bath, lit a candle, climbed in, and then ate dark chocolate while reading the latest issue of People magazine. When I got out of the tub, I was so relaxed that I was completely useless for two hours.
So I guess the ginger soak should come with a warning: Do not use unless you can get away with doing absolutely nothing for as long as possible afterward.
This gift is wonderfully customizable. If I were making one for Tim, I’d include a bottle of Guinness, milk chocolate with hazelnuts, and Scientific American.
Ginger Soak
2 cups baking soda*
1 cup Epsom salts*
2 tablespoons dried ginger
Mix together and pour into a Mason jar, a cellophane bag, or any container you like. You can attach a tag with instructions: Pour into a warm bath and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
* If you think you might make large quantities of the ginger soak, you might want to check out the San Francisco Salt Company for the Epsom salts (I got a great deal with free shipping before Christmas) and your local Costco-type place for the baking soda. I spent about $7 for a good-sized bag.
I really do recommend trying this out for yourself first―enjoy!
Make: Double Happiness Symbol for Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year celebrations started yesterday, but I’m hoping it’s not too late to share a fun project with you. (The party lasts for two weeks, so we’re good, right?)
Paper-cutting is very popular in China, so Lily and I thought it would be fun to introduce the art form to her class during our annual Chinese New Year party. We cut out shuang xi, which means “double happiness.” The character xi means “joy,” so when you fold and cut the paper just the right way, you get two of them. Hence the double happiness!
To make your own Double Happiness symbols, you just need red construction paper in the 9″ X 12″ family, a pencil, scissors, and the Shuang Xi Template. Take your rectangular piece of paper and lay it “hot dog” style in front of you. Fold the lower half up over the top half and then repeat. Size your template to fit your paper (or vice versa!) and cut out your double happiness character.
On a side note, Lily’s magical teacher, Mrs. Elbe, is really good at getting kids to make connections, whether it’s person-to-person, person-to-text, person-to-self, etc. A fun connection that happened during the party was that a lot of the kids in the class are German and we talked about how paper-cutting, or scherenschnitte, is a very popular art form in Germany, too.
Shortly after I posted the original photo, a reader kindly pointed out that our symbol was upside-down. I apologize for the mistake! Here’s the correct version—it took a few years, but better late than never, I hope? (Huge thank you to Lily for being such a good sport.)
Chinese New Year Cookies
by Lexie
Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year!) In honor of the Chinese New Year, Lily and I whipped up a batch of Chinese Almond Cookies. These cookies, similar in texture to the sugar cookie but with a distinct almond flavor, symbolize coins and are said to bring good fortune during the New Year! The recipe originated many centuries ago and is enjoyed in Chinese bakeries year-round in addition to the New Year celebrations.
Chinese New Year Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons almond extract
60 blanched whole almonds
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut the butter into the flour mixture. Add the egg and almond extract and mix well. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand and press one almond into the center of each cookie.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges look slightly firm. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.