anne_liese_w

I'm not very good at remembering this LJ thing. For anyone who thought I must be posting on a filter that they're not on... no, I really haven't posted anything since April. So here's a run-down of some random things going on in my life:

 

 

No Pennsic this year. No major textile projects going on. Just mostly house stuff and keeping up with the kids. Rather boring, but necessary for a while I'm afraid.

It's been a long time since I've done a big costuming project. Those darned kids get in the way... but this time half the project is FOR the kids, and I'm finding it rather enjoyable. For my sister-in-law's wedding we're all going Belle Epoch! 

I've got T's "Short Clothes" in rust velveteen trimmed with gold braid over linen wide-collared guimpe almost done (only needs a hem and a tuck or two in the skirt plus tacking down the lining on the inside).  No one will be able to resist the combination of his adorableness and fuzziness.

E's going to be a flower girl! Everything must be pink. The pink hearts on pink fabric is a tad too wild... I have the pink lace but still need a pink satin or moire for her dress.

colmunson will don the Udrian military uniform (I think). I gave him permission to buy a frock coat but I'm sure he's talking himself out of it given our worries of late about putting E into private school.

Mine will be the most complicated gown I've done to date. Drafting from an original 1901 pattern to go over a 1901 corset (lost so much weight the trial corset was no good; new corset is only halfway sewn). Gaslight green silk (light mustardy green, if you can figure that one out) with black velvet trim and dark red velvet roses. I'm intimidated and thrilled at the same time.

It's taking most of my free time, hence the lack of attention to LJ (oh, that plus parenting, taxes and finances, researching schooling options for E, phonecalls to relatives and the vagaries of "normal" life). Wish me luck!

I've now officially made my first wild yeast starter loaf of bread!!

My MIL gave me Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads for Yule (it wasn't on my wishlist, she just really hit the nail on the head with this one). Ever since I've been off on this bread obsession thing. You see, my breadmaker died; I tried to use it and during the baking cycle it started kneading so that all we had by the time I figured out what had happened was mostly-baked breadcrumbs. Fortunately they went well in the stew, but I was still unable to get the breadmachine to do anything after that other than simultaneously trying to knead and bake bread. So I decided to go old-fashioned. The only problem is, old-fashioned bread takes time.

But Peter Reinhart's methods make this bread-baking thing more do-able. You start two proto-doughs one day, then mix them into a final dough, allow them to rise, and bake them a day or two later. I've tried two recipes so far with somewhat blah results, but I don't blame him or the method... I think it's my old ingredients. Yeast packets from '05, bread flour that I have no idea how old it is, etc.

So I decided to make a starter cultivating the wild yeasts in my very own kitchen according to his directions. It works!! The bread was still a little on the dense side (old yeast), but the sour taste from the starter really made it work, even with the old blah-tasting flour. E ate it for breakfast and dinner and even said she liked everything about the bread.

I've used up my old flour now, and have bought new yeast, so from now on the bread should only get better and better. How many loaves before I can count myself as officially hooked and rationalize getting a digital scale from King Arthur Flour?

If anyone else wants starter, just let me know. Hopefully I'll be able to keep it going in my fridge.

I just have to ask... why is it that a bunch of makeup-optional comfortable-shoe-wearing women are suddenly going gaga over perfumes? I am obviously missing something, and I have a feeling maybe I shouldn't even ask because not missing it probably involves missing money.

is a terrible thing, but I've finally done it and gotten an LJ account. Now to figure out whether my 479 closest friends all have accounts.